The Bookshelf: Nov. 24, 2016

Trib+Edu is joining with respected books authority Kirkus Reviews to bring you select reviews of books of note in the field of education. For more book reviews and recommendations, visit Kirkus.com.

IT TAKES A SCHOOL: The Extraordinary Story of an American School in the World's #1 Failed State

by Jonathan Starr

Feeling unfulfilled in his career as a successful hedge fund manager, Starr invested $500,000 of his own as seed money for a secondary school in impoverished Somaliland. It is the homeland of his uncle, a place where formal education had long ended with third grade. Otherwise, the author knew little about the African country until he was already committed to the project. ... Nonetheless, it’s hard to argue with Starr’s impressive results: “as of May 2016, Abaarso students have earned approximately $15 million in scholarships and financial aid, and the 2016-2017 school year will see almost ninety students studying around the world.” Though the story suffers somewhat in the telling, Starr is proud of his accomplishments, and he deserves to be.

For the full review, visit kirkus.com.