In the words of Michael Franti, "You can bomb the world to pieces but you can't bomb it into peace". With all our military and government intelligence, we can't see a way out of war in the middle east, but one man has managed to make a difference by being a trusting, open hearted, kind human being and not giving up on his entirely crazy ideas to build schools, mainly for girls, in this impossible area of the world. It seems way too simple, but sometimes the smartest answers are the simplest. This is one man's story of trying, failing, trying, succeeding, failing, setbacks, and sacrifice. And the incredible healing power of kindness, that knows no cultural, linguistic or religious boundaries. I am purchasing the young reader's edition for my 9-year old son and hope he is half as inspired as I am by this story. I loved every word of this book, both because of the story and because of the writing. It has me thinking deeply about its life lessons and reflecting on my own life's purpose.

What a disappointment! I've been on the wait-list at the library for weeks and now I am wondering why. Although the story of Greg Mortenson is probably a wonderful adventure and most definitely from the heart, his chosen writer did not do him a favor. I completely lost it with the writing style or non-writing style making it sound more like prose than a non-fictional account of this man's journey. If one wants a great read about another incredible man, read "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidderer/ the story of Dr. Paul Farmer. It's a great story as well as extremely well-written by a true journalist.

Greg Mortenson, a seasoned mountain climber, dreamed of a perfect tribute to his deceased little sister, Christa. He would leave her green necklace at the summit of the "killer mountain," K-2. However, he lost that dream when weather conditions caused him to become dis-oriented, separating him from his climbing companions. Totally lost, he finally wandered, more dead than alive, into an unknown village. Because of the villagers' kindness, he wished to reward them by fulfilling an urgent need, and also paying tribute to Christa. What should it be?

It took him a very long time to regain his lost strength. All the while he pondered what he could do. Finally, while watching a group of schoolgirls sitting in the snow, trying to do their lessons without pencils or paper, he knew what his sister's memorial should be. He would build them a school and provide them a teacher.

Many dangerous, life-threatening adventures followed while he persued his new-found dream. It became a burning passsion. No risk proved too great to take, whether it was sitting down to tea with the Taliban or losing most of his school building supplies to a crafty businessman.

Nevertheless, 55 schools later, he accomplished his dream and a lasting memorial of peace and trust that military force will never accomplish.

This very well-written book, THREE CUPS OF TEA. is a worthwhile adventure with Mortenson. Because he became one with the Korfe people, who rescued him, they adopted him into their family, willing to give their lives for him.

Betty L. Sheldon, author of OMNIPIECE

I really enjoyed this book. Many of the reviews comment on the writing style of the author. Suffice to say, the first few chapters need some work, but the writing really picks up as the story unfolds in a suprisingly wonderful way. Its a rare and smart perspective on the radical Islamic terrorism problem and how to combat it. This is the kind of book you finish and are thrilled you stuck with it - and then you'll recomend it to a friend. Oh yeah, and you just might learn something new! Enjoy.

Compelling read because you want to know what happens (sort of), but it reads like a sales pitch for the organization. Would've worked as a magazine article, but whew! this book is about 200 pages too long. Glad to know Mr. Mortenson did the things he did, very admirable work (except for the part about leaving his own family for months at a time, and his exceedingly poor organizational and time-management skills), happy I read the book if for nothing more than an increased understanding of the region. Read it for a book group and we all agreed (those who finished it, anyway) that we had to force ourselves through to the end of the book.

Great message!! I plan to buy the abridged version for my niece.

The message this book portrays is one that everyone should hear. This is one man's story of how he started the ball rolling to not just build schools, but also provide human relief to those in need. I was amazed in every chapter all the things one person could do. I kept putting myself in Greg's shoes and kept thinking that whatever was happening to him would be the cause of me quitting that mission. Not him. Thankfully for all those people he helped.

The critics of this book seem to have the most beef with technicalities of the writing. The book is so much more than the sumnation of the individual words, however. The book sends a powerful humanitarian message. Don't miss it!

Three Cups of Tea

What an amazing read!

The story of Greg Mortenson epitomizes not only the real American hero but the kind of hero that our world badly needs today. His life story shocked, awed, amazed, surprised, and inspired me. He set himself up to the highest standard and he lived up to it. By the extraordinary life that he lived, he has climbed not only K2 but also Mt. Everest.

