Reading this book was a somewhat schizophrenic experience. Its message was profound, timely, instructive and inspiring. It's style was laborious, convoluted, and frustratingly distanced from the story's main agent--Greg Mortenson. I had hoped to use this as part of a high school curriculum, but most high school students are likely to lose patience with the book's awkward narrative style. I chose a different book for our curriculum (Sartrapi's Persepolis), but I continue to recommend and talk about this book with friends.

For anyone interested in working toward peace in Central Asia, this is essential reading. The humanity, humility and intelligence it demonstrates provides a role model for America's intervention in the developing world.

I understand that some criticism of this book focuses on the writing. Unless you are a zombie it doesn't matter how corny some of the vivid descriptions the author penned are, YOU will cry while reading this book. I cried tears of joy, of triumph and tears of embarrassment and shame. This book is inspirational and real and will stir up some kind of juices in anyone that has juices to stir. Stir your juice!!

I just finished reading this book and I found it very enjoyable. I actually found the writing style to be interesting in that it read like a novel yet was a biography/autobiography. I found that to be rather interesting and felt it lent a nice flair to the story. I can see how others might have felt it was irritating though. The story itself was an interesting glimpse of life in a culture I am not familiar with other than the reports I see on the news. It was refreshing to see these remote areas through the eyes of someone so clearly passionate about his mission. And the fact that Dr. Greg has been able to work with such a diverse group of people that share his vision and passion is reassuring that our differences are not so great that we can not put them aside for the right reasons. And educating young girls seems like a right reason to me. So I would recommend this book and suggest you think of it as a novel that just happens to tell the story of a real person.

Although this book does have a good message-all 300 something pages are like reading a theasaures. The auther uses too many words to say something that could be an only q0 word sentence. You lose the message witthin 10 line paragraph that contains only 1 period.

From climbers to social workers, to business people, philanthropists to teachers, complainers to wealthy, a great feel good book! Breaking down barriers to open your mind. What a legacy!

Martine

This book is one of the most inpiring books I have read in a long time. It gives you hope for the future and peace on earth. By working tirelessly to fund building schools in Afghanistan and by getting to know the locals in the villages, Greg Mortenson creates a bond that transends religious and cultural differences between himself and the natives.

I especially like that his emphasis is on educating girls, and his saying: "If you educate a boy, you educate and individual, if you educate a girl, you educate a village."

And how refreshing it is to learn of an individual who believes in creating understanding and in helping, instead of dropping bombs!

I immediately ordered 3 more copies of the book to give to friends with the wish that they will pass it on!

It is very difficult writing less than a 5 star review, since this book is basically a biography of an incredible man doing remarkable humanitarian work. Saying anything derogatory almost feels like I am attempting to undermine his efforts. I have nothing but admiration for Greg Mortenson and his organization Central Asia Institute; however since a book is a compilation of efforts I feel obligated to give an honest review of the work.

There is a thread of anti-American sentiment running through the pages, becoming a thin veil in the last few chapters that for me nearly obscured the message the author and his primary were trying to convey. The writing is not prose, but the author adequately immerses the reader in the love and beauty Greg Mortenson feels for the northern regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Using the same rudimentary skills the author attempts to paint everything American as bad, sub-standard or destructive. The back cover warns the reader that the book contains criticism of the American government's policies in the region, but I felt the author went beyond criticism to contempt.

I do not think I am objective; I love America with the same passion reserved for Pakistan in this book, and as such felt disheartened to have fellow Americans hold my country in such low esteem. What America has done for the people of Afghanistan is a testament of unprecedented generosity, including the funding of CAI and Greg Mortenson. The hypocritical, elitist opinions woven as facts in an effort to enlist support for furthering a global agenda may be as detrimental to the USA as the acts of terrorism we have been trying to prevent.

Read this book. Recognize it for what it is. Embrace it for what it inspires you to become. Condemn it if offends the values you hold most sacred.

If this book does not inspire you to want to stand up and make a difference somewhere, you have to ask yourself why. It is truly inspiring, and it shows how each of us can make a difference if we take that inspiration and put it to action as Greg Mortenson has. In an age where children revere heroes like batman and spiderman, it nice for adults to have a hero that we can look up. We may all not be able to do what he does, but we should read about what he has done, understand how education and relationships are the best pathway to peace, and think about what we each might like to do.

I read a few other reviews on this book. I have to say I differ strongly from those who gave it a poor review. I thought it was well written, provided not just an inspirational story but a lesson in history, and should be mandatory reading for any cross-cultural course. It is a good read, educational and inspirational, which is about the best combination there is.

This book is a must read for anyone who is interestred in a better world. Don't pay any attention to what the reviewers that give it 1 and 2 stars say, some people just have a hard time seeing the forest throught the trees. Those reviews focus on the writing quality/abiltiy of the author. He is not the best or the worst author on the planet and that should not keep someone from reading this amazing story. Given the manner in which this epic story evolved in a country rife with corruption spearheaded by an eccentirc man who admits he had no idea what he was doing the story is probably written as well as it can be. Get this book, read it and then DO something. If we all gave ourselves completley to a just cause like this man did, then the wolrd would be a much better place. This is truly life changing stuff!!

