Very few books really qualify as “life-changing”. For me, the most significant book I ever read was “The Ugly American” by William Lederer. There were others I liked quite a bit: Friedman’s “The World is Flat”, “Confessions of an Economic Hitman” by John Perkins are just a couple of other must-read’s on my list. “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortensen has been added to this list.
I’m sure I’m pretty late to the game on this one. Amazon says it was published in paperback in 2007. But I was given a copy recently as a gift so I’m excused, right?
The book chronicles the author’s efforts to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. After a failed attempt to climb K2, Mortenson is separated from his party and finds himself in Korphe, a remote village in the Karakoram Mountains. He is taken in by the village chief while he recovers from exhaustion, etc. While in Korphe, Mortenson learns a fundamental concept of the Pakistani tribal culture.
“Here, we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything – even die.” – Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan.
During his time in the village, Mortensen promised to repay his hosts’ kindness by returning to Pakistan to build them a school. This book chronicles the process to raise the funding for the first school and the groundswell of support that follows.
Reading this book made me feel good. I agree completely that education is a fundamental element of peace and must be promoted any and everywhere. I finished the book ready to pack my own backpack, go to Pakistan and help.
Five Stars for motivation!
Cheers!
“Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life. ”
The Dalai Lama
Alex
Jourdan
sharplisa