He has to a certain degree, single-handedly, changed the lives of more than 20,000 children in Pakistan and Afghanistan - this, from a man who has practically lived on the streets. His remarkable story is a beacon for all us, that despite life's peaks and valleys, we must continue our ascent to the mountains we set to conquer.

One thing is clear though in this story - we truly need to have the right perception of failure, that failure is a delay but not a defeat. Despite Greg's humble beginnings and early "failures" in life, he did manage to succeed in one area we all want to succeed in, in LOVING unconditionally. And for that, I believe Greg deserves the Nobel Prize, Inshallah!

Here's three cheers to Three Cups of Tea!

Read it! Share it! Give-it-away!

Jay Jaboneta

P.S. I also think David Oliver Relin deserves the Pulitzer Prize too, for bringing this wonderful story to us!

My daughter was sent this book as required reading for freshman at St. John's University. In an effort to make the task more enjoyable, I decided to read it so that we could discuss it as she read. I was so impressed with the way it was written and the story itself, I was moved to action. I teach in a school with several Islamic students, many from Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have taught me so much. However, these students face prejudice everyday. I have asked for the book to be ordered for required reading in all world history classes. This is a must read for everyone, but especially for those who believe Islam is a culture of terror. This book offers an exceptional insight into life in rural Afghanistan and Pakistan. It shows the value of education and an understanding of the vast majority of Muslims.

The author should stick to building schools and give up a writing career. This was the first book I could not finish. I kept trudging through the proverbial mud but I couldn't take it anymore. I gave it to my son's teacher with a warning of boring to tears.

Hello, i am a salvadorean teacher (el salvador,central america). i work in Instituto Nacional Texistepeque. sorry for my basic english, i think that this book is wonderful, because inspire you to fight agaignst problems, and get all your goals you want.
I love this books, especially the chapter 12 where i read (haji ali words): "i can't read anything. this is the greatest sadness in my life. i'll do anything so the children of my village never have to know this feeling. i'll pay any price so they have the education they deserve"... i can see the vision of this leader in order to get progress for his people...
Excelent book

Very inspiring, educational (you learn so much about Pakistan and its neighbors). This book will inspire you to help, to look at life in a different light.... a must read.

I found Three Cups of Tea inspiring. I do so wish more people in the world cared about children and education. They were hungry for education and so many people in America are not. I don't know why. In New Mexico, statistics have just reported a statewide average of 50% high school graduation rate. In the 60 years I lived in New England, it was much higher and education was much more valued among all economic classes.

You can find happiness in hardship and you can accomplish what you set your mind to. I loved this book and I hope it gets made into a feature film. It's exciting and inspirational. And the chapter where the three cups of tea are explained will blow you away. I had to read it aloud to my grown son.
Great read. Great gift book.

The best thing about this book is that it is not fiction. There are scenarios depicted in this book that you would not believe still happen in this cruel world and make you believe in humanity. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for some inspiration to help others no matter what.

This is a wonderfully written book which shows you what determination and committment can do and what phenomenal results can flow from such dedication and drive. it also predcited what was needed to offset the fanatical religious zealtos of the Middle East and their drive to dominate that region and their strategy to do so. Required reading for everyone.

This is a captivating and inspiring account of an individual making a difference in the lives of others culturally very different from himself. After an adventuring mountaineer got lost on his way home and encountered the kindness of Pakistani villagers he met by happenstance, he was motivated to attempt to improve their lives.
The author's one-man effort proved so successful and rewarding that he was able to expand his project to other villages to improve both the daily lives and educational opportunities of these isolated tribespeople.
The story is an impressive one , a peace-corps type of idea creatively developed and applied by an individual who invested his time, limited resources, and energy versus assistance through a developed governmental project.

Great book, amazing story. Almost stayed up the whole night the day after I bought the book to finish reading it. At 3:30 I decided I needed some sleep. Quality read.

Very interesting read. I really appreciate when someone pours their life into a chosen cause and makes a difference in the world for good. I hope this book inspires many to go forth and accomplish worthwhile endeavors. The author is definitely a person of passion who has directed his energies to personal accomplishment and found it lacking and then to turning outside of himself and finding a true source of happiness and fulfillment. Bravo! Not the best literary read but a book with a soul and a clear message worth listening to.

very inspiring. Greg Mortenson is an individual who proves that one person can make a difference. This book helped put a face on the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and 9/11. God bless you greg, Inshallah.