This book is one of those books that stays with you. It is inspiring, heart-breaking, hopeful, saddening, and absolutely amazing. I would recommend everyone read this book, regardless of political views or religious beliefs. It is a true eye opener.
After reading this book, I am truly greatful that there are people like Greg Mortenson in this world...and a family that sticks by him and supports his work. Thank you for what you have done and continue to do for peace.

Words are cheap and easy to use. Actions, the will to go and do is so much harder. This book tells of a man who goes and does, building schools in some of the poorest areas of the world. It is well written, has a great message and once you start it is next to impossible to put down. If you can't afford to give money then support this foundation, this cause for education, by buying the book. And I challenge you to not to be touched by this amazing story.

I was already in country in Afghanistan with the US military in fall 2006 when I read Three Cups of Tea. I found it accurately represents my experience with Afghans as I mentored those in the military, and found it a helpful reference when I gained additional duties in the civil affairs realm. When asked what needs to happen to improve things in Afghanistan, Three Cups of Tea is the first book I tell folks to read to understand the situation in that region.

No one can dispute the fact that Mortensen`s accomplishment and humanitarianism are outstanding. The book itself, in my opinion, is not. It suffers greatly from a heavy and self-conscious style (eg. "The stars pin-pointed the dark fabric of the night...") and from laborious detail. I give Mortensen 5 of those pin-points, the book only 3.

One of the most inspiring and moving stories of recent times! Greg Mortenson's often harrowing treks into high altitude tribal cultures of Afghanistan and Pakistan to build schools that will influence generations are a refreshing contrast to U.S. destructive forces. David Relin's vividly descriptive passages of places, people and characters bring the reader into the story so effectively that every success seems personal. We come to know the amazing Jean Hoerni, Haji Ali, Mouzafer Ali, Syed Abbas, Ghulam Parvi and Sadhar Khan, mourn the deaths of several really wise men, and appreciate the sage perception and love of Tara Bishop and her family. This book is a "must read."

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

I went into this book for book group thinking, "Well, this isn't exactly my speed but I'll give it a go." I wound up feeling awed and inspired by Greg Mortenson, who committed everything to help people become educated.

Mortenson didn't have personal resources for his projects - he had to take actions that were personally challenging in order to accomplish his goals. The end was important enough for him to look beyond his own discomfort and just do it.

This book reminded me that we're global beings. It also reminded me that there are people behind the politics, and that complex lifestyles like ours aren't always the best or the most satisfying. Kudos to Greg, and thanks to him for telling his story.

This is easily one of the most incredible, thought provoking, inspirational stories I've read in my entire life. You could not make any of this up, because no one would believe you. There's enough moving, dramatic material in this book for three films, not one! It should be rquired reading in every high school and university in the country.

DN

A review in the New York Times got my attention for this book. It is well worth reading. It makes you believe that there are still good people in this world dedicated to overcoming all odds to help others.

The rare book that is both gripping and inspirational. It is an amazing story of what one man can accomplish when he is totally dedicated to his mission. One only hopes that Mrs. Mortenson will write her own book, since her life has been lived very differently as she supports his dedication to his work.

I agree with other reviewers that the writing could have been tighter, but the story of "Dr Greg" comes shining through.

At the books beginning he is fumbling and struggling to build a first school based on a promise, by its end he's heading a full foundation, supporting hundreds of schools and educating thousands of students.

His unusual childhood, his medical training and his fascination with climbing turn out to make him the perfect person to do this, and the difference he's made is huge.

I was so inspired by the book that the first thing I did when I'd finished reading it was donate enough for a teacher for a year (about a dollar a day) I challenge other readers of the book to also donate - as little as 12 dollars pays for a student for a year.

The title of the book is a reference to the customary way of doing business in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other parts of Central Asia:

For the first cup of tea, you are a stranger. By the second cup, you are a friend. By the third cup, you are family. It is a testament to the patience and understanding it takes to forge the kind of long-lasting ties to work in this region of the world.

By far, one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. Greg Mortenson single handedly started an initiative to bring education to rural Pakistan. I wish I had gotten a chance to read this before finishing my thesis on education reform for women in Afghanistan - because this story is more directly related to my work than any other book or journal article I used. It shows how one dedicated person can change the world.

Through persistence and a little luck, he made the right connections in Pakistan (and eventually Afghanistan) and in the U.S. with donors. This book recounts his efforts from their inception in 1996 after getting lost in the Himalaya through 9/11 and up to 2003 when the war in Iraq diverted promised American resources from Afghanistan (again). His work survived a kidnapping in Waziristan, several fatwas (that were eventually overturned by the highest mufti in Iran), and death threats (most of which came from his fellow Americans after 9/11 in the form of "how dare you help Muslims").

After getting separated from his guide leading him off the Baltoro glacier in Northern Pakistan after a failed attempt to scale K2, Mortenson found himself in a little village called Korphe in Baltistan, Pakistan. The first Westerner ever to stumble into Korphe intrigued the people. After being nursed back to health and served what little food the people had to offer, he witnessed children in Korphe studying outside, with no teacher and no school, scratching lessons in the dirt. He promised the village elder Haji Ali that he would build them a school, went back to the US, began writing letters and grants while living out of his car. After sending 580 letters, a single $100 check from Tom Brokaw, and $600 in pennies raised by elementary school children was the net result.

