Finished Reading: Three Cups of Tea
2 Apr
Oh, Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time was a good read. It’s the story of a man named Greg Mortenson, who was living paycheck to paycheck and saving up his money to climb mountains. He made a long attempt at K2 the year after his sister’s death, but there were problems at the top and he was forced to come down without summiting. He was separated from his group and wound up coming down the wrong path, into a village called Korphe.
He stayed there a while, getting to know the people, and helping them when he could (he was a nurse in the States, and carried some medical supplies with him). The thing that struck him most deeply was the way the children of the village held their school… outdoors, and only when the weather was at least slightly bearable. “Doctor Greg” promised the village leader that he would return to build a school… and he did.
Three Cups of Tea follows his amazing journey – he knew nothing about building a school or raising funds, or even how to use a computer (he typed out a couple hundred letters on a typewriter rented by the hour). There were several amazing moments, when things worked out just right. An item was posted in a climber’s newsletter, and one man came forward to provide the $12,000 for the school.
Greg returned to Baltistan only to find that there was not a bridge sturdy enough to bring over the building supplies, something he hadn’t considered. He had to leave and return again with funds and supplies raised to build a bridge, and only then could work on the school begin.
It was gripping to read his personal story and to see how one event built on another, until he became director of a brand-new organization, the Central Asia Institute, which works to build schools in the rural regions. He was overseas when the terrorist attacks of 9/11 hit, and he had to continue with his business there even as borders were closing and tensions were high. When he returned to the States, he had to defend himself to detractors here, saying that the only way to fight terrorism long-term is for the US to be understanding and compassionate, and to build schools so that the next generation can be educated, understanding and not fearful, and not hopeless enough to want to bomb their lives away.
Greg Mortenson’s story is inspiring because he’s the best kind of hero. He didn’t come from anywhere special or have any particular advantages. He simply made up his mind to do whatever he could to help the people he had met, and he did.
Thanks for your wonderful review. I just bought this book at a Mennonite bookstore. You’ve got me even more excited about reading it.
I’ve been meaning to read that, but haven’t gotten around to it. Thanks for the reminder!
I haven’t read the book, though my book group did last year (I skipped that one for business), but Boy read it last summer for Trinity’s ‘all freshman come in having read the same book’.
Trinity then had the author in to give a talk on campus. I don’t remember what Boy said about it, but I bet it was interesting.
I really need to read this one. Almost everyone who reads it loves it!
I just finished this book afew weeks ago and really enjoyed it. I think he is on something with his philosophy that education is the best way to fight terrorism. Glad you thought it was good to.