As an English teacher in the International Baccalaureate programme, I can say that I have found the PERFECT book for my students; it incorporates EVERY aspect of what I do with my students throughout the eighth-grade. I will have no trouble connecting this book to EVERY other book I have them read through the year (from THE MIRACLE WORKER and THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET to THE ALCHEMIST and A SEPARATE PEACE). On top of that, more than anything else, this is a book that is about the value of education. From a teacher's perspective, isn't that our ultimate mission?

Despite my contention that David Relin has overwritten this book (excessive exercises in vocabulary acrobatics), this story needs to be read. Greg Mortenson's story has got all the elements of a well-told story: an unquenchable desire of Self that transforms into a desperate need of All; the rollercoaster of emotions from frustration to joy to sadness to panic to success; a universal message of respect, patience and determination; and relevance... absolute relevance to our world and to right now.

If THREE CUPS OF TEA doesn't make you care about the world in which we ALL live, I doubt there is anything that can. How ultimately sad for you.

I had to buy this book for my son's honor's
English class. I usually read what my children have to read so we can discuss it ahead of time. I read political books, autobiographies, the classics, etc. so I am not dense, but this book is horribly difficult to get through. It is boring, they use so many muslim (baltic) words without definitions, they bash America and prop up the muslims and their culture. It is awful!!! I have asked several other parents and they are all in agreement. I can't imagine why any teacher would want this thing to be read by her students. I understand that we need to be able to have a better understanding of the people of these regions and I think that Greg Mortenson is wonderful and what he did is very commendable. However, if Americans are so terrible, how did he manage to find so many to help him with this project?

This book is an easy read and you learn a lot. It is not a page turner.

It is inexcusably shocking that Three Cups of Tea has received such mindlessly fawning, near-unanimous praise when one considers the actual slant, content and message of the book--removed from the repulsive, vague and feel-good platitude/fantasy idea of "promoting peace," you understand--is actually unimpressive, demonstrably wrong and very censurable. The gist of this extremely untrustworthy book is--now, take a deep breath, everyone, all those of you who value basic reasoning skills, that is--that terrorism can be lessened or defeated in the Middle East IF and only IF the non-existent world community bands together in something resembling a nauseating socialist utopia and starts building schools (yeah, I know the book's gist sounds asinine and laughable so far, but I swear, it's true!) for primarily Muslim GIRLS in poverty-stricken areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan. To that, this intellectually honest reviewer says,"Hehe...hoho...haha!"

So MUCH is incorrigibly and demonstrably incorrect in that theme of the book--which, by extension, is also the mission of the author, Greg Mortensen, and his equally deluded organization called the Central Asia Institute--that it will take a whole encyclopedia to reprimand Mortensen's delusional idiocy and pollyana view of the world, but I'll give it a try nonetheless!

The ideologically stubborn slant with which Mortensen has written the book--or, perhaps, I should indict his co-author, one David Oliver Relin, for being a Mortensen sycophant who himself admits in the introduction that his own work is compromised with EXTREME BIAS in favor of Mortensen to be of any use--is one firmly rooted in the liberal philosophy of dovish appeasement instead of reality! As such it's completely useless as a book from which to glean any value--you know, exactly like the Barack Hussein Obama trip to the Summit of the Americas was useless, as he practiced dovish appeasement to be used by Hugo Chavez to give credence to a virulently anti-American book in Open Veins by Eddie Galeano. The misguided, liberal thinking of Mortensen would find severe approval in the B. Hussein Obama administration because it's based on a self-hating belief that the US should "do more" to create goodwill in the Muslim world and naively hope that this will be enough to stop or reduce future terrorism! As if!!!!

In so believing, the disgraceful author is discrediting successful, US foreign policy initiatives that the US military has carried out in the last few years (and also discrediting the US military, that jerk!), such as the liberation of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, where 50-plus million Muslims were granted the chance to govern themselves. This is already the true and verifiable measure of US goodwill for the Muslim world, and if the ideologically ferocious author refuses to see that, then he's playing right into the hands of the terrorists, mister!

At this point, readers of this propaganda book will more than likely be scorning my correct point of view--because they have no use for superior, opposite viewpoints--but this is irrelevant to me, since my main concern is merely to educate the liberal savages on the incorrigible error of their ways that is outlined so notoriously well in this book.

