Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

The first few chapters are going really slow. Yeah, yeah, yeah...we know Greg Mortenson is an amazing person that everyone loves and has lots of gumption. We don't need a resume showing off as a character witness. Get to the actual story!Update: Ok, it was much of the same throughout the book. Mortenson showing off how spartan he can live while doing everything selflessly for others, little character development for the children he's doing all of this for, the idea of actually getting teachers for the schools is entirely glossed over (the book is so damn fixated on the logistics of the buildings).

This is an extremely engaging book! I just couldn't put it down! It is about the co-founder of the Central Asian Institute, who was mountaineer climbing K2. As he was coming back from attempting the climb, he got lost in Pakistan. A village took him and brought him back to health. This lit a fire to help the people in Pakistan to become better educated, and improve the quality of their lives. By doing so, he has also realized that building schools promote peace, and tolerance.

This was on my to-read list for a long time but I just couldn't seem to pick it up. Then it became a pick for my reading club. I missed the book club meeting and still hadn't finished the book two weeks afterward. It's just the kind of story that takes you a while. One of those books where the comment "it has a lot of words" meets nods of understanding.While the story is quite good and morally awakening, the power of Mortenson's activism can get lostin all the descriptions. Since it's a plot you know before beginning the first chapter - Mortenson asmountain climber turned do-gooder builds schools in Pakistan, especially for girls - the narrative turnslengthy with small anecdotes that slow the progress of the reader in much the way that politics and turfwars impeded Mortenson's building; these details are important, but just get really old really quickly.Certainly a must-read for anyone wanting an emotional pick-me-up, but definitely lacks the structure of a good novel.

Greg Mortenson's journey to become a great humanitarian was all but accidental, but his example is now a phenomenal model for the way in which one human being can quite literally make the world a better place, infecting thousands of individuals with a drive for education, for peace, and for understanding. The account of this journey given in Three Cups of Tea, artfully delivered by Mortenson himself and David Oliver Relin, is nothing less than required reading for any individual who feels strongly that this world--and the people who call it home--is worth believing in, and worth effort.By tracing Mortenson's journey from grief-stricken and hapless mountaineer to humanitarian miracle-worker and educator, this work brings to life the educational and peace-driving efforts of Mortenson and his Central Asia Institute, based in Montana and working tirelessly for the education and improvement of individuals in some of the world's most dangerous environments. And yet, through conflict, through logistical nightmares, through violence, and through a lack of resources, Mortenson has managed to create a magnificent effort, and the achievements to match.Simply, this book should be required reading for everyone, regardless of age or location. It's an inspiring account, and more than that, a representation of efforts and engagements which must be shared, understood, and celebrated. In all honesty, the world will be a better place with each single person who reads this work.Absolutely recommended.

As a book club selection, I was eager to delve into a book I wouldn't traditionally select on my own. That's one of the hidden beauties of book clubs - opening yourself up to books out of your habits and find otherwise hidden gems.

I realize this book has moved many, many other readers. Not so much for this reader.

I resisted this book for a long time despite the appeal of its topic, largely because of its popularity as a book club book. And we all know I'm a snob like that, despite my claiming of the bookslut title. Anyway, when Tava sent me a copy, it erased most of my excuses not to read it.

I'm very glad I finally did read it. The author, through a chance encounter, develops a relationship with the people of a small, remote village in Pakistan, and pledges to build them a school. This, despite his limited income, working only enough as a nurse to finance his many mountain-climbing expeditions, incredibly limited contacts, and complete lack of fundraising experience. Still, he somehow succeeds, and goes on to build dozens of schools, despite the opposition of corrupt local organizers and mullahs, a kidnapping at gunpoint, wars and rapidly changing political climates. What he accomplishes is truly amazing, though it makes the rise of violent Islamic factions toward the end of the book all the more depressing.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to better understand what's going on in the region, and to anyone who believes in the power of education.