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

• STOP what you are doing...

  
  By A1MH4WA7A1QOE on 2006-06-02
  you.. yes YOU behind the terminal, surfing the web, maybe finding that cheap chotcky to buy or something. Stop what you are doing if you have come across this book and this review. You need to read this more than you think!
  
  Within the confines of 350 pages you can be transported to a world that for most Westerner's and specifically Americans, is probably very unknown, and more than likely, highly misunderstood. In this world you will be introduced to a man named Greg Mortenson, or as you soon to know him, as Greg Sahib..
  
  The story that is told by David Oliver Revin, will not just be inspiring, will not be just teeth clenching, it will make you re-evaluate what you do in your life. While most of us may talk about the incapacity of the administration, or some (unfortunatly) the hatred of the middle East, or maybe some of you are even lying down in the streets, but there is ONE person who is TRULY doing something about the problems of foreign policy by litteraly getting his hands dirty touching the earth to build a school foundation, and risking his life ten times over.
  
  When you have read this journey, you will be saying to yourself, did he really do that? That guy is CRAZY! Did that really happen?, the Taliban? , How is that possible? In the journey that is fortold of a change of fate through a failed mountain expedition, you can see what the spirit of the individual can do and how it can be transformed. As the events of 9/11 soon come to fruition, Greg couldn't be in a better place at the right time, and with David's narration, you are litteraly put in the drivers seat.
  
  After reading Mortensen's journey, you will want to litteraly book a plane ticket to somewhere you have never been before. In reading the accomplishments of a somewhat flawed (hey what person is perfect) individual, you will feel small and insignifigant. David Relin will not just explain what Greg did, he will make you live it, with some enjoyable side narrations that will make you grin.
  
  In Three Cups of Tea, David has managed more than anything to explain the heart of a problem (Islamic hatred of the West) of a very complicated nature (through numerous foreign policy debacles and politics spanning decades), and how one man knows of an easy solution (Go to poor regions of the Middle East and give education and extend the olive branch. Build schools for the poorest of the poor, ecspecially for girls. And more importantly, let them know that it was done.. by an American).
  
  As if it was so difficult to understand.
  
  I encourage you to take this journey and figure out that sometimes the biggest problems in life require some of the most common sense solutions. I also echo the other comments on here that you should buy this book from the actually CAI institute and consider a donation as well.
  
  Greg Mortensen is doing what he is doing best, and his passion comes through the pages. For myself my passion is to write. Like Gregg I feel it is what I can do best (when I put my effort my passion, and my soul into it).
  
  now if you'll excuse me...
  
  I have to go write a check.
  
  

• A blueprint for making a difference

  
  By A3OSXRMHGOO31R on 2006-04-04
  After four trips over the past three years to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, and after founding Kashmir Family Aid (www.kashmirfamily.org) to aid victims of the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake, I whole-heartedly endorse Greg Mortenson and his work. This book adds new life to the over-wraught dictum that "one CAN make a difference." Beyond that, if one wants to truly get inside the rural Pakistani's heart and soul, this is mandatory reading.
  
  My personal experience has been that once I met these people (and yes, had tea with them in their tiny homes, or in the quake region, in their tents), it was difficult to want to leave to return to the West. It's a hard thing to explain but Mortenson's book will absolutely do the job. A powerful thread within his story: It would be impossible not to love these people after getting to know them one-on one.
  
  These remote village people are simple, strong and proud. Their lives are spent nurturing their families and working hard in a politically and environmentally tortured region. BUY THE BOOK, get inside the people of this place and then send Greg Mortenson your donation.
  
  

• An inspiring story, told poorly

  
  By A2NHD7LUXVGTD3 on 2007-11-18
  Greg Mortenson's story of a failed attempt at summiting K2 and a later success at transforming and impacting the lives of thousands of Pakistani children through the construction of schools is inspiring, touching and heroic. On the basis of the story alone, I would give it 5 stars. It is unfortunate, therefore, that it is told so poorly by David Relin, whose writing was so problematic that I can only give the book 3.
  
  Moretnson's trials, obstacles and his perseverence in overcoming these challenges to realize his dream of building (initally only one, later 23) schools in the remote regions of Pakistan is magnificent; a man of lesser toughness, integrity, temperment and stuborness certainly would have given up in the face of so many setbacks: financial as he sought to raise monies, personal as his quest took a toll on his personal life, and political, as Pakistanis, mujahadeen, and later, Americans sought to distract or derail his noble work. If you can get past the pained and sometimes overdone writing, these are the gems of the story. It seems many can overlook this shortcoming given the power of Mortenson's deeds. I could not.
  