Then, fellow Mountaineer, physicist and silicon-valley pioneer turned philanthropist Jean Hoerni agreed to donate $12,000 for the school. Mortenson sold everything he owned, and returned to Pakistan, forged business ties and purchased supplies only to discover that the village did not yet want a school - but a bridge. Korphe was inaccessible except for a single hand-pulled makeshift lift cart that spanned the Braldu river. There was no way to get supplies into Korphe. Rather than storming off like many impatient Americans would, Mortenson entered a partnership with the people of Korphe - valuing their opinions, customs, and assessments of their own needs rather than dismissing them as primitive or assuming that an American knows what's best for them.

As Mortenson has said, it took 3 years and a lot of mistakes, but the Korphe school was finally built and has sent many of Korphe's children on to local towns for further education - including many girls.

It's a stunning account of an extraordinary man, who through his humility and respect for the people of the region, worked with them, heeding their input and their cultural norms, was able to do what no other humanitarian organization could -- build schools focusing on girls' education and bring long-lasting, meaningful change to one of the world's poorest and most unstable regions of the world where outsiders are usually regarded with cautious suspicion.

With Jean Hoerni's help once again, Mortenson founded the Central Asia Institute (see link to the left) and has built over 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 1996 and has provided countless services and monetary support for education in these regions.

He is fighting the war on terror with the only effective ammunition - education. Give people education, and you give them the means to take control of their own lives. In areas where the only free education available is in the form of conservative, fundamentalist madrassas (many funded by the Saudi government), access to broad general education is key to fighting terrorism while forging ties with the very people we're trying to help.

It costs $1 per day to pay a teacher in Afghanistan or Pakistan - Go, do something.

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

I applaud Greg Mortensen for his works, but found the account of them hard to follow, poorly written, and had the feeling of propaganda. It is obvious the book was published to get readers to contribute to his good cause, but it was quite a disappointing read.

From an Orthodox Baha'i perspective, this book could not have been more welcome and heartwarming. 'Abdu'l-Baha said it best many, many years ago, long before the frightening state that the world has entered into.

`Abdu'l-Bahá laid great stress on Education. He said "The girl's education is of more importance today than the boy's, for she is the mother of the future race. It is the duty of all to look after the children. Those without children should, if possible, make themselves responsible for the education of a child."

-- page 92 `Abdu'l-Bahá, "`Abdu'l-Bahá in London"

Although I do not know whether Greg Mortenson ever heard of 'Abdu'l-Baha, he has certainly taken the principles this great man, the Center of the Covenant of the Baha'i Faith, and put them into practical usage in a part of the world most in need of this Divine remedy. The formal educaton of girls in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan has apparently been almost non-extistent for centuries. Greg Mortenson intends to change that perception one school at a time.

His gripping book describes the impenetrable culture of these proud countries, and guides us through the almost excruciatingly deliberate steps required to at first get a foot in the door, then win the hearts of each village, and finally engage them into the accomplishment of building a school for its children, especially its female children.

What better gift to leave to humankind than the educating of those who have been denied its wonders for centuries. The benefits of this endeavor are apparently already manifesting positive results in the small communities who have participated in this challenge.

One child at a time. One village at a time. One country at a time. And who knows the limitless bounds that may be reached eventually as each of us longs for a better world, without the horrors of warfare.

An Orthodox Baha'i

Okay, so the writing ain't supoib, but hey, you gotta see the forest through the trees. This is an important book that should be required reading for everyone, as someone in these reviews said, who is educated or uneducated. Who reads or doesn't read. I've chosen to give copies as door prizes at my talks on volunteering overseas. (CAI doesn't take volunteers, sorry.) Yes, "the defenseless sky" and other such phrases cause little bumps in the readers' road, but the story transcends all this surface noise. Greg can easily find a different writer next time, but please let the story continue. And be careful, Greg!

This is an incredible story and it makes so much sense. Who can argue with the root cause of the rise of radical fundamentalists being directly related to ignorance. The book also will help dissipate the generalized negative image of muslims as all being the same. We've abandoned Afghanistan again and have mixed relations with Pakistan and don't understand how the Taliban and other radical groups continue to grow. Greg Mortenson is an amazing man who certainly deserves a Nobel award for his efforts. At the very least his organization, The Central Asia Institute, deserves a contribution from any of us wanting to see a real reduction in the threat to this country.

In a time when the words `Middle East' can bring up such anger, why would you want to read a book about that area? Well for starters this book isn't about anything to do with the ongoing war you hear about every night on the news.

3 Cups of Tea is a more 'behind the scenes' look at many of the areas that never make headlines on any of our news stations. What this book is about is one man, Greg Mortenson, who puts his life on the line to try to end the war, the way it should be ended, with books, not bombs.

The Taliban believes that keeping the population ignorant is the best way to keep them following the same ways they've been following for the past few hundred years. When the Taliban comes into an area, they burn every book except for the Koran. They know if their population was to become educated, they'd know that war will never solve anything.