The second unpardonable error Mortensen and Relin commit is their primitive and laughably discreditable belief that poverty and lack of education in the Muslim world are a driver of anti-American terrorism. From many, different examples of where Muslim terrorists have originated in the past, we see this to be 100% FALSE. For furthering this discreditable viewpoint, both Mortensen and Relin deserve me wagging my self-righteous finger at them while saying to them in a tone befitting a parent scolding their little child, "Shame on you, authors! Just...SHAME ON YOU!" Remember the terrorist attacks that occurred in the UK in 2007? Well, if you're liberal, you probably read Daily Kos exclusively for your fix of apparent news, so you likely missed this. No sweat; I'll fill you in, junior! On June 30, 2007, two Muslim men--Bilal Abdullah and the now-late Kafeel Ahmed--were guilty of a conspiracy to blow up the Glasgow Airport by driving their nifty Jeep Cherokee loaded with propane gas into the airport! Sadly, the now-late Kafeel Ahmed is no longer with us, but his life was not poverty-based nor undereducated: he was an engineer studying for a PhD and whose parents were doctors! Bilal Abdullah was himself a doctor, and his dad, GASP!, was a doctor, too, oh my!

Let me sum up this killer revelation to all the sheeple-liberals who hang on the stupid and discreditable message of this sh*m-book: Your little Three Cups of Tea book is shamed and disproved by my little 2007 Glasgow Terror Attack citation alone! Mortensen and Relin assert that terrorism can be reduced by helping Muslims out of poverty and educating them, but what about the Muslim terrorists like the aforementioned who are educated and from rich backgrounds, huh? You liberals lapping up this book shamefully have no defense here! So, let me laugh in your faces for discrediting your book to you in such a stunningly logical manner: Haha...hehe...hoho, you silly libs.

Next, the authors strike out once more when doubtfully asserting that building schools PRIMARILY FOR MUSLIM GIRLS is the way to go in terms of reducing terrorism in the Middle East...total BS! See, the majority of Muslims who are terrorists...wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...are MEN! Alright, after this second, jarring revelation of mine to educate you liberal ignoramuses, you must be stunned and not ready to comprehend immediately, so I'll be a nice guy yet again and connect the dots on your behalf! See, if primarily Muslim girls are the beneficiaries of the author's Central Asia Institute's efforts to build schools, then who's going to ensure that the Muslim boys get an education and not descend into terrorism, huh?! Definitely NOT the authors, for they're convinced--insanely!--that apparently Muslim girls are the majority of terrorists on this planet! What the hell? Do these authors not read the news? Have they even ever taken a geopolitical course?

The last affront--and bear with me, gang, for I know how taxing it's been tediously listing the relentless sins of this book that is lapped up widely by the liberals and made to look as though it's perfect in message--is that the central theme of this book about building schools and reducing poverty has been 110% DISESTABLISHED by both GW Bush and Barack Hussein Obama! Yes, both the Republican administration and the current Dem one are in agreement that to reduce terrorism, you have to...wait for it...wait for it, liberals...kill terrorists by using the US military. Such a concept is foreign to liberals, I know, so, again, I will gently educate them as to why this book's central theme has already been disestablished.

If anything, the noble US military and principled leaders like GW Bush have proven that there's only one way to effectively deal with terrorists: send the US military to where they are and kill them! THE END. This has been proven in Iraq--where countrywide peace has basically broken out due to the aftermath of the successful Surge ordered by Bush but opposed by the chronically poor-judging Barry Hussein Obama (which is why the liberal MSM doesn't report on Iraq anymore at all!)--and is currently being proven in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, where this deceitful and gullible author claims that building schools and reducing poverty exclusively for MUSLIM GIRLS will reduce terror, Hussein Obama agrees with Bush that fighting terror needs to be done exclusively by the US military! In case the acolyte liberals worshipping this book missed it, Obama ordered a c*pycat mini-surge of his own last month when he ordered about 17000 troops to Afghanistan to...wait for it libs...wait for it...help kill terrorists!!! Even Obama--a hardcore, dyed-in-the-wool appeaser and negotiator with terrorists--realizes that in Afghanistan, you can't build schools for Muslim girls and expect to crush terror there, NO! Even Obama is probably laughing at the asinine conclusion of this overly dovish book because he hears US commanders telling him, "Sir, building schools doesn't work in terms of reducing terror. The only thing that works is to bring the US military into the theater and kill terrorists." Amen to that.

