The education system is in crisis. In a recent survey, the United States was ranked sixteenth in literacy among a group of twenty-three developed nations. The numbers reveal a vicious cycle: a lack of education and literacy reduces a person's chances of economic prosperity, which can ultimately lead to a life of poverty and crime. Yet there is still so much that is good and effective about the American educational system and the way our children learn.
Changing the World One Book at a Time serves as a wake-up call to America -- and an impetus to start a literary revolution. Activist, author, lawyer, and speaker James W. Parkinson has spent almost a decade traveling across America speaking to more than 40,000 teachers, mentors, administrators, parents, and students to spread his message of the importance of self-education and literacy. He examines the shortcomings of the country's current system, discusses the researchers, politicians, and educators who are positively influencing and changing the world of education, and shares powerful and poignant stories of the successes. His message is clear: reading is the key to one's achievement in life. This book serves as an inspiration to students who want to take responsibility for their future and their education.