What Greg Mortenson is doing is amazing. Never before have I felt so utterly useless when comparing myself to what he's done. Never before have I finished reading a book and wanted to do something to make a difference for others. Why isn't our government going at it like Greg Mortenson is? To read this book just makes so much sense.

This book should be required reading for everyone who thinks they have an opinion on the Middle East. If there is one book you read this year, make it this one, you won't be disappointed. [...]

Today is the fourth of July, 2008. What we aspire to, what we celebrate, what we fear -- are so far removed from the reality of one man attending to the basic needs of all humans on earth. There is no terrorism, there is no war that does not find its roots in the two children who clung to the robes of "Christmas Present," so many years ago. These two plagues of "ignorance and want" - the children of humankind - are what cause war and fuel terrorism. Put your minds and hearts to that simple fact. Read this book and turn all the energy, wealth and good intentions of this country to affecting a real solution. This book and its lessons are a must for making ourselves and our leaders truly authentic and of value to the world and to our own county.

I don't have anything profound to say about the book, only that it literally changed my life - that one man could be both so driven, and so completely humble and gentle with the cultures he was servicing...
...a truly amazing man, one I desperately wish the US government would study carefully and start modelling their foreign policy after - around a philosophy of genuine 'aid' where it is most needed, thus eliminating the allure of terrorism for the young.
On a nice side-note, it not only an account of an amazing man, its an AMAZING account of an amazing man - his time in Pakistan, as you can imagine, has been pretty bumpy, and the result is nothing short of a one-in-a-million read: a 'Charitable Page-Turner', a soul-satisfying action epic!
Read it - it'll correct your vision.

In this book there are such apt descriptions of the stunning land and the people...My family and I have had the good fortune to travel in northern parts of Pakistan twice, once in the Hunza Valley and once to a base camp on Nanga Parbat. We'll never forget the hospitality we experienced. I really appreciate Mr. Mortenson's sensitivity and efforts in working with the various peoples. My husband and I have taught abroad for the past eleven years in three different countries (including Lahore in Pakistan for four of those) and have a real appreciation for the inherent challenges. Keep it up. The book struck an in-tune chord.
Deirdre Roberts

This book tells an incredible story, and gives a fierce glimpse into this area of land that is shown (at a distance I am sure)on the news with only information about the conflict. This is a very good example for how we build relationships and seek the hearts and minds of people not only living in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan but also in America.

Certainly gives one alot to think about. Mr. Mortenson's effort is nothing short of heroic

This book is a MUST read.

It goes without saying that Greg Mortenson is an amazing human being blessed with such compassion and love for the entire human race. To accomplish a good deed, he not only dared to do all he could but did not even think twice before putting his life into danger. Such dedication and perseverance is hard to find and that too for a good cause.

The book not only talks about great human spirit but has also lifted veils from the actual picture of the war that was raged in Afghanistan. Bombing the country and then offering help to re-build it was absurd enough on its own but, then to learn that the help promised never even reached the masses is the height! Mortenson and co-author Relin bring to light the day-to-day issues faced by the masses in the two countries i.e. Pakistan and Afghanistan and the shady politics surrounding them which, makes their survival even more difficult.

Mortenson's account has even helped clear confusion about the wrong picture of Islam and Muslims that has been sprawled across the world. Mortenson is another genre of the human race, on his own and any accolade is not sufficient enough. His sheer grit to help people in trying times, in a country which, had presumably raged war against his, is commendable.

Kudos to Mortenson, his family and all the people in Pakistan and Afghanistan who had the courage to STAND UP!

This book is more than you can imagine. The first half if a book about great actions accomplished by an ordinary man swept into action that counters the horror of some of our government's action. Through this the ordinary man becomes a great man. The second half takes us deep into feeling (really feeling) the current history of our country and other countries that are one with us - due to the tie from Greg. I will never view Pakistan or Afghanistan the same way again. I love these people in a real way and this is brought home by a man who did not feel helpless - just acted. I too can act by giving to these people. We have schools, they do not. It is impossible to say how much I hope just one more person will read and care about what we can do to make a difference to real people in real countries. We are too isolated and often feel victims of our own government errors. May we elect a president who will talk to these people. May we donate to build schools and help run them. My thanks to Greg. My thanks to the author of this book - David Relin.

this book is extremly inspiring with the struggle that greg mortenson had to go through to make the dreams of others to come true expecially when most take the oppertunity of an education for granted there are still those who could only imagine what wonders an education could provide for them.

This book fits many of my qualifications. I enjoy biographies and also books concerning social issues. This book did both. the biographical account was not too heroic or embellished. I appreciate this point. Greg Mortonsen begins his journey as an experienced mountain climber, but he quickly follows another path to build several schools in the northern Pakistan and Afghanistan mountainous regions. Greg's adventures are riviting and will keep you reading. It is a good read for those who wish to enter into Pakistan/Afghanistan (predominantly fundamentally muslim areas). Greg struggles with his sister's death, learns much about communicating with the people of these Asian villages, navigates the halls of his own relationships (which is difficult when he spends months in Pakistan - away from his new wife and soon to be children), begins to understand the difficult politics with organizations that are suppose to be doing good and must balance personal and social goals.
I would give this book 4.5stars.
There are some parts that are glossed over and/or a bit out of character.
However, I read it quickly and gained knowledge, inspiration and enjoyment.

