Our next book selection is my choice: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
This is an amazing book about one man's ability to make a difference in the lives of the children, the women and men of the villages and towns of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Krygyzstan and the steppes of Mongolia.
Starting with a failed attempt to climb K2, Greg Mortenson drifted off the mountain path coming down form the attempted climb and drifted into a very poor Pakistan village in the Karakorum mountains.
While recovering he observed the village’s 84 children sitting outdoors, scratching their lessons in the dirt with sticks. The village was so poor that it could not afford the $1-a-day salary to hire a teacher. When he left the village, he promised that he would return to build them a school.
What happened next seems like a miracle to me...after recovering from his fatigue and injuries, recognizing the need of the villagers for a school for their children to become educated, he then started out to build one school for that little village, and to date has built not just one school...but 58 schools...in those regions.
Here are some statistics from his foundation's website, Central Asia Institute, about what has been created and sustained in these areas to date, in spite of the shadow of the Taliban's watchfulness: Children's Education... * 58 schools fully or partially supported, and built especially for the girls in the villages * 520+ fully or partially supported teachers * School library projects * 824 graduates from Porter Training Program * Teacher Training Workshops * 24,000 current students, including 14,300 girls supported Women's Education... * 14 Women’s Vocational Centers * Women’s NGO assistance and training * Infant Oral Rehydration Training * Rural Women’s Vocational Fund * Maternal health care scholarships * Eye technician scholarships Public Health and Conservation... * 24+ potable water projects * Water Filtration System * 3,000+ cataract eye surgery patients * Sanitation and Latrine Projects * Rural Health Care Camps
All of this happened because one young guy got lost on his way down from a mountain that he failed to summit. This is a wonderful read. Buy a copy, borrow one from your library or share a copy with a friend. Whatever you do, read this book...it will give you a new appreciation for the everyday things we often take for granted and it just might stir you to help Greg with his foundation's goals of providing education and good health that is sorely lacking, even non-existent, for the villagers in this area.
"Here in Pakistan and Afghanistan, we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything...even die." ~ Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan Brenda The following image is from Greg's website...
where can I find info on how this circle book club works?
I read Mortenson's 'Three Cups of Tea' last year and was touched. Then recently, a friend who attended one of his fund raisers in Madison said that he said his organisation was really short on cash. In fact he requested that people NOT share his book but rather buy one as part if the proceeds go to his foundation.
Letha
Posts: 59 | Location: Fremont, CA, USA | Registered: 15 September 2006
What a nice choice, Brenda - the description seemed familiar and, after a search, I found that the paperback publication in this country in January had been featured quite heavily on the radio and in the media.. I remember hearing some extracts being read out and finding it interesting.
I look forward to this one.
Hope the 'Wicked' discusssion went well - apologies for my non attendance, I got my times mixed up. I hadn't finished the book, but I was interested to see what others thought. Are you going to do a transcript like last time?
Posts: 876 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
I saw Greg Mortenson on Oprah several months ago and found his story to be quite compelling. Sometimes, getting lost is just serendipity in disguise. I'm looking forward to this read.
Another non-attendee checking in. I got so caught up in avoiding laundry/packing and whining about my work trip (I'm in Sacramento right now) I totally forgot. Plus, I was going to go to the library on Saturday to check out a copy to review, but I forgot my library card. Obviously, I'm having some memory issues.
I went and bought this book today and look forward starting it. (I achieved the purchase despite having a garbled version of the title in my head - all praise to the bookshop assistant who decoded my 'A cup of tea in the Himalayas'?
I was in an unfamiliar bookshop and was searching around for which section it might be in (Biography). On the way I came across a huge section, equal in size to the Travel Writing section, titled 'Tragic Life Stories'. I had never seen all these types of books ( from Dave Pelzer onwards) lumped together as a distinct category and seeing the sheer range of them made me wonder about the reading public's appetite for them. (Not saying that, individually, the stories aren't worth reading/moving/inspiring etc., it was just the startling number of them that made me stop in amazement.)
I didn't have to wonder about the publishers' reasons for milking this genre: the phrases 'jumping on the bandwagon' and 'cynical exploitation' sprang to mind.
Posts: 876 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
letha, Welcome to our book club! It's pretty simple...we meet once a month on the 3rd Sunday, at 2:00 P.M. MST in the Gold Star Chat Room. We hang out and talk about the book selection for the month for a couple of hours. Then, Colleen forwards the transcript of the discussion to me, I edit it and post it for everyone to read.
I'll also post here about the upcoming book, listing some interesting websites where I've found pertinent information about the book and giving updates during the month to whet everyone's appetite for the book!
That's about it, I think...as I said, we keep it really easy and simple. Everyone's welcome to join us, read the monthly selections and hang out in chat to discuss the book and anything else that comes up that afternoon.
Panda, I'm happy you know