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The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change Hardcover – March 18, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"For anyone with a big dream to transform the world, this book will show you how to get it done." (Sir Richard Branson)
“A compelling and singular story filled with universal truths everyone needs to hear.” (United States Senator Cory Booker)
"A remarkably inspiring story that shares the essential lessons to creating a life of meaning, passion and purpose." (Deepak Chopra, Founder of The Chopra Foundation)
“A vivid, heartfelt account of the power of education and the ability of one person to impact the world.” (Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach For America and Co-Founder & CEO of Teach For All)
“Braun takes you on a mesmerizing round-the-world adventure, while sharing the concrete steps necessary to turn your own ideas into reality. He has his finger on the pulse of what's next and when he speaks you should be listening.” (Keith Ferrazzi, #1 NY Times bestselling author of Never Eat Alone and Who's Got Your Back)
“A perfect step-by-step guide to building the life you've always wanted on your own terms. . . Start reading and don't put the book down until you're finished.” (Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia and New York Times bestselling author of Jab, Jab, Jab Right Hook and Crush It!)
"Braun's lessons are memorable, accessible, and powerful. This is a must-read, and a must-re-read, and a must-keep-in-view-on-bookshelf kind of book." (Jessica Jackley, Co-Founder of Kiva)
"[An] exuberant testimony to the power of idealism. . . Braun’s story forcefully presents the advantages of silencing the head andlistening to the heart." (Publishers Weekly starred review and Book of the Week)
"[Braun] skillfully weaves together his personal memoir and the professional challenges he faced... Informative and inspiring." (Kirkus Reviews)
“Braun combines his laid-back storytelling style with simple yet sage advice….The Promise of a Pencil is engaging, instructive and inspiring reading for anyone who wants to change his or her life, change the world, or simply feel better about humanity.” (Success Magazine)
"Braun shares his story of how he started Pencils of Promise, what he learned from Wall Street that has helped him...how he’s leveraged social networks to generate donations, and his best career advice." (Forbes.com)
"[A] page-turning debut." (MTV Act)
“A compelling and singular story filled with universal truths everyone needs to hear.” (United States Senator Cory Booker)
"A remarkably inspiring story that shares the essential lessons to creating a life of meaning, passion and purpose." (Deepak Chopra, Founder of The Chopra Foundation)
“A vivid, heartfelt account of the power of education and the ability of one person to impact the world.” (Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach For America and Co-Founder & CEO of Teach For All)
“Braun takes you on a mesmerizing round-the-world adventure, while sharing the concrete steps necessary to turn your own ideas into reality. He has his finger on the pulse of what's next and when he speaks you should be listening.” (Keith Ferrazzi, #1 NY Times bestselling author of Never Eat Alone and Who's Got Your Back)
“A perfect step-by-step guide to building the life you've always wanted on your own terms. . . Start reading and don't put the book down until you're finished.” (Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia and New York Times bestselling author of Jab, Jab, Jab Right Hook and Crush It!)
"Braun's lessons are memorable, accessible, and powerful. This is a must-read, and a must-re-read, and a must-keep-in-view-on-bookshelf kind of book." (Jessica Jackley, Co-Founder of Kiva)
"[An] exuberant testimony to the power of idealism. . . Braun’s story forcefully presents the advantages of silencing the head andlistening to the heart." (Publishers Weekly starred review and Book of the Week)
"[Braun] skillfully weaves together his personal memoir and the professional challenges he faced... Informative and inspiring." (Kirkus Reviews)
“Braun combines his laid-back storytelling style with simple yet sage advice….The Promise of a Pencil is engaging, instructive and inspiring reading for anyone who wants to change his or her life, change the world, or simply feel better about humanity.” (Success Magazine)
"Braun shares his story of how he started Pencils of Promise, what he learned from Wall Street that has helped him...how he’s leveraged social networks to generate donations, and his best career advice." (Forbes.com)
"[A] page-turning debut." (MTV Act)
About the Author
Adam Braun is the Founder and CEO of Pencils of Promise, an award-winning nonprofit organization that has built more than 200 schools across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and delivered over 15 million educational hours to children in poverty. PoP was founded with just $25 and has grown under Braun's stewardship with his unique approach that blends nonprofit idealism with for-profit business principles. He has been featured as part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and Wired Magazine's 50 People Changing the world. To learn more visit pencilsofpromise.org and adambraun.com.
More About the Author
Adam Braun is the Founder of Pencils of Promise, an award-winning organization that began with just $25 and has since broken ground on 200 schools across the world. He also is the creator of the "For-Purpose" approach to business and philanthropy, which combines for-profit business acumen with the best of social sector idealism. Braun graduated from Brown University, began his career at Bain & Company, and has been featured at the United Nations, Clinton Global Initiative and Forbes' 30 under 30 List.
"The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change" is his debut book, which shares his personal journey from high finance through more than 50 countries and explains the essential steps that every person must take to discover their own life of passion and purpose.
Richard Branson described, "For anyone looking to transform the world, this book will show you how to get it done."
You can find more information at www.adambraun.com.
"The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change" is his debut book, which shares his personal journey from high finance through more than 50 countries and explains the essential steps that every person must take to discover their own life of passion and purpose.
Richard Branson described, "For anyone looking to transform the world, this book will show you how to get it done."
You can find more information at www.adambraun.com.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By
Dave Kerpen
on March 18, 2014
Format: Hardcover
1 Comment
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This book is both a terrific story and a guide to making a difference in the world. Inspiring, thought-provoking, and deeply meaningful - Promise of a Pencil profoundly resonated with me and it will resonate with you.