I loved this book and found myself cheering Dr. Greg along on his mission. I teach ESL in a small college and have volunteered tutored whenever the need would arise. I can't even begin to image the dedication Greg Mortensen to his work. Everyone should read this book especially in this election year when Muslims are looked at with suspicious eyes. We should all follow our hearts as Greg did and always, always believe in the power of education for all. I'm buying everyone in my family a copy of this book...it will open many eyes.
Peace

I found this book on a 'sale' shelf not to long ago. The title of the book captured my attention. Once I started reading this book I couldn't hardly stand to put it down! Not only is it extrememly well written, the story is riveting. Greg Mortenson's work will make the world a more peaceful place. My only question is why I am I just learning about this wonderful man now!?! His work should be all over every TV news station, every local rag across the country and, for that matter, the world. More people need to understand that what he is doing is by far more important, and ultimatly successful, than we'll ever be fighting President Bush's war on terror. We wouldn't even be at war if we heeded Greg's words! I can only hope that people continue to hear what he had to say and support his efforts. I wish him only the best!

This is an amazing story. I didn't know anything about this man or very much about mountaineering or the area where he decided to start building schools. But the story is incredible! The whole way he dedicates his life to the goals he set is a story that almost everyone should read to be inspired to follow their own dreams.

Unforgettable tale of triumph over adversity, an enormous cultural chasm, and a desperate need. If we are going to win a lasting victory over terrorism, we must first educate the poor children that are brainwashed in madrassas in the developing world. The author struggles mightily against overwhelming odds to bring such education to some of the most remote locations on our planet, and his success will bring a smile to the face of God or Allah or any other deity worth his/her salt. Now if we can only divert a small portion of our Defense budget to support his and simimlar activities....our children and grandchildren would be so much safer!

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations...One School at a Time

By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

For children living in a world of broken hearts and broken promises, it must have been something unimaginable for Greg Mortenson, an American, to show up and keep his promises and mend not only their hearts but their minds. To think that his journey was built from his failure to climb a mountain made me wonder if there is such a thing as failure when one follows his or her path no matter where it leads. Reading Three Cups of Tea made me realize that if we're waiting for governments to create peace we will be waiting for thousands of years more; we will have peace when we become the peace we seek. An adventurous read.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide magazine [...]

An interesting personal life, but one of the worst written books I have ever tried to read. I finally gave up about one third of the way through. It so badly needed editing and condensing that it was literally hard work to figure out the basic story.

To have read Three Cups of Tea is to experience life in a part of our world which is mysterious, explosive and vitally immportant to the future of mankind and of this planet. Greg Mortensen's book informed, inspired and captivated me with its beautifully written stories of his heeding the call of the women and children of Afganistan and Pakistan, and putting his entire life into answering that call. Mortensen's experiences have taken him to the edge of survival. His book is an exciting tale that just happens to be true.

I recommend this book to everyone and wish that it were required reading for the leaders of our nation. To educate the downtrodden is to give hope and sustainability to those people. Through efforts such as those written in this book peace may just well come to the troubled middle east and to the rest of this world.

Both a good read and thought provoking. A page-turner and inspiring.
I bought this book for several friends after I read it.
I don't have much to add as the other 5 star reviews are descriptive about this book-- I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea and it has opened my eyes to a beautiful and often misunderstood people and what one man can do to really change to world - in a peaceful way. We should all thank Greg Mortenson for his unrelentless sacrifices to making this world, that region and America a safer and better place. Please take the time to read this amazing book. It will change your life!

Most stories written by mountaineers are wild epics describing some particular challenges encountered in the course of conquering a mountain. In an unusual display of selflessness among mountaineers, a group known for its focus on the individual and the pursuit of a single goal at the of others, this book walks us through Mortenson's bid to conquer illiteracy in a region teeming with radical Islam, chauvinism, poverty, and violence. Mortenson achieves success using surprisingly modest funds, and demonstrates how a single, passionate individual can help an entire nation, promote world peace, and achieve personal greatness, albeit at huge personal cost that few of us can either appreciate or ever hope to endure ourselves. This is the single most inspiring story of "one person making a difference" that I have read in ages and can be useful for parents, teachers, clergy, businesspeople, diplomats, politicians, mountaineers, tourists, students of foreign policy, journalists, etc. Lastly, while he may not appreciate this comment, Mortenson is an example of not just a great human being, but also a great American, who shows children in a part of the world where Americans are often villified that Americans continue to be capable of innovative, entrepreneurial, and altruistic behavior that benefit people far from America ... this behavior is far less common among non-Americans than Americans, we sometimes forget ... and for this alone, Mortenson deserves the gratitude of the American people.

My persistent suspicion for any bestseller that grapples with "the Muslim world" has been renewed. After hearing much kudos (from Muslims and non-Muslims alike) for Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, I figured there might be a possibility that the contents of the book would be refreshing and unconventional.

"Disappointed" doesn't begin to describe my reaction.

With the back cover proclaiming that he was a "real life Indiana Jones" and the Washington Post dubbing his territory "exotic," I had a hunch that the book would prove to be a study in Orientalism .