  Sadly, it took a lot of effort for me to look past the sophmoric writing, which I found to be a distraction from enjoying the larger plot. As other reviewers have noted, describing Mortenson in the third person ("Mortenson settled back into the passenger seat, a place of honor ...") seems odd when reading non-fiction. I can forgive this; it was the style of the prose that set my teeth on edge. Referring to the mountainous terrain as "celestial rocks", "great brown crenulated walls" and how the "Karkoram knifed relentlessly into the a defensless blue sky" demoted the very real contributions Mortenson was making by writing in a pulp-fiction style. Don't misunderstand me - I love my fiction - but this style of writing is very out of place here.
  I also didn't care for the minutae provided for every individual Mortenson came across as he relentlessly worked to get his school off the ground. A little background information is helpful, even appropriate, but Relin detracted from the larger issue of what Mortenson was doing by giving a biopic of so many people that, in the end, had only a cursory role in the project.
  
  These criticisms aside, the analysis of how Pakistan (and Islamic central Asia) was transformed by the creation and introduction of madrasas in the late 1990's and early millenium, the political, social and religious tightrope that Mortenson sucessfully navigated, and the remarkable descriptions of tribal culture, customs and rituals were magnificent. One cannot but think that the work that Mortenson has done (and continues to do) is what we as a nation need to do in order to foster understanding, build lasting relationships and successfully address the conflict we face in that part of the world.
  
  As Mortenson said, "The only way we can defeat terrorism is if people in this country (Pakistan) where terrorists exist learn to respect and love Americans, and if we can respect and love these people here. What's the difference between them becoming a productive local citizen or a terrorist? I think the key is education." I agree.
  
  Mortenson's story is remarkable, and needs to be told. It is unfortunate that it was told in the manner it is here. Tighter editing (or perhaps a different ghost writer) would have done much to do his story justice. Nonetheless it is inspiring, informative and moving. Recommended.
  
  

• One man against an ocean of need . . .

  
  By AQE41QO3NEUMW on 2006-07-28
  This is an as-told-to biography of American Greg Mortenson, who has devoted his life to building schools in the remotest mountains of Pakistan. After a failed attempt to scale the earth's second highest peak, K2, he stumbles into an isolated mountain village, where he resolves to repay the generosity of the village leader and his people by building them a school. Mortenson's struggle to fulfill that promise and then committing himself to fund raising and building many more schools, for both boys and girls in this Muslim country, is the central subject of this long, well detailed book.
  
  Rising gamely to meet all obstacles, including his own naivte, errors in judgment, and lack of financial resources, Mortenson falls back on skills and values learned as the son of Lutheran missionaries in Africa. Along the way he encounters others who have the money, the connections, and the abilities to help him on his mission, in both the U.S. and Pakistan. There are frustrations that would discourage the best of us, and there are sudden unexpected turns of fortune that rescue his efforts from oblivion. The book is a lesson in how a real field of dreams comes into being, and it is a quiet rebuff to those who seek change and order in the world's trouble spots through shock-and-awe military might.
  
  Writer David Relin's worshipful account of Mortenson's career draws heavily on "Parade"-style drama, suspense, and sentiment. At times readers may yearn for more objectivity and wonder how much Relin might be glossing over his subject. Still, the story has a momentum of its own, and you read on, as Mortenson's fragile achievements are threatened by other forces set loose by the anti-West indoctrination of Saudi-funded madrassah schools, the emergence of the Talibabn, and the post-9/11 attacks on Afghanistan. Recommended for readers who enjoy heartfelt and inspiring stories of unusual achievement by heroically generous individuals.
  
  

• Remarkable person and deeds, horrible writing

  
  By ALDV8DDZWWPYE on 2008-02-22
  As I read the book, I summarized the story for my husband, because it's such a fine example of how one person can make a huge difference. HOWEVER, each sentence is so overly polished that you can hardly see the story through the glare. Here's an example from page 86. "...through the windshield, with its spidery webwork of fissures, he saw the sixteen-thousand-foot-high panorama of the Karakoram's foothills tearing at a blameless blue sky with its fearsome assortment of brown, broken teeth." In other words, he could see the mountains through the cracked windshield. The entire book is like this. Sure there's a story, but it's so buried under description, good luck finding it. Also, the writer must have one heck of a thesaurus, because he keeps using the word vertiginous. From page 134: "to the tony and vertiginous streets... Arm and arm with his wife, Greg Mortenson [in case you've forgotten his last name] watched the setting sun kiss the Pacific...and paint Angel Island a rose color [thesaurus must have crashed here] that he would forever after consider the exact hue of happiness." At this point, I gave up, skimmed ahead a bit, and returned the book to the library. Happy reading!
  
