Saturday, March 5, 2011

LITTLE PRINCES: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

 GIVEAWAY ENDED
LITTLE PRINCES
One Man's Promise to Bring
Home the Lost Children of Nepal
BY CONOR GRENNAN

ABOUT THE BOOK: 
One Person Can Make a Difference
In search of adventure, twenty-nine-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.

Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.

For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.
Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Conor Grennan, author of the memoir Little Princes, spent eight years at the EastWest Institute (EWI), both in Prague and the EU Office in Brussels, where he served as Deputy Director for the Security and Governance Program.

At the East/West Institute, Conor developed and managed a wide variety of projects focusing on issues such as peace and reconciliation in the Balkans, community development in Central Eastern Europe, and harmonizing anti-trafficking policy at the highest levels government in the European Union and the former Yugoslavia. 

Conor left EWI in 2004 to travel the world and volunteer in Nepal. He would eventually return to Nepal and found Next Generation Nepal, an organization dedicated to reconnecting trafficked children with their families and combating the root causes of child trafficking in rural villages in Nepal. He was based in the capital of Kathmandu until September 2007 where he was the Executive Director of Next Generation Nepal.

Conor now serves on the Board of Next Generation Nepal, together with his wife, Liz. He is a 2010 graduate of the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was the President of the Student Body. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and son, Finn, and a soon-to-be baby girl.

MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
In the war-torn country of Nepal, Conor Grennan goes expecting to do a year of noble volunteering to pump up his resume and return home with some great stories. Instead, Grennan found not only a country devastated by the recent civil war, but a place filled with orphaned children, poverty, starvation and all that comes along with these life changing experiences. In LITTLE PRINCES, Conor Grennan’s memoir, little did he know that he would find something so different from what he expected and would be forced to return because when he leaves, he leaves a part of him still there…and that part is his heart.

From the time he walked in expecting to see broken, sad children who would be grateful for a pat on the head, to when he left for the first time, the difference was night and day. Very quickly, he became totally immersed in their world. With Nepal having been at war for almost ten years, there was so much corruption in the government that people had to get their own protection from the Maoist guerrillas. Families tried but were finding it so hard to just care for their children as well as hide them lest they be taken by the guerrillas to be made into soldiers. Out of sheer desperation, they would trust men who promised to educate their children, and they even paid a large fee for this “service“. Little did they know these were the scum of the earth, child traffickers, who would take the children off to Katmandu to be made to beg, or worse yet, be sold into slavery.

Conor learns all this and discovers that these children he has fallen in love with may not even be orphans!  It was all this that brought Conor back. He took 7 children and opened his own shelter upon his return. He later went into the mountains to find the families in order to try and reunite them. LITTLE PRINCES will stay with you a long time. You will find out how many children Conor reunites with their families, as well as how many more need his help. Next Generation Nepal is the non-profit organization that Conor created and runs to help these children by opening a new home and still doing similar things today. LITTLE PRINCES is a book you won’t want to end or put down as you become involved in the lives of these children and get to see how one man CAN make a difference, can you? 


GIVEAWAY
  
THANKS TO CHELSEY AND THE GREAT
FOLKS AT HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE
5, YES, FIVE!!!!, COPIES OF THIS BEST
SELLING BOOK TO GIVE AWAY! I KNOW
YOU WILL WANT TO WIN, SO HERE'S HOW!
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE AND SAW IN THE VIDEO THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW

+1 MORE ENTRY: GO TO CONOR GRENNAN'S BLOG HERE AND COMMENT ON SOMETHING INTERESTING YOU FIND THERE.

+1 MORE ENTRY:CHECK OUT THE HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE AND CONOR'S PHOTO ALBUM BY GOING HERE. COMMENT ON ONE OF THE PHOTOS THAT YOU FOUND INTERESTING

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, MARCH 22!
 GOOD LUCK!

58 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I can't wait to read this one! No need to enter me.

debbie said...

I would like to read this book. It sounds like those children have gone through alot in their short lives.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

dogwood said...

I will read this whether I win a copy or not! I am grad student studying nonprofit management and have founded a nonprofit advocacy organization as well (nothing near the magnitude of this man), and I love to read about others' inspirational stories.

dogwoodlane at suddenlink dot net

dogwood said...

His stories about dealing with traffic and trying to cross the street in San Fran are funny... makes me really want to read his writing.

dogwoodlane at suddenlink dot net

dogwood said...