I found myself outraged as I read page after page of descriptions of servile natives who, for reasons unknown to me, pledged allegiance to the United States despite living on the other side of the globe. I found abundant depictions of dangerous territories which would offer the Westerner enlightenment and adventure. I found a plethora of depoliticized explanations for `terror,' the main one being a lack of literacy, and at times I even came across blatantly racist and colonial language.

In other words, I found nothing short of the very imperialist language that antiracist activists and scholars ferociously charge in their work.

The role of adventurer, mountaineer, savior and expert Greg Mortenson was chillingly Christian in nature. Mortenson plays a forgiving, humble savior, looking for "more outcasts he might serve" (159). Perhaps it is no small coincidence that the Washington Post and Bloomsbury Review inside cover blurbs describe his project as a "mission," and that Mortenson himself is the offspring of two missionaries.

Mortenson's Christlike presence in the remote hinterlands of Pakistan is enough to completely reform the natives, we are told. "Former Taliban fighters renounced violence and the oppression of women after meeting Mortenson."

As his project to build schools for neglected and illiterate natives gained momentum, people came to learn of his noble presence. As the book tells us, "the legend of a gentle infidel called Dr. Greg was ... growing" (210). One local tells his fellow countrymen that "Christian men have come halfway around the world to show our Muslim children the light of education" (257), swiftly relegating the Muslim world to the illiterate and ignorant, and upholding Christians as the heirs of education and civility.

The historic and well-known connections between Christianity and colonialism are critical in deconstructing Three Cups of Tea. You see, Mortenson is not just a Christlike savior, he is also an imperialist in his own right. We are given image after image of his trek through a dangerous and rugged land, a land open to penetration, ready to be claimed or tamed. Indeed, Mortenson's simple goal to "leave Christa [his deceased sister]'s necklace at 28,267 feet" is oddly reminiscent of planting a flag in the soil.

Orientalism tells us that the Westerner in the Orient is there to be an expert, to understand the local culture and norms (even better than the locals themselves) and translate them for the West. This is precisely Mortenson's project, and "going native" is just one of the many habits he develops. Speaking of his childhood abroad, we learn that Greg swam "happily in a sea of cultures and languages" (36). The multitudinous cultures are there for Greg to absorb; the world offers itself to him unselfishly, and Greg accepts it.

Mortenson's samplings of local culture are most striking when he asks the natives for instructions on how to pray (62), dresses as a local and asks whether he looks Pakistani (71), and decides he must worship "in the sunni way in this sunni land" (168). Almost comical was Mortenson's appropriation of local names for his children: his daughter, named Amira, and son, named Khyber, suggest that Mortenson has found a cultural richness in the land that was ready to be borrowed and imported into his own life.

Morteonson knows the land so well that he might even know it better than the locals. When a native suggests that he builds a climbing school, Mortenson deals uncomfortably with the question, knowing that the European model of schooling is better for these people. His colleague, McCown, acts at one point "like a big boss from America...(hamming) it up, (walking) around like a chief, paying everyone their wages, telling them they were doing a great job..." (123). Impressing and gaining the trust of the locals is a performance for these men, and their expertise on the region makes them well-suited for the job.

When Mortenson realizes that the locals might not be thrilled about receiving funds from the very people who have been their enemies, he simply says "we could make it look like a private donation from a businessman in Hong Kong" (295). For Mortenson, the politics and convictions of the brown men makes deception the only viable option.

The rugged terrain of the mountains of Pakistan is a space where men like Mortenson might discover solace, enlightenment, and themselves. It is a place for adventure, as his parents' destinations had been for them. (As a child, "his parents had packed him along on the great adventure of their lives" (35).) The assumption at work here is that the land is simply a tool for the Westerner, who comes armed with liberal humanism, education, and civility, to do whatever important work he needs to do.

The rugged landscape, according to this tale, is populated by mostly servile, subordinate natives who are ready to be of service to Mortenson. These natives embody the stereotypic colored locals, ready to lay down their lives in their assistance to the Westerner. They are, to the tee, described much like the "house Negro."

One character, Mouzafer, says when he discovers Greg alive and well, "Allah Akbhar! Blessings to Allah you're alive!" (20) This same Mouzafer is so devoted to serving Mortenson that "even during his five daily prayer sessions, Mouzafer...would steal a glance away from Mecca to make sure Mortenson was still nearby" (22). From this, we are to be impressed by the native man's willingness to protect a white savior over following his own religious code.

Mouzafer isn't the only brown man whose willingness to serve Greg Mortenson overrides, well, anything else of value. A man named Syed says that Mortenson's "cause was so great that it was my duty to devote myself to help him" (50). One local man suspects that the women are swooning over this white man's admirable mission, saying "I think a few lowe Doctor Greg already" (121). One man even volunteers himself as a bodyguard, telling a driver that "if anything happens to this sahib and memsahib, I will kill you myself" (286).

The natives are so enamored with "Doctor Greg" that they hold ceremonies in his honor (248), they spit in the direction of Afghanistan and assure him that they love the United States (253), and they feel shame at being able to "offer nothing" (220) in return to this philanthropic savior.