The ingenious aspect of this book is the amount of hope it can transcend into the reader. Though Greg Mortenson has had more than his share of challenges, the book quickly reveals the steps he took to overcome them making every upsetting difficulty more like a stepping stone. While many books that bring to light the lack of education, poverty, and low standard of living in developing countries tend to be depressing, Three Cups of Tea is just the upset. It brings to light the unique aspects of living in another part of the world and learning from people who may not have amounted to much by worldly standards but have age-old knowledge to impart. The novel reveals its own brand of uniqueness and is truly in every sense of the term a MUST READ! I recommend it to all!

Plain and simple..I loved this book!It takes you into the lives of such patient ,simple and appreciative people.Greg's a hero for his unselfish giving to those in need and the understanding that education is of upmost importance if we are ever to have a peaceful world.I highly recommend this book to all readers.All libraries should have a copy and the newspapers should do a review.

Greg Mortenson has devoted his life to building schools in small villages in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson tells his incredible story in a simple, direct and matter-of fact way. Mortenson does not preach, nor does he brag about his accomplishments. He does not claim to have changed the world, nor does expound on important it is to bring education to the poorest among us, especially in the region where he works. Mortenson is the opposite of an ideologue. He is the agnostic son of Christian missionaries, working among Muslims, but none of that seems important to him. He seems driven to address concrete needs of specific people, without worrying about their religion or politics. He deals with the here and now, in the most concrete and honest way. His story is an important one, and well worth reading.

I this book up around page twenty wondering how people could stand to read it at all let alone enough to recommend it to others so that it would become a best seller. The writing was horrid and I could see that after reading as little as I did.

I'm so glad that there is a 'Young Readers Edition' of this book. That's what I read instead and I'm very glad that I did.

If you are thinking of reading this for the inspirational message it has I would suggest you choose the 'Young Readers Edition' where you will be spared David Oliver Relin's horrid writing and many details about Greg Mortenson's life that would probably have been better left private and unpublished, and you will be able to focus on what Mortenson accomplished and how important his work really is.

The story is an inspiration, the other things I mentioned can get in the way of appreciating how important Mortenson's accomplishments are.

I think this set a new standard for my book club, which we affectionately refer to as "the bad book club" and only one of us out of five of us even finished this copy of the book.

The endless rave reviews from other readers are in my opinion very misleading. I have to think that they are rating the inspiration and the importance of the story and not the writing. The writing deserves one star or less, the message of this story deserves five stars or more.

My book club recently chose this as our group read. Well, I should say we chose the adult version of this book, the one authored by David Oliver Relin and Greg Mortenson. I wasn't the first person in our group to start the book and the others already reading mentioned the writing was horrible. So, when I started reading and found my opinion was in agreement with theirs, I at least wasn't surprised, disappointed but not surprised.

I read some other readers' reviews of the book and discovered that several adults had read the young reader's version of the book. I thought that might be my way out of reading another horribly written book for what we affectionately refer to as 'the bad book club'.

I found this version to be much more concise and well organized than the adult version. And while I'm certain that I missed a lot of details that were included in the original I'm not too disappointed. There was a nearly overwhelming number of people included in this story and not a lot of details about Greg Mortenson's personal life and how his wife dealt with his being away so often but the message is the important thing and that comes through in this edition loud and clear.

Someone may ask "What's the big deal?" about this story. Well, I think it's a huge deal especially given that Greg Mortenson is an American. I too am an American so I know first hand about our culture and they way we are prone to thinking about ourselves and serving our desire for material things that gratify us on a completely superficial level. Greg Mortenson doesn't subscribe to that mentality. He is thinking about other people and figuring out how he can do something that will make a difference in their lives while seeming fearless of failure.

I try to do things in the course of my life that will help others in small ways but I can not imagine doing what Mortenson has done. His efforts and successes are impressive and inspirational and I'm glad that I read his story, I applaud him for his dedication. It reminds me that one person can make a difference. If every person who reads this book can act just a little like him the world will be a little bit better place.

I would strongly encourage teachers to read this book with their students or include it in their summer reading lists. I think it is an excellent message for all ages but especially for young people. I'm glad the publisher created this young reader edition and made this story more accessible to people who might not want to read the original version.

This book was one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. To think that ONE person can persevere and make SUCH a difference is remarkable. Outstanding story, particularly because you know it actually happened and Dr. Greg lived to tell about it all. A must read for everyone! Hope to get our school involved in the Pennies for Peace program this year.

This story renews my faith in the ability of one person to accomplish incredible works, especially when working with others of similar goals. An easy to read, informative, positive account of the conditions in areas the US knows too little about. Wonderful!