  
• One Cup To Go, Please
  By AXV0CSK51JU8C on 2007-04-29
  I have two problems with this book. Reading it makes me feel like I'm stuck in the seat behind someone very tall in the movie theater. I have trouble, first, getting past the writer and his perceptions of Greg and second, getting to know Greg himself. Like a speaker introducing the guest - I just want to hear Greg tell the story but he only speaks every once in awhile. Like most male authors, the motivations, feelings, emotions etc. are ignored. For example, there's no reaction of Greg's after he gets a garbage can dumped on his head in high school? Wouldn't this have been a good time to have Greg say he missed Africa and vowed to go back someday or something? It feels like there are two people in this book you are asked to get involved with and there should only be one: Greg.
  
  
• Admire the Commitment and Accomplishments, but...
  By ABKO2MPWQCLSD on 2007-10-15
  What Mortensen accomplished with commitment and perseverance is undoubtly a great humanitarin effort. However, the book is irritating to read. Mortensen's name is used so many times over and over it is distracting. "Mortensen this" and "Mortensen that"! It reads like Mortiensen is a demi-god and it really presents like this when you realize he is a coauthor. Why not write this inspiring story in "first person"?
  
  The humanitarian effort is inspiring if you can get through the book!
  
  
• T for Tedious
  By AJFMSUIUIWUBK on 2007-09-19
  This book is a hagiography of an admittedly saint-like fellow, Greg Mortensen, who -- like most saints -- is a pain in the butt. He is tenacious and uncompromising, clever, curious (learning a great deal about the peoples and languages in Pakistan and Afghanistan), dedicated, and has no sense of humor or irony. A mountain climber who sleeps in his car and works part-time, Mortensen -- after getting lost in the Himalayas -- vows to return to the Pakistani villagers who saved his life and build them a school. Doing this all by himself, as opposed to, for example, working thru UNICEF or Habitat for Humanity, Mortensen runs into predictable snafus. His biographer never met an adjective he didn't like, and gives backstory on every character who wanders across the screen. I finally started reading only the first sentence of each paragraph, and found the book much more coherent that way. It's a long shapeless story.
  
  
• What an incredible story...
  By A32FHFPE3O8B0 on 2006-04-11
  My goodness. I just finished the book, and I am in tears. I am a world traveller (32 countries in just about every region on the globe), and consider myself compassionate to a fault; but even I, after September 11th, possessed a fair degree of anger at Muslims. I had spent some time in the Middle East and North Africa, and although I tried to respect the traditions as much as possible (covering my arms, wore long skirts, not looking at men in the eye), I was still assaulted in broad daylight in a street bazaar in Cairo, Egypt, surrounded by at least a dozen of my classmates (an old man came up and grabbed my [...]). The anger that started then had totally blown up after September 11th and consumed me, the point where I had actually said that I will never believe Islam is a religion of peace, especially after the reaction to the Mohammed cartoons.
  
  Well.
  
  I was wrong.
  
  This book has reminded me why I loved the regions in the Himalayas and beyond; the simplicity of life, the fierceness and protectiveness towards family and friends; and their incredible desire to do the best for themselves with whatever they have on hand, even if it means going to school on a bare field covered with morning frost. Greg and David describe these people in Baltistan and beyond so well that you cannot help admiring or even falling in love with these proud, strong people.
  
  I've always told people if you encourage positive change for just one person, you'll change the whole world for them. Greg and his CAI cohorts have done that for literally hundreds of thousands of children. It was so gratifying for me to read, despite the selfishness of our people today, that there are still some who passionately believe in changing the world for others.
  
  For me, it was the speech by Syed Abbas (on page 257, hardcover) that broke the last of my hard-core attitude towards Muslims and Islam.
  
  I am off to make my contribution - meager but still a contribution - to CAI so they can continue their incredible work.
  
  
  
• Worst writing I've read in a long time
  By AXA3RSK81VBH1 on 2006-10-20
  You decide for yourself what you think about Mortenson. I think the subtitle of the book should be "How One Man Became a Dhimmi."
  
  What I will say is that the writing of the co-writer is nauseating. It is the most frantically hysterical hagiography you'll ever see. "The crystalline daggers of the mountain ranges scratched their way like deranged fingernails into the howling wind of the overarching midnight blue ocean of the sky--the same sky that hung over the head of the ancient, proud, morally superior, but so horribly vulnerable people that Mortenson had left the despicable excesses of the United States and crossed the earth pennilessly to save before it was too late."
  