As bothersome as it is that these people are groveling at the feet of someone they perceive to be a Western savior, I suppose I would have found it less troubling had his `mission' (for lack of a better word) been truly noble or transformative.

But it wasn't.

The project was a depoliticized and senseless one that placed the onus for change - and thus blame - squarely on the shoulders of the illiterate, uneducated native. And, of course, their neglectful governments. Mortenson's story is about giving girls "the first pencil-sharpener anyone has ever cared to give them" (4), about setting up schools "that the government of Pakistan had failed to provide" (95). The native himself is called in to validate this project, and his testimonial says that "We love Americans. They are the most kind people for us. They are the only ones who cared to help us" (224). These people, it would seem, are truly needy and have been completely abused and disregarded by their own people. They need Americans to save them from their own carelessness.

What we can glean from this is that the neglect came from within their own backward regimes, and salvation will come from this peace-loving Westerner.

I cringed every time terror was blamed on illiteracy and lack of education, rather than on structural, political, and social inequalities suffered by the globally disenfranchised. The schools Mortenson built were to be a "place where they could help themselves" (144); the natives felt that their land was stricken with poverty "because we are without education" (257); a balanced education is purported to make recruiting efforts difficult for extremists (front blurb; Ahmed Rashid). Terror, the story tells us, is less about sociopolitics, economics, imperialism, or colonialism, and more about `those' individuals lacking large chalkboards, clean classrooms, and comfortable desks.

I fail to see the connection between never having studied classical literature or calculus and belonging to a militant political organization that targets a neo-imperialist superpower.

Says Mortenson, "I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death" (292). Again, the problem and the solution lie in the correction of the native, not the systematic, structural, and institutional crimes of their oppressors.

The acknowledgements tell us that millions of children are uneducated because of "poverty, exploitation, slavery, gender discrimination, religious extremism, and corrupt governments." I'm assuming this list is not meant to refer to poverty brought about by neoliberal capitalist policies that plunge the majority of the population into impoverishment; I'm guessing the exploitation does not refer to the exploitation of cheap labor taken advantage of by ever-expanding multi-national corporations; that the slavery does not refer to the enduring and historic enslavement of much of the brown and black world by the EuroAmerican one; that the gender discrimination is not in reference to the ideology that Muslim women are in special need of salvation or liberation by the West; that religious extremism does not refer to the worship of consumption and materialism that has acquired its own religious fanatics in the West, eager to proselytize; that corrupt governments do not include the one most guilty of human rights violations.

It is the failures of the Third World this book charges.

Extremism is the easiest scapegoat for Mortenson, as he feels that a balanced education will make it challenging for extremists to recruit these youngsters. He dismisses those who challenge him as "extremists" (152) and targets his message to the "great moderate mass of peace-loving people at the heart of the Muslim world" (5).

Mortenson says that "the British policy was `divide and conquer.' But I say `unite and conquer.'" (189). I suppose it's no small irony that he allies himself in goals with the British, differing only in tactic. I suppose it's equally telling that Mortenson vocally expresses support for the military action that was taken against Afghanistan after 9/11. It's no accident that we get an in-depth history of India and Pakistan's involvement with Kashmir (212), but no history whatsoever about the U.S. or Soviet involvement with the Taliban.

Such is the depoliticized picture Mortenson paints for us.

Mortenson's right to be in the region, to equip the natives with tools he feels would help them fight terror and poverty, is unquestioned. His own privilege goes un-interrogated.

He is able to call on a wealthy Mr. McCown (122), who made his fortune in venture capital, without ever examining how the global finance industry is complicit in creating the very poverty he wishes to target by building schools.

Mortenson can call on Honda generators, LL Bean fleece pullovers, Helly Hansen jackets, and Nalgene water bottles to make life easier for the natives and himself (31), without ever questioning the implications of such products in the situation these people find themselves.

He can "go to the Marriott" (262) to do his important work without acknowledging the guilt of the hospitality industry in creating and perpetuating global dependency and hierarchies.

He can "remind himself to bargain hard" (64) with local businesses so that he can make his dollar go as far as possible, forgetting that this local business is just as important a beneficiary as his poor, easily-victimized, uneducated young girls.

For Mortenson, the willingness and affordability of brown backs to carry his loads, whether during his mountain trek or his `noble' mission, is assumed (20, 114, 151, 192).

Mortenson offers us a delicate criticism of the gender dynamic of the Muslim world that is abundant in media depictions. He points out the hypocrisy of men who practice muthaa (temporary marriage), while women do not (110), implying that the gender inequality of the Muslim world is somehow greater or graver than that in the West. He informs the native that "women in our culture are free to choose any career" (170), at once overlooking feminized industries in the West in which women's labor has little to do with choice and masculinized industries which are entirely restrictive and hostile to women. He claims to know "for a Muslim, the birth of a son is a really big deal" (170), suggesting an essentialized gender hierarchy exists among all Muslims. And of course, he uses blatantly hostile language to describe the Islamic dress code, describing a woman who removes her outer garments as having "freed herself from her burkha" (289).