Often the novelist, hired to write the biographical story (of Greg Mortenson) of the well above average person, loses control of his or her course and delivers a narrative tale of iconoclastic venture which all but proclaims sainthood for the person about whom the book exclusively focuses upon. At times, this book follows that path, but often enough deviates from the same.

The core of the book is a countercultural concept which runs completely against the grain of post-911 American ideology regarding the middle east - and more particularly the mountainous regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. As one friend tells the book's subject, "Your President Bush has done a wonderful job of uniting one billion Muslims against America for the next hundred years."

But, the subject believes that it is more than just Bush who has united these people of common faith. He thinks Osama Bin Laden is rallying the forces. While the book's subject is walking in the mountains of these regions, American troops are similarly venturing about seeking public enemy number one - Osama. But, the wise man tells the Mortenson that Osama is not the problem or rallying cry. "Osama is not a product of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He is a creation of America. . . The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise the fight will go on forever."

And, although before thees savored and wise words were received by Mortenson, his fervor is reignited to educate these people. After spending close to a decade building schools in uneducated and impoverished areas of rural and secluded regions of Pakistan, changes began to occur - to his excitement and coincidentally to the excitement of those opposing the later learned enemy anthropomorphized as "Osama."

Interestingly, while Mortenson's limited budget creates these schools, Saudi and UAE concerns were building boatloads of madrassas where education is intertwined with neighboring mosques and slanted in religious ideology -- ultimately delivering a propaganda-driven cultural sway toward conservative verve. Their goal is the end of the secular state, and the creation of a dream which Mortenson, America and most Pakistanis seek to avoid.

Inevitably, the education of Mortenson's huts or the Saudi-financed madrassas will surpass that provided by the Pakistani government. If Mortenson's group wins, the book portends that he may win a Nobel Prize. If the others win, would the same conclusion be reached? No. And, until the battle ends, we will not know what may arise. But, even if there is no victor, it would be interesting to see if Oslo rewards someone whose political and free spirited philosophy truly rebutted that of his country's leadership. And, could someone on such a small budget actually repair the opened wounds of the multibillion dollar military assault? We shall see.

When I read a biography, the most important thing to me is the persons story and whether the writer captures the essence of the person being discussed.

Mortenson's life is awe inspiring. His determination to make a difference in his own way is impressive. The book uses the technique of infusing other people's experiences to make points in between Greg's story. Though I see the purpose in it, my interest is in Greg and his experiences.

It kept me engaged, though I wanted to get a little better feel of the culture's that Greg was experiencing. I wanted more detail regarding how Greg communicated and interacted within the various cultures he experienced in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Three Cups of Tea is a book I highly recommend and gives a basic overview of the Middle Eastern culture.

This book puts everything in perspective for me, how blessed we are here in the U.S. in so many ways, and how giving just a few dollars can go a long way to helping those less fortunate. Well written, the story was gripping and uplifting, inspiring me to see how education really is the key. I was so moved, I bought 4 more books and gave them to friends to read!

I have recently read "Three Cups Of Tea" with a book group at the Assisted Living where I am the Social Programs Director. This book was informative, exciting and has challenged us to make a difference in some way in the world. We have recommended the book to friends and family, and have had guest sit in on our meetings and readings, who expressed interest in reading this book. It was like a way for us to take the trips with Greg, without the danger he was exposed to. Very good book!

I shared this book with about 10 other women and we all really enjoyed the interesting writing although there were times it was a little drawn out. The knowledge shared was really great.

Greg Mortenson has done more to combat terrorism than all of the money that America has thrown at it's war on terror. This could be a valuable lesson for all of us, we just need to listen.

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

What a special story! Three Cups of Tea recounts the true heroic efforts of one man to bring peace through education to victims of political and economic strife. It is not the best told story I've ever read, but the true value is in the story itself. There is something here for all of us, namely that one person truly can make a difference. This book made an impression on me and I took away so very much from it. This is a message that should be shared.

This was a truly inspiring novel about one man's fight against terrorism and illiteracy. I never really understood how one person can make a difference in the world until I heard his story. A must read for anyone with a heart for causes.

