Three Cups of Tea

Ok, as promised, here is my review of Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, which is a non-fiction book.



From Goodreads:
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.

As I glanced through reviews given to this book by others on Goodreads, I was surprised to see several low ratings. The chief complaint seemed to be that the book itself is poorly written. Huh. I didn't catch that. Maybe because I listened to it on audio book and didn't actually see much of it in print.

I was captivated by the story the book presents. I was fascinated by Greg Mortenson's efforts to help the children in these mountain villages. I learned a lot about the culture of the area and gained a great deal of respect for these people. They truly aren't much different than we are. Most want the same things we do, a chance to improve ourselves and to give our children a better opportunities than we have had. I think Mortenson is on the right track. Ultimately we will only defeat extremism and terrorism through education and love. Once the general population has been given sufficient education and opportunities, I think they will naturally reject extremism.

Whatever the flaws in the structure of the book itself, I found the themes of the book enlightening and inspiring. I highly recommend it. *****