"Dr. Greg" falls into racist language easily and without apology, telling us that Friday is the "day the mullahs unleashed their most fiery sermons to mosques packed with excitable young men," feeding into the ongoing stereotype of the zealous, excessively passionate men of South and West Asia. He describes "bearded fighters in black turbans," easily collapsing phenotype and wardrobe with politics and action.

His racism shines through most blatantly when he tells us that he expects things like hate mail "from an ignorant village mullah, but to get those kinds of letters from my fellow Americans made me wonder..." (275). Ignorance is to the Pakistani villager as civility is to the modern American?

So, why am I surprised? Haven't I just described a textbook case of Orientalism, an age-old portion of ongoing neo-imperialist processes? Indeed, the use of charity and development as a branch of colonial efforts has been belabored by others; I need to not delve into it here. And I'm not surprised that this book flew off the shelves. Why wouldn't westerners want to read about a far off, exotic, forbidding yet inviting land populated by servile, accommodating, and needy residents for whom they can flex a philanthropic muscle? I suppose what truly baffles me is the willingness of Muslims in the U.S. - and in Pakistan, I suppose - to welcome and admire this `real life Indiana Jones.' The infantilizing, parochializing, and racializing language he uses to describe the people he works to save is irrelevant to those who truly believe his mission is a noble one.

Edward Said spoke of the "legacy of nineteenth century Orientalism to which the twentieth century has become inheritor" (Orientalism, 197). Sadly, the legacy endures at this, the start of yet another century of Orientalism.

I have just finished reading "Three Cups of Tea" and it was a whirlwind of a read. It is said that truth is stranger than fiction - and here is an inspiring testimony of that. What an inspiring story of one man making a difference. It certainly has changed my views on what is happening in Central Asia.

I took comments from others because they nailed this book perfectly.

Remarkable person and deeds,horrible writing.

T for Tedious.

Agonizingly poor writing style.

ego-centric, Terrible Read.

very good story, but awful writing.

Worst writing I've read in a long time.

Too bad that they couldn't get a better writer to tell a great story. What a SHAME!!!

"Disappointed" doesn't begin to describe my reaction.

Each sentence is so overly polished that you can hardly see the story through the glare. Irritating to read.

This could be told is a few pages, or a few words... He built a school for poor kids in another country.

All has been said here. Incredibly inspiring book. I've just bought a ton more through [...] and sent them to all my friends. I wish Mortenson was in the drivers seat after 9/11. I think our world would be in a better place today.

Most inspiring book we (my wife and I) have read in many many years. I came away with a strong feeling to get out and help others as there is much more to life than self indulgence. Excellent insite into an area that is in the news daily.

I was excited to read this book. As both a mountaineer, physician working in public health in developing countries every day, and one who knows a fair number of people mentioned in the book it held a great deal of promise. The other reviews do a thorough job in describing the book but I was, in the main, disappointed. This book, which I agree was written as best as could be given Mortenson's time schedule, glamorizes his lack of planning and foresight in creating an effective and sustainable Non-Government Organization (NGO). Mortenson mucks around for years with other people's money until he reinvents the wheel of creating schools for children; all-the-while creating a legacy entirely centered around his efforts that will probably fade once he is gone. I believe this book glamorizes an approach to helping others that is slipshod, bumbling, and not sustainable.

Mortenson's journey is all too often common in the world of public health. There are thousands of people who follow a common path 1) Become inspired when traveling/living/growing up abroad 2) earn a great deal of money or solicit such funds and 3) go build their own empire (hospitals, water projects, food distribution networks, schools, etc.). What Mortenson, along with a vast majority of others, fails to do is really plan out their projects by undertaking extensive research into not only what the community needs but also what other projects have been attempted or what is currently underway.

As is expected, these people often bumble about with either their own or other people's money for years before one of two things happens: 1) They reinvent the wheel by independently rediscovering some algorithm, that has already been working in other locations, works in theirs or 2) they perish. Mortenson so aptly demonstrates this in the latter half of the book, dedicating 1 page to his "discovery" of other NGOs who have done the same thing successfully for longer than he has, simply in other countries. Mortenson is simply the luckier in that he "discovered" what works before perishing.

Secondly, the book highlights the inability of a good leader to delegate authority and create a sustainable organization. Throughout the book Mortenson is portrayed largely as a one-man band, refusing to allow others to take over any of the tasks he considers important. Certainly, he has people in the country that run projects but really it seems as though nothing would get done without Greg's heroic charisma and endurance. I can readily see how board members come and go; it does not appear to truly mean anything to be on the board, they simply approve Mortenson's projects within their budgetary constraints. I fear once he is gone that the organization will not remain. In Jim Collin's books "Good to great" or "Built to last" I see the CAI being only a good NGO and possibly not sustainable as it is portrayed here.

This is a great eye-candy book for those new to international work and it provides a palatable and balanced view of the region and its recent history. This is also a good example of how NOT to start up an NGO, or create a sustainable organization. Should one desire to do so I recommend you thoroughly research your chosen area and undertake extensive efforts to locate what others have done in the past. The last thing this world needs is another thousand people tripping over each other to "help" those in the developing world without understanding the culture, the interventions that have been tried, or creating NGOs that come and go with a change in the winds. Start by looking at care ([...]) or the Red Cross / Red Crescent ([...]).