Book Review: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin Books)

Greg Mortenson stumbled through the Himalayas, exhausted, dehydrated, and in serious danger of dying from exposure. Having failed to reach the peak of K2, he arrived in a rural mountain village in Pakistan, where the community nursed him back to health. Weeks later, as he prepared to return to the US, he watched the children of the village sit on the bare earth, scratching numbers and words into the dirt as their teacher led classes. He decided to repay this village that saved his life by building them a school. In the years that followed, Mortenson faced countless obstacles in his efforts to complete this goal. In the process, he came to see the exceptional impact that such work could have and expanded his efforts by founding the Central Asia Institute to build additional schools throughout rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. In his work he confronted local clan rivalries, religious conflict, and even the “War on Terror” in very personal and direct ways.

Understanding complex contemporary issues like religious fanaticism, the political and cultural conflicts of Central Asia, the War on Terror, and the challenges of international development is a daunting task, often requiring extensive academic inquiry. Three Cups of Tea provides a powerful, personal, and very readable account of an American confronting these issues directly through his efforts to make life just a little bit better in rural villages by providing the infrastructure for education. Mortenson’s story is inspiring, punctuated by his absolute humility and unending commitment to education and empowerment in often forgotten communities. As the war in Afghanistan comes back into public focus and Pakistan struggles through political and social upheaval, this story could not be timelier as a personal and thoroughly engaging look into critical issues facing our world today.

Robin Pendoley
Curriculum Director
Thinking Beyond Borders

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