Ah, the picture of the little girl... perfect.

dogwoodlane at suddenlink dot net

Margie said...

I would love to read this book. It shows how much good just one person can do. Very moving post.

Margie said...

I found it interesting that the author met his wife in Katmandu. They are both on the Board of Next Generation Nepal. I also found some great wedding photos on the site!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

I loved the photo The boys of the Little Princes Children's Home. Shows just how much they love the author.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

+5 Swag
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

FB March Fan Bonus entry
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Book Dilettante said...

We're on the same page...I'm giving away copies of Little Princes as well. It's a great book that everyone should read!

traveler said...

I am interested in this type of human interest story which is true. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I'm glad there are people lilke Conor Grennan in the world to help protect the innocent children who can't help themselves.
seknobloch(at)Gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

It's sad that the children in the photo think nothing of having men with guns sitting and watching their soccer game.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

The little girl, Leena is precious. What a photo. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I thought it was interesting that he moved to Connecticut last year, since that's where I live.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

The blog is humorous and his brother Dave's driving skills are amusing. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

I am fascinated by this experience the author endured and was so successful. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

The photo of the boys is adorable and special. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

His experience jaywalking in Seattle. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Charleydog said...

The story is based in Nepal and that country has always held a magic allure for me. This is the reason why I would like to win this book.

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

Unknown said...

Please enter me in contest. Sounds really good. Tore923@aol.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/44474694228910080


(\___/)
(='.'=)
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

Colleen Turner said...

I have seen this book everywhere and everyone has said the same thing: it is a touching look at what one man (and in turn each of us) can do with little but that means so much to those he helps. I cannot wait to read this!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

Going to the author's blog, I am just in awe at how much he travels! He has been all over the place and has done so much to help others.
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I love the picture of the little girl Leena! To know that she didn't speak for five months but is now a smiling little wonder just makes me heart melt.
candc320@gmail.com

Carol N Wong said...

I would love to read this book. I was surprised to read earlier than this posting that the children were all the victims of human trafficking. I am so glad that they have some time to still have a childhood. What the author says about volunteering is so true. Whatever you give is doubled back to you.


CarolWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I tweeted:

http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-princes-review-and-giveaway.html Giveaway of 'Little Princes'

My Twitter name is Carolee888

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I was also interested in the author's experience with crossing streets in Seattle. I have found that there is a big and consistent difference between states when you cross the street without a stop light. In some states, no will stop for you no matter what in other states, they go to great pains to stop.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Carol N Wong said...

I read a book recently about mountain climbing and found that it is even more physically challenging dangerous than I thought. The photo of the author at the Everest Base Camp reminds me of the other book.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Renee said...

just amazes me that a 29yo man would volunteer at an orphanage.... God bless him.
WOuld love to read his story

reneesuz82(at)msn.com

Renee said...

Find it interesting that he lived in Prague for 6 yrs.... we visited there while living in Germany.

ReneeSuz82(at)msn.com

Renee said...

loved the PileUp pic... I think that must be universal fun

reneesuz82(at)msn.com

bison61 said...

child traffickers that is so sad and hard to understand-I'd love to read this book

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

mamabunny13 said...

I want to read this because I need to know that he reunited many of the children with their families.
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

mamabunny13 said...

I found it interesting that he has much affection and is very proud of his brother Dave.
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

mamabunny13 said...

tweet http://twitter.com/#!/mamabunny13/status/45359998984912896
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

mamabunny13 said...

I don't know how intering it is but it did give me the creeps to see little children playing in front of armed soliers.
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

rubynreba said...

I'd like to read this because it sounds like the author had so many interesting experiences.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Conor's father is from Ireland and they spell Conor with one n there.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Enjoyed the pictures of the Little Princes Childrens Home
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Laura H. said...

I am amazed by stories about individuals who inadvertently find their purpose in life from tragedy. It just reaffirms my belief that there is always a reason things happen and that the reason may not be apparent initially. I have heard a lot of great things about this book and would love to read it!

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Tweeted giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/MamaHendo3/status/45664865485979649

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

From Conor's website I learned that he founded the non-profit organization, Next Generation Nepal, to help reconnect "lost" children with their families.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

I was touched by the picture of Leena. What a cute little girl and she does look genuinely happy.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

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Laura H. said...

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Laura H. said...

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