Greg Mortenson was a poor climber retreating from K2 when he promised a village in Pakistan that he would build a school for them. His story portrays a will to succeed against incredible odds and demonstrates what great tasks can be accomplished with the right attitude. The politics, customs, and business ethics of Pakistan are very different from those in the US, and Greg started his task without a penny of financing. But, his diligence allowed him to succeed in grand style. He has completed not one, but dozens of schools in rural Pakistan, and has created a large organization which is spreading good American will where it is desperately needed. The book is not written by Greg, but by a journalist who has spent many hours interviewing him. The writing style is not the best, but the intense plots that Greg jumps into, and his incredible determination make this one of my favorite books. Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet

Greg Mortenson was a poor climber when he promised a village in Pakistan that he would build a school for them. His story portrays a will to succeed against incredible odds and demonstrates what great tasks can be accomplished with the right attitude. The politics, customs, and business ethics of Pakistan are very different from those in the US, and Greg started his task without a penny of financing. But, his diligence allowed him to succeed in grand style. He has completed not one, but dozens of schools in rural Pakistan, and has created a large organization which is spreading good American will where it is desperately needed.Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet

This book is a freebie. By that I mean that it is a quick, easy read, and an absorbing story. Every book can't be like this...my education wouldn't be worth much if I only read books that were fascinating. But every once in awhile, it is good to grab a book like this and finish it off quickly.

I think this book would appeal to you even if you didn't share my interest in the history of Central Asia. But it still wouldn't hurt you to read Hopkirk's book (The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia (Kodansha Globe)) on the Great Game. But do be warned that that book is definitely not a freebie. Took me a year to get through that one. But it sure helps to have that background.

That said, though, this book is not about history. It's a simple story of one man's effort to help country folks who really wanted to better themselves, but needed a helping hand. It is a heart warming story, and an encouragement to all of us that if we are willing to take a step, there are great things that can be accomplished, with the help of a merciful God. God helps those who help themselves? Well, sort of. Actually, God helps those who are helpless to help themselves, but who are willing, in spite of their helplessness, to take a step of faith. Just read the book. You'll see what I mean.

I said that I didn't read this book primarily for its historical value. It's not like Hopkirk's book. But even from an historical perspective, there are two significant contributions this book makes, which, I think, deserve mention.

I did not know until I read this book, that the Kargil conflict had been largely instigated by Nawaz Sharif, who, as prime minister, had decided to test India's resolve by moving troops into disputed Kashmir, in complete disregard for the tentative border between India and Pakistan that had kept the two countries from each other's throats.

I also did not know the extent to which Bush's determination to invade Iraq affected the ability of the Afghans to maintain peace in their country in the light of America's shifting priorities. Those (like myself) who believe that the invasion of Iraq was ill-fated, tend to view Afghanistan as the "right war." The war for which we had a legitimate casus belli. By that standard, then, the Iraq war was a tremendous expenditure of money with less than adequate reasons for engagement, while Afghanistan was the war we couldn't afford not to fight. But I didn't know until I read this book that the Iraq war actually "stole" resources from the Afghanistan effort, and may even be the reason we are having so much trouble maintaining peace there today. The author's description of his meeting with Rumsfeld is not informative. He's a liberal Democrat who doesn't like Republicans. But his conversations with ordinary Afghans, who told how hard it was to get by after America was distracted by Iraq are quite disturbing.

But again, this book is mainly just a really good story about somebody setting out to do good, and the struggles he had and the tremendous rewards he received. Not monetary rewards, but the reward of seeing young Pakistanis from the countryside learning to read, and gaining opportunities they never would have had, and making their own sacrifice, in turn, to bring those opportunities to others. Mortenson is not a perfect man. His decision to live with a woman he obviously did not love during a particularly low point in his life shows the vulnerability of any man who tries to go it alone. Bad for him, and very unfair to her. But he didn't stay down. Fortunately, he was able to hold on to his vision and move on. And when he did meet the woman who was to become his partner in life, it is apparent that she had experienced some disappointments of her own. ("Well, you're thirty-one and you've kissed a lot of toads. If you think he's your prince, then I'm sure he is.") Five stars. This is a book well written about a life well lived.

I found this book extremely interesting and heart rendering as I was working in Pakistan at the same time as this gentleman and had visited many of the same towns in the northern areas. About 75% of women are illiterate in Pakistan and denied a chance to become productive members of society other than having children. I think what this man has done is examplary and selfless and shows a heart for others less fortunate which is quite rare. His reward will be very great in the next life. May he be protected and blessed in his continuing efforts help those in the northern areas who have almost nothing.

