It Happened on the Way to War: A Marine's Path to Peace

(Paperback)

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An inspirational true story of a Marine who finds his calling empowering youth in one of the largest slums in Africa. 'The best book to land on my desk this year' Bobby Ghosh, Time 'A tremendous story of the power of friendship, love, and the transforming grace of God' Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate This is a book about two forms of service that may appear contradictory: war-fighting and peacemaking, military service and social entrepreneurship. In 2001, Marine officer-in-training Rye Barcott cofounded a nongovernmental organization with two Kenyans in the Kibera slum of Nairobi. Their organization-Carolina for Kibera-grew to become a model of a global movement called participatory development, and Barcott continued volunteering with CFK while leading Marines in dangerous places. It Happened on the Way to War is a true story of heartbreak, courage, and the impact that small groups of committed citizens can make in the world.

Reviews

The best book to land on my desk this year -- Bobby Ghosh * Time *
A tremendous story of the power of friendship, love, and the transforming grace of God * Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate *
A must read for anyone interested in leadership. The solutions to our greatest challenges will be found by unlocking the potential of communities like Kibera * Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google *
An unforgettable odyssey. We need more of these wonderful affirmative tales of how good can triumph in Africa, as it can anywhere * Alexander McCall Smith, author of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency *
A wild ride of a book * Bono *
A beautifully written memoir that reveals fundamental truths about good, evil, and our common humanity * Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone *

Author Bio

Rye Barcott founded the renowned non-governmental organization Carolina for Kibera (CFK) with Salim Mohamed and Tabitha Atieno Festo while he was an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduation, he served as a Marine for five years on active duty. In 2006 ABC World News named then Captain Barcott a Person of the Week and Person of the Year for his dual service to Kibera and the Marine Corps. As a Reynolds Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, he earned master's degrees in business and public administration from Harvard University. He is currently a member of the World Learning Board of Trustees and a TED Fellow living in Charlotte, North Carolina. @ryebarcott