  I made that sentence up but it is better than a lot of the sentences in the book. Read at your own peril.
  
  
• One man's remarkable vision
  By AT5ORU3H56QTK on 2006-03-11
  "Three Cups of Tea" is a compelling account of the difference one fiercely determined person can make in the world. I won't use this space to repeat the descriptions already covered in the editorial reviews, but Greg Mortenson's passion for educating children, especially girls, in the rugged mountain regions of northern Pakistan is truly remarkable. The relationships he has patiently built with local people and moderate Muslim leaders in the area over many years are key to his success.
  
  In addition to education, Mortenson's Central Asia Institute funds projects that provide health care and clean water. He is also building schools in northern Afghanistan, again with the support of local people.
  
  One alarming chapter of the book includes a discussion of the spread of fundamentalist madrassas in the mountain regions of Pakistan, which should deeply concern Americans, including the government. It is essential for Americans to support Mortenson's Central Asia Institute initiatives to provide children with educational alternatives.
  
  "Three Cups of Tea" is very well written, with heartfelt portraits of courageous people. It is a superb and moving story of an exceptional man.
  
  
  
  
• Agonizingly poor writing style
  By A1S3AVBYY97RBB on 2008-03-23
  I was compelled through the book because I wanted to read about Greg's accomplishment, but I have to agree with the one reviewer who said it was the worst writing he's read in a long time,and I also agree with the review that said it waslike trying to watch a movie behind a tall person. I have no idea why this book was co-authored, David Renlin's rambling completely got in the way. "A dollar an hour to rent the old IBM Selectric seemed reasonable,but after five hours at downtown Berkeley's Krishna Copy Center, he'd only finished four letters." Seriously, the last time I read so much detail given to such minutia, I was a freshman in college reading my boyfriend's novel. WHERE WAS THE EDITOR??!?! I understand that such an accomplishment is inspiring, but that does not negate that the storytelling should be up to snuff. Lots of folks will confuse the story with the writing,but it boils down to a solid story with horrible writing. It's really embarrassing to read after a while!
  
  Also,I don't understand why a college educated man wrote 580 letters asking for money instead of getting off his duff and working? That was weird. The chapter where he meets his wife drowns in corn syrup. I, too, got married after my first date and have been married for over twenty years,so no sour grapes, there...just more preposterous, unnecessarily aggrandizing dreck. Really ghastly!
  
  I try never to write a bad review, but I seriously felt the need to protect other readers who actually care about prose the cost of this book. Read a magazine article or listen to a radio interview instead. If you actually can finish this blather, it will be as if you climbed a mountain. A long, boring mountain.
  
  
  
  
• Dr Greg stands at the summit of humanity
  By AT9YSY20RJUDX on 2007-01-29
  Mr Greg Mortenson may have missed the peak of K2; but has instead climbed to the summit of humanity; humility and civility. His selfless acts of charity to help the children of a region so inaccesible and remote; stands as a reminder that goodness in humanity is not lost. Through education he enlightens the children gives them hope aspiration; and with this has changed the dynamics of a region forsaken and fogotten by the country where the region resides. He enshrines the message of peace by Dr. King and the acts of charity by Mother Terresa. At times when reading the story i could not just feel envious of Mr Greg. While we sit and talk about helping out; he is out there and puts those words to doing and gets result. All this he attains with immense sacrifice to his family. I am a true fan of your cause and admire your efforts to utmost. And what little i can do will do in supporting your cause through financial donations.
  
  My respets to David Relin for narrating the story is such an expressive way that a reader felt the connection with the surrounding.
  
  I recommend this for all Amazon readers to consider.
  
  
• Unreadable
  By A192IP1E7YF7VY on 2008-02-16
  While I admire and respect Mortensen (sp?) for what he did, this book is 350-pages of minutia of events, without a bit of insight into the people.
  
  Mortensen want to work on the school, but no! A tribe three or seven hours away has asked him over for a feast. He can't leave, but he must, so he treks in an old jeep to . . .
  
  That's the story, detailing what he drank, what he wore, the grit and dirt on the road, but we never get inside the man. This would have been an astounding magazine article of 10 pages or so. But 350? Egads, no. For something infinitely more readable, and insightful, and as inspiring, read Tracy Kidder's book on Paul Farmer.
  