Any one of the chapters - organized as stories telling 30 "mantras" - would be worth the price of the entire book- but together, well- this is a masterpiece, and a future textbook in how we can all make a difference in our short times on this planet. Two enormous likeable thumbs up!
Any one of the chapters - organized as stories telling 30 "mantras" - would be worth the price of the entire book- but together, well- this is a masterpiece, and a future textbook in how we can all make a difference in our short times on this planet. Two enormous likeable thumbs up!
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By
agray63
on March 18, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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This book is not only an incredibly quick read that keeps you glued to the pages until there are no more left to read, but it also keeps you wishing the story would never end!
The book is perfect for all ages in the sense that if you are a young person, it will inspire you to dream big dreams and pursue them with a relentless and undivided attention. If you are older, this book restores your hope in the current generation that is doing so much good in the world.
After reading this book, not only do I feel like I CAN do anything, I also feel like I WANT to go do EVERYTHING! Great Read!
The book is perfect for all ages in the sense that if you are a young person, it will inspire you to dream big dreams and pursue them with a relentless and undivided attention. If you are older, this book restores your hope in the current generation that is doing so much good in the world.
After reading this book, not only do I feel like I CAN do anything, I also feel like I WANT to go do EVERYTHING! Great Read!
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70 of 85 people found the following review helpful
By
Heather
on April 1, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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Braun's life story is certainly lovely, and it's hopeful for Wall Street dwellers who feel constrained and want to seek more meaning in life. However...the story can only appeal to an audience much more narrow than the book boasts. Braun grew up comfortably with loving parents who, despite their insistence that he had to work hard and finance himself, would surely capture him with a safety net if anything drastic happened after he quit his job to chase his dreams. Braun seems to have neglected to mention that much of his story involves luck -- his nonprofit would surely not be as expansive or popular it is today without Bieber's support and his idolizing fans panting behind his heels. I'm glad Braun is doing such good for the world. I believe firmly in Pencils of Promise and I think the organizations maintains beautiful ideals rooted in sustainable development and local growth from within. But I would not tell any average Joe Shmoe to quit a job to hunt down dreams. We have families to support, or ill parents to take care of, or friends in need, and not everyone can abandon the common route to travel and explore for oneself.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By
Clay Hebert
on March 18, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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The subtitle of this book isn't exactly correct.
Adam isn't "ordinary" by any definition of the word.
Adam could have ended up ordinary. He was on a fast-track to make millions in corporate America, but with no real impact on the world. He could have been ordinary. Rich and ordinary.
But Adam chose a different path.
He chose to matter. He chose impact. He chose, quite intentionally, to make a dent in the universe by founding an organization that has built over 200 schools and is bringing education to so many who desperately need it.
In addition to being an innovator and leader, Adam is a great storyteller. The 30 mantras in this book are lessons told through interesting stories. They are instructive, insightful and human. Adam shows the good and the bad. The successes and the bumps and bruises as Pencils of Promise grew.
This book is an invaluable resource. There's no single playbook on "how to change the world" but this book should be required reading for anyone who wants to make their own dent in the universe.
Adam may have started as ordinary but along the way he became "extraordinary".
Have you?
Will you?
Adam isn't "ordinary" by any definition of the word.
Adam could have ended up ordinary. He was on a fast-track to make millions in corporate America, but with no real impact on the world. He could have been ordinary. Rich and ordinary.
But Adam chose a different path.
He chose to matter. He chose impact. He chose, quite intentionally, to make a dent in the universe by founding an organization that has built over 200 schools and is bringing education to so many who desperately need it.
In addition to being an innovator and leader, Adam is a great storyteller. The 30 mantras in this book are lessons told through interesting stories. They are instructive, insightful and human. Adam shows the good and the bad. The successes and the bumps and bruises as Pencils of Promise grew.
This book is an invaluable resource. There's no single playbook on "how to change the world" but this book should be required reading for anyone who wants to make their own dent in the universe.
Adam may have started as ordinary but along the way he became "extraordinary".
Have you?
Will you?
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By
David Burstein
on March 18, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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It's rare that a book is able to both provide such detailed how-to like perspective on how you start something, change something, or build something but also offers insight into the often ignored emotional, physical, and psychological ups and downs of this process. Adam's willingness to delve deep into his own experiences and really reflect is a benefit for the scores of people in this generation--and all generations who want to make the world a better place, but need to work hard to do it
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By
Jake Antelis
on March 19, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Verified Purchase
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I just finished reading this book after starting it from page one this morning. I could not put this book down. I was expecting a book about how a charity got started and perhaps some biography thrown in- but what i got out of it was so much more. What i did not expect was this epic adventure that has lifted my spirits and further influenced my faith in humanity and what one person can do with 25 dollars and start a revolution. With Adam's words in describing his adventures, stories about his family and the start and current state of his organization "Pencils for Promise" i felt like i was experiencing these things right along with the words on the page. This is an epic book on how to follow your dreams, get things done, experience life and not accept things that you are not happy with. This book should be required reading for all schools & businesses alike. There is something for everyone in this book and i cannot help but feeling inspired reading his refreshing words . i Highly recommend everyone pick this up. Thanks for a great read.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By
Jan Michael Alonzo
on March 27, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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This book is a must read for all ages. Adam's (and Pencils of Promise's) story is captivating and is so riveting such that is makes you glued to the pages. The mantras are also great. In addition, there are also a lot of quotable quotes here that you can apply to your daily life. A truly empowering book!
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