I have to admit that I went into this with pretty high expectations... and was disappointed. The writing itself varied between florid and boring, with only a few sections that held my interest. Many sections were melodramatic and ill-written, but I had hoped that (as with some books) the story it told would overcome the bad writing. But I had a problem with other things in the book.

There was a great deal of glorification of Greg Mortenson to the point that Relin was talking about how he needs a Nobel Peace Price. It makes sense, in that he's the focus of the book, the "hero", but there was a lot I saw in the story that wasn't so impressive. One thing that irritated me was that the authors (or perhaps just the co-author, Relin) seemed to be trying to compare Mortenson to Mother Teresa, and honestly, there is no comparison. Also, it was great that he felt at home in Pakistan, among the villages, that they accepted him. But in the few sections that talked about his wife and children, all I could think was how little he actually saw them each year as he spent months at a time overseas. And when he was at home, the book said that he spent most of his time in strange sleeping patterns in order to conduct business in the appropriate times for Pakistan, and spent much of his awake time holed up in his basement working and trying to answer mail. I found it ironic that he cared so much for these children in Pakistan, yet it seemed as though his own children didn't matter. Now, it may be that the book purposely left out most of his life with his wife and children, for privacy reasons - but from what I saw, I grew less and less impressed with him for his virtual abandonment of his family.

I also didn't think he was very good with the Pakistani people. He offered to build them a school, but didn't consider how to get it to the village. They could have told him that they would need a bridge first. I did get the feeling throughout the book that Mortenson just charged ahead with what he wanted, and didn't listen or pay attention to what the local communities needed.

The people I loved in this book were the Pakistani peoples... it's easy to understand why Mortenson would want to help them build schools and bridges, and how much something that might seem so little to us (a simple stone bridge), could mean so much for the women of remote villages who never got to see their families because of the difficulty going to their home villages. It's also wonderful that the girls were able to get education through this, and have support in continuing their studies.

Overall, though, I was less than impressed with the book and with Mortenson. It's labeled as an inspirational story, but I was very much uninspired by it, and I'm frankly shocked that with such bad writing that it won a prize in 2007 for best nonfiction book.

Extremely interesting book. I am only part way through, but it grabs your attention from the get go.

Three Cups of Tea is an enlightening piece of literature. Greg Mortenson's mission to eliminate hatred in the world by educating impoverished children, especially girls, is selfless, commendable, and amazing. It proves that one person can make a difference in the world and that perserverence does pay off. Mortenson's journey will keep you turning the pages. We all stand to learn a lesson in humanity from him.

I reluctanly have to agree with the more negative reviews of this book. I really, really, wanted to enjoy this book, but between the style of writing and the tiny, tiny details etc., I felt like I was reading an unwanted school assignment and plodding through to get to the end. I admire Greg Mortenson and all his accomplishements. I especially admire his passion in all he did, but mostly his dealings with the people of the area he loves so much. I just wish this book had been better written.

The book was an engaging read, and seemed to be realistic in the challenges and triumphs.

I just finished this book and I found it very inspiring and uplifting. I felt that it was very well written, and it is full of interviews from the people that Greg Mortenson has befriended, worked with and helped during his time in Pakistan and Afghanistan that makes the story so real. I didn't know much about that region before, but this book has definately educated me about the wonderful people who live there and the incredible need that exists just to provide their children with an education. The book also helped me to understand what is really going on, and how our "war on terror" has impacted so many innocent people. I highly recommend reading it.

In the years since 9-11 we have heard little about the non-terrorist side of Islam. This book teaches us all that there are always two sides to every issue. How sad that information about what Mortensen has done is often lost in the rhetoric of the media. Promoting education of women in the Middle East should be the first concern of our national policy. As Mortensen has said, an educated mother is far less likely to raise a terrorist son. Perhaps Guantanamo would have been empty if more schools like those described in the book had been operating.

This book would not have been a book that I would have picked out for me to read. My book club chose the book. I hate non-fiction. This book was so adventurous and suspenseful at times, that I forgot that I was reading non-fiction. This is a well-written biography. I highly recommend it. Our media never gave us any of the details of what really was happening in Pakistan in the 1990's. This book was very enlightening and I feel that I am a little bit closer to understanding the Pakistan's poverty and their culture. Also, how education can change a world's thinking, including the education of girls. I thought it was very interesting that the Pakistani's always sit down for tea before any business engagement. You will enjoy this book and I highly recommend it.