  
• Think green, and save a tree!
  By AWBQBVDIJZ2M on 2008-01-05
  Without recounting the whole 338 pages, this book is basically about a man who was the son of missionaries in Africa who didn't decide to lead a productive life until his mid-thirties. The voice of the book jumps between a first and third-person narration, "stories" are interspersed with exagerated travelogue, and personal politics are interjected which are irrelevant to the message Mortenson claims he wants to bring to the world. Does the author really believe the public will buy the baloney that he is privy to presidential phone call information? Anyone who is thinking of reading this book should wait until one is passed along to them as there certainly are a lot of gifts floating around.
  PS -- To anyone reading this review, don't be surprised to find an inordinate amount of "no help" ratings. The Greg-Groupies apparently work 24/7 to discredit anyone who doesn't agree with them.
  
  
• Not summitting K2 a failure? I think not!
  By A3USD3ANXP45UC on 2007-01-30
  This is a story of a what turns out to be a collective effort led by Greg Mortenson to educate the forgotten and poor in a region whose landscape is as harsh as the Western medias portrayal of it's people. Namely, the rural regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The traditional western partyline of a region dominated by "evil-doers" who wish to subjugate their people and promote hatred and killing of all "infidels" is shown to be patently false. Instead we see a realistic presentation of the peoples and cultures of the areas. In fact, these people are no different than us except perhaps in what they lack in material possessions they more than compensate for in spiritual possessions.
  
  The story begins with Mortenson's failure to summit K2, of which the major contributing factor was his selfless rescue of another climber. A selflessness that is expected yet seldom demonstrated by many climbers. Here we see the major theme of this book and the reason for Mortenson's success- the triumph of social conscience over individualism.
  
  We see the transformation of a browbeaten meanderer into the maestro of a movement ( Central Asia Institue ) which has overseen the development of 55 schools.
  
  The author's writing is as lucid as it is emotive and captures a realism exceeded only by visiting the regions in question. Having visited the region I felt nostalgic and appreciated the comedic references. At some points I almost fell out of my chair laughing. For example when the author writes:
  
  " A decade later, in the post 9/11 era, Morentson would often be asked by Americans about the danger he faced in the region from terrorists. " If I die in Pakistan, it'll be because of a traffic accident, not a bomb or bullet."
  
  Ha Ha so true!!! Gotta love those taxi and bus drivers with people swinging from their ends like broken twigs in hurricane.
  
  I found myself unable to put the book down until it was finished and I personally think Greg Mortenson deserves the Nobel Prize for his efforts.
  
  
  
  
• A little didactic but well-meaning
  By A1FOAPLJBCEXFC on 2007-02-19
  This is certainly not great literature and has a bit of a propagandistic feel at times, but it is good considering that its main purpose is to promote Greg Mortenson's charity CAI. While not a gripping story, the evolution of CAI and the challenges Mortenson has faced as he built schools are enough to hold the reader. It will definitely give one a better understanding of the issues in Pakistan and Afghanistan. If you are already a donor or friend of CAI, Three Cups of Tea will make you appreciate the organization even more. If you haven't heard of CAI or Mortenson, the book will make you a believer in the power of education.
  
  One really annoying thing were the occasional obscure words that George Relin clearly pulled out of a thesaurus. If a college-educated reader such as myself doesn't understand the words, you're probably going to alienate some readers. Also, the subtitle on the hardcover edition reads "One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations..." which Mortenson clearly states in the book is not his goal. His aim is to promote basic literacy and a better quality of life, preventing terrorism is just icing on the cake of providing a balanced education.
  
  
• Every Little Bit ....
  By A39ONSNY261F2L on 2006-12-03
  With this thoughtful and well-written book, Greg Mortenson brings us to a world that is alien to most Westerners. I have lived in Northwestern Pakistan, and this book took me back to that culture and life. The book reminded me how the smallest things that we take for granted in the West are monumental undertakings in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The poorest American has more than any of the people in the villages that Mortenson has helped. I bought the book; I read it; I sent money. There are few books that will make me do that.
  
  
• A promise kept: person to person, between cultures
  By A9L1JTFE26GLN on 2006-08-01
  This book has appeared at the perfect time. There is so much sadness and anger and helplessness about the news of the day, that the story of one man's willingness to keep a promise and follow the journey that promise begins is balm to the soul. Rather than barging in with bags of money and saying this is how this project will be done, Greg Mortenson asks for help and follows the lead of the local people he has met in his climbing expeditions. At the beginning of chapter 3 this quote appears,"Tell us,if there were one thing we could do for your village, what would it be?" "With all respect, Sahib, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we don't envy you your restless spirits. Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all the things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children." Conversation between Sir Edmund Hillary and Urkien Sherpa
  
  I am only 1/3 of the way through this fascinating inspiring book, but I am writing my review now to alert readers of an opportunity to contribute to Greg's school building efforts through his organization, The Central Asia Institute. Through all 6 of the Greater Good web sites, during the month of August, a donation will be made to the Institute for every purchase made. Two of these web sites are: hungersite.org and literacysite.org. Clicking on these sites every day donates money to their cause and now, if you decide to purchase one of their products, the money goes toward another school. I had to spread the news.
  
