Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace - One School at a Time
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard
Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson’s quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.
Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson’s quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.
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Community Reviews
This book is incredibly boring. I struggled to get into it. I made it to chapter three before I stated to just skim the rest. Read something interesting here and there, but over all this book is a bummer.
I’m upset with myself that I didn’t like this. Building schools is an amazing thing. I wish this was written differently. Maybe more photos? Ugh.
Why is it third person?
I’m upset with myself that I didn’t like this. Building schools is an amazing thing. I wish this was written differently. Maybe more photos? Ugh.
Why is it third person?
By far one of the best books I've ever read - and I read a lot of books. I'm not usually one for nonfiction, but this was excellent. If you've seen criticism of the book and/or Greg Mortenson, the forward added to the digital edition clears up some of it. Regardless, Mr. Mortenson and the organization he started has done, and is doing, wonderful things for the children of Pakistan and the surrounding regions. A couple of my non-spoiler quotes from the book:
"The work Mortenson is doing building schools is giving thousands of students what they need most - a balanced education and the tools to pull themselves out of poverty. . .the state [of Pakistan] is failing its students on a massive scale and making it far too easy for the extremists who run many of the madrassas to recruit. . .they're churning out generation after generation of brainswashed students and thinking twenty, thirty, forty, even sixty years ahead to a time when their armies of extremism will have the numbers to swarm over Pakistan and the rest of the Islamic world."
From a speech given at a school's inauguration on Sept 14, 2001, "Today is a day that you children will remember forever and tell your children and grandchildren. Today, from the darkness of illiteracy, the light of education shines bright. We share in the sorrow as people weep and suffer in America today as we inaugurate this school. Those who have committed this evil act against the innocent, the women and children, to create thousands of widows and orphans do not do so in the name of Islam. . .For this tragedy, I humbly ask Mr. George and Dr. Greg for their forgiveness. All of you, my brethren: Protect and embrace these two American brothers in our midst. Let no harm come to them. Share all you have to make their mission successful. These two Christian men have come halfway around the world to show our Muslim children the light of education. Why have we not been able to bring education to our children on our own? Fathers and parents, I implore you to dedicate your full effort and commitment to see that all your children are educated. Otherwise, they will merely graze like sheep in the field, at the mercy of our nature and the world changing so terrifyingly around us. I request Americans to look at our hearts and see that the great majority of us are not terrorists, but good and simple people. Our land is stricken with poverty because we are without education. But today, another candle of knowledge has been lit. In the name of Allah the Almighty, may it light our way out of the darkness we find ourselves in."
As one of Greg Mortenson's allies in Pakistan, Mr. Bashir, watched America bombing Iraq in 2003, he said this:
"'People like me are America's best friends in the region. I'm a moderate Muslim, an educated man. But watching this, even I could become a jihadi. How can Americans say they are making themselves safer? Your President Bush has done a wonderful job of uniting one billion Muslims against America for the next two hundred years.'
Mortenson replied, 'Osama has something to do with it, too.'
Mr. Bashir continued, 'Osama, baah! Osama is not a product of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He is a creation of America. Osama is in every home. As a military man, I know you can never fight and win against someone who can shoot at you once and then run off and hide while you have to remain eternally on guard. You have to attack the source of your enemy's strength. In America's case, that's not Osama or Saddam or anyone else. The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise, the fight will go on forever.'"
"The work Mortenson is doing building schools is giving thousands of students what they need most - a balanced education and the tools to pull themselves out of poverty. . .the state [of Pakistan] is failing its students on a massive scale and making it far too easy for the extremists who run many of the madrassas to recruit. . .they're churning out generation after generation of brainswashed students and thinking twenty, thirty, forty, even sixty years ahead to a time when their armies of extremism will have the numbers to swarm over Pakistan and the rest of the Islamic world."
From a speech given at a school's inauguration on Sept 14, 2001, "Today is a day that you children will remember forever and tell your children and grandchildren. Today, from the darkness of illiteracy, the light of education shines bright. We share in the sorrow as people weep and suffer in America today as we inaugurate this school. Those who have committed this evil act against the innocent, the women and children, to create thousands of widows and orphans do not do so in the name of Islam. . .For this tragedy, I humbly ask Mr. George and Dr. Greg for their forgiveness. All of you, my brethren: Protect and embrace these two American brothers in our midst. Let no harm come to them. Share all you have to make their mission successful. These two Christian men have come halfway around the world to show our Muslim children the light of education. Why have we not been able to bring education to our children on our own? Fathers and parents, I implore you to dedicate your full effort and commitment to see that all your children are educated. Otherwise, they will merely graze like sheep in the field, at the mercy of our nature and the world changing so terrifyingly around us. I request Americans to look at our hearts and see that the great majority of us are not terrorists, but good and simple people. Our land is stricken with poverty because we are without education. But today, another candle of knowledge has been lit. In the name of Allah the Almighty, may it light our way out of the darkness we find ourselves in."
As one of Greg Mortenson's allies in Pakistan, Mr. Bashir, watched America bombing Iraq in 2003, he said this:
"'People like me are America's best friends in the region. I'm a moderate Muslim, an educated man. But watching this, even I could become a jihadi. How can Americans say they are making themselves safer? Your President Bush has done a wonderful job of uniting one billion Muslims against America for the next two hundred years.'
Mortenson replied, 'Osama has something to do with it, too.'
Mr. Bashir continued, 'Osama, baah! Osama is not a product of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He is a creation of America. Osama is in every home. As a military man, I know you can never fight and win against someone who can shoot at you once and then run off and hide while you have to remain eternally on guard. You have to attack the source of your enemy's strength. In America's case, that's not Osama or Saddam or anyone else. The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise, the fight will go on forever.'"
Greg Mortenson has unquestionably achieved something great in his quest to build schools for children in poor and remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. And this book is unquestionably a great way to learn about Mortenson and his efforts. David Oliver Relin is to be credited with making not just Greg and his work accessible to readers, but also the myriad people and some of the complex politics of central Asia. Relin meshes anecdotes about mountain climbing, fundraising, and actually building schools into a seamless story. This story, dealing as it does with poverty, war, and serious lack of opportunity, could have been very depressing, but Mortenson's goal, coupled with Relin's writing, make it actually a very hopeful one that is enjoyable to read.
Just finished for my book club and found it to be a very inspiring book. It reminds us how the dedication of one person and one idea can blossom and really change the world. Every little bit counts. We reap what we sow. Go with your instincts and don't be afraid to help your fellow man. Underneath it all we really have the same wants and needs.
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