  
• One school at a time......
  By A36IM8ZK1ZGE5Q on 2007-03-09
  This is Greg Mortensen's story, who through his Non-profit Organization Central Asia Institute builds schools in the most isolated villages in the mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Beautifully compiled and narrated by David Oliver Relin. It starts in Tanzania where Greg was born to missionary parents, life back in USA where he felt a misfit,to his climbing days in California before his attempt to scale K-2 summit in Pakistan (1993) . His attempt failed and he came down battered, bruised and seriously weakened and was nursed back to health by people of a remote village high in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan. He was thinking of how to repay them back when he saw girls trying to educate themselves by writing with sticks in the dirt. The idea of schools sprang to his mind and rest is what you must read.
  It is an inspiring book that did more than just fascinate me. It made me take action (albeit small) to help Greg Mortenson's cause which is noble, immensely courageous and absolute common sense (especially when you want to fight ignorance, hatred, fear and terror). When you teach one girl, you teach a whole family and Greg is doing just that. And to do it in the remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan where suspicion, hatred for anything western (especially American) is rife, is astounding. His most important lesson in this book is even though you may have the noblest intentions to help, you cannot succeed if you impose your timetable, your style on the people you are trying to help. He talks about learning patience, learning the nuances of traditions, and not breaking promises he kept (which governments, organizations have a talent for) . Spending endless hours drinking chai with the elders, stopping the project to follow a ritual (that might look wasteful to us) is what formed his deep bonds with those people. Being from that region, being in the places where he has been, I can assure you that his understanding and depiction of the people of Pakistan is very accurate and that is in itself a very remarkable achievement.
  I hope all the governments, organizations who are fighting terror, poverty and illiteracy make this book a must read for workers who are going in these regions to help. He is the best ambassador of United States.
  
  
• One American has done with mere thousands what his government hasn't been able to do with billions - Fight Terrorism!
  By A158GX02N4U67O on 2006-09-06
  Greg Mortenson is a super-hero of modern times. He has successfully waged a Jihad against illiteracy in the northern areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is a very well written book and much more than a story about a guy who started building schools in a remote region of the world. This is a story of his incredible life - a life his fellow Americans can be proud of; a life that can teach so much to so many - especially the leaders of the developed nations.
  
  Best book I've read this year!
  
  
• Uplifting and hopeful
  By A3PEOF0GX4EN38 on 2007-02-05
  It is very easy to write a check and feel as though we are helping, even changing the world. We donate to charities and sometimes even give our time as volunteers but Greg Mortenson took it so many steps further. This one man with a great heart has changed the lives of so many Afghan and Pakistani children. Mortenson's work serves to paint a different picture of the American citizen and will help to erase the negativity some our foreign policies have created.
  Greg Mortenson paid back a debt one hundred fold and in the process became a one-man peace keeping mission, potentially accomplishing more towards peace in the Middle East than any government sponsored effort could ever hope to match. By educating the youngest, most vulnerable, you are giving hope, a future. These children will be less likely to be drawn into the hate and revenge that has overwhelmed these countries. They say "a child will lead them"and Greg Mortenson gift has given thousands of children the educational gift to make that possible. This was a wonderful, uplifting book and I highly recommend it.
  
  
• As-Salaam Alaaikum (Peace Be Upon You)
  By A3J0OXB9KIC5SS on 2006-08-16
  "Cheezaley! Where did this thing come from?" was my initial thought upon opening the Amazon.com box and finding THREE CUPS OF TEA. I hadn't ordered it, and my birthday was months away. The shipping invoice declared it a gift from some guy I'd never heard of, and I approached the book with suspicion, assuming it to contain some variety of reactionary religious or political propaganda. After all, the only printed matter that I'm accustomed to receiving free of charge generally comes from conservatively dressed people who ring the doorbell. My suspicion deepened when the dust jacket blurb informed me that the book had been written by a journalist about the true adventures of Greg Mortenson. The latest book I had read which was written by a journalist about someone else, Slavomir Rawicz by name, was THE LONG WALK: THE TRUE STORY OF A TREK TO FREEDOM, and, while it was an intriguing read, the encounter with the Yeti led me to conclude that at least some of its truths were rather subjective, and I really didn't want to put up with that sort of thing again. Still, I decided to give at least the first chapter a try.
  
  The moment I began to read Relin's biography of Greg Mortenson, I was jolted back four decades when, as a teenager, I had read THE ROMANTIC WORLD OF RICHARD HALLIBURTON, the captivating tales of a young man's adventurous travels to strange lands that I still know only vicariously through the enchantment of books. Many years and many miles have dimmed my memory of the details in that book but have never lessened my admiration of Halliburton's daring or of the exuberance of his writing. The fervor of Relin's narrative drew me into THREE CUPS OF TEA as thoroughly and as passionately has I had dived into Hallibuton forty years ago, and as no other book had done since. Relin is a master storyteller, and the factual nature of his story makes it the more compelling.
  
  Had I any lingering doubt whatsoever about the sheer joy of being in the company of this storyteller, it vanished forever on the thirtieth page by his adroit use of a single adjective that was clearly not to be found in my recognition vocabulary. Nor was it found in two dictionaries in my home library. Be honest now: Do you, fellow reader, honestly know what "prelapsarian" means? (Hint: Search Bartleby.com.) Any writer who can lead me on that long a chase for an elusive definition has my respect and attention, and I'll even forgive his overuse of "precipitous" a few chapters further on in describing the looming cliffs and gargantuan monoliths of the Karakoram Range in northern Pakistan.
  
  Of course a captivating word hoard corralled into expressive syntax does not necessarily equate to a valuable book. The message also has a contribution to make. And what a message this story conveys! It is the message of staggering human need in some of the most impressive yet most inhospitable land upon the Earth. It is the message of a few real miracles that have enabled a handful of people to make real inroads in addressing that need, and the greatest thing is that each of those miracles has come from individual human effort and generosity. It is the message of both humanity and barbarism in the Muslim world of Pakistan and Afghanistan, a message that warns of the blindness and self-destructiveness of stereotyping an entire people because of the extremism of factions within their cultures.
  
  THREE CUPS OF TEA is quite instructive, too. If one is at all interested in the reasons behind the growth of jihadists and terrorists in Muslim Asian cultures, the answers are here. If one is curious as to which United States ally funds the cancerous spread of the madrassas, the fundamentalist academies which issue forth a flood of committed jihadists, that answer is here. The evolving and fluid relationships of the mujahadeen, the Taliban, and U.S.-made Stinger missiles become more comprehensible to the reader of this tale. Of greatest significance, however, the ultimate answer to the problem of terrorism also lies within these pages.
  
  A quick word of reassurance is in order here. That I describe this book as having a message and as being instructive does not imply that it is a dry textbook of facts, nor does it imply that it is a compendium of "holier than thou" sermons. It is a tale of true adventure. The "messages" and the "instruction" are there to be found by the attentive reader but he is never force fed. Call them "value added" attributes to the thrill of the story.
  
  What sort of reading audience would best be served by THREE CUPS OF TEA? I claim no expertise as a reading specialist, but I believe that every teenager possessed of competent reading skill will love the adventure in this book. Beyond that audience, I recommend it with all the enthusiasm I can convey to every citizen who casts a ballot to elect those who make national policy (in every country), to every person elected to such an office, and to everyone who considers himself a patriot, an educator, a warrior, or a peacemaker. Had I the influence and wherewithal, I would gift this book to every public and private school and university, and insist that it be required reading. Of course, this is not going to happen, so the best I can do is to recommend it to you, patient reader. Yet I must warn you that, once begun, this book cannot be put down for long (and you'll also find the wonderful humor in the exclamation with which I began this review as well as the significance of three cups of tea).
  
  
• incredible boring
  By A21U4DR8M6I9QN on 2007-07-13
  I could not make it past page 75, incredible boring and poorly written. the ego stuff got really boring. Ignore the other reviews,its very porrly written.
  
  
• I wanted to like it
  By A2TZ5GQ60IOLJF on 2007-11-23
  I wanted to like this book. Based on the descriptions I read of the book, it seemed to be a perfect match with my beliefs. And then I tried to read it. And then I tried again. I couldn't get into it because it was written more like hero worship or propoganda than a story. I wish Dr. Greg continued success in his work, but I don't recommend the book.
  
  
• It is better to light one candle....
  By A1OPGN7A05U6XD on 2007-02-01
  This is the kind of book that answers the question, How can we work towards peace in Afghanistan/Pakistan and other sites? (where anti-American sentiment is growing). The book is a well written look at the efforts of Greg Mortenson, a one time K-2 climber, and his efforts to build schools in these countries in order to aid the children, while not offending the primarily Muslim mujahhadin (don't think I got that word right), who govern the remote villages. He is not doing for religious reason or to improve America's image- he just wants to help the kids build better lives. He enters into partnerships with sometimes unlikely people to make a difference for these children. The book certainly questions the results of American anti-terrorism actions in Afghanistan and the refusal to honor our promises to rebuild. But the book is mostly a story of the people of the land and what they share with Mortenson about living their lives and his growing understanding in how to accomplish building the schools in this very different culture. It is not a hagiography- Mortenson's flaws are shown at times. However, the author is admittedly a cheerleader for Mortenson's efforts.
  
  This would make a good selection for someone that enjoyed Mountains Beyond Mountains by Trace Kidder (about Paul Farmer the founder of Partners in Health).
  
  
• Great story that doesn't need Relin's spin doctor treatment.
  By A31I0CBSCOPRLK on 2007-12-17
  Sometimes actions speak a lot louder than words. Mortenson's wonderful personal journey from personal grief (and a terrible mountaineering experience coming down from the fearsome K2) to a career of school building is a real modern day story of heroics. Mortenson's working style is freewheeling, chaotic and amazingly effective, and I can appreciate that David Relin had one hell of a time trying to fit the moving jigsaw together into one inspiring picture. But I'm not alone in feeling that Relin's writing looks a bit like spin doctoring in many places throughout the book. He's not objective enough, and that means that he's robbed us of the chance to make our own judgement. The admiration we'll undoubtedly feel for Mortenson has been pre-packaged for us. Relin's applause sign goes up before we can break into our own spontaneous ovation. Damn!
  
  His writing is overwrought in many places, trying to amplify a sense of drama that is already there in the story. In places Relin tries to elevate Mortenson by backhandedly dismissing the work of others - writing of Ed Hillary's school building projects in Nepal as relatively easy accomplishments. Tell that to the teams who went over and built those schools, rock by rock. Surely the world stage is big enough for both men. Relin does a disservice (to Mortenson and others) by trying to reserve the pedestal for his subject alone.
  
  What I found most fascinating in this book is the amount of negotiation and trust-building undertaken by Mortenson, and the degree of responsibility he willingly puts in the hands of the communities he assists. This is a story that works at a political, social and personal level: a tale of unconditional love but inside the complex family of humanity - with all our biases, foibles, bigotries and mistrusts. What a mighty story as we watch these problems overcome.
  
  No, I don't think the story was told particularly well, but that doesn't diminish the experience for the reader. The actions speak louder than the words.
  
  
• Not my cup of tea
  By A3KB49T9FRLL73 on 2008-05-07
  This was a book club book and of the 7 members not one person liked this book. Over half the group didn't even finish it. We couldn't figure out what all the hype was over this book as we have all heard rave reviews. I would not recommend this book to anyone. Perhaps much of my disappointment was due to the fact that this book had excellent reviews on Amazon. Typically I find these reviews accurate and almost always enjoy books listed in the What Other Books Customer Bought section. I was so excited to read this book only to be majorly disappointed about 1/3rd of the way into it. It is a "played out" genre, slow and overly detailled about unimportant things. I was hoping one person in our book club liked it so I could see the magic.
  
  
• The Real Plan for Peace in the Middle East
  By A1Y9LNE9RBM3AV on 2007-01-28
  Three Cups of Tea is the story of one person's struggles to finance and build elementary schools in locations under the influence of the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and Sunni extremists. What makes this endeavor so exceptional is that he built them at low costs in the almost inaccessable mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  
  Aside from fulfilling the dreams of young girls who longed to be educated, the schools are serving an international benefit: their graduates have begun counteracting the influence of graduates from extremist run schools - schools that teach hate and generate the manpower needed to sustain the ranks of the insurgents.
  
  The book supports the theory that one man can make a difference.
  
  
  
• Just read it.
  By A341D59NZW7RRN on 2007-04-19
  This book was given to me as a gift. I read it on a recent trip to Europe, and often found myself fighting off tears, wishing I could divert my trip to Pakistan to pick up a shovel, wanting to help in any way. The idea of using education to change the perception of the world about people (in this case both Arabs and Americans) is not new... the idea that it should be used for the good and benefit and peace of the entire Earth, rather than some hidden agenda, is often overlooked... if not forgotten entirely. Greg's schools fight for the right of cultures to exist and to help people understand their differences... and accept them. There is nothing anyone can look at in reading this book that could challenge that. Simply reading it will make you a better person... giving money to the Central Asia Institute will make the world a better place. I want a sequel in 10 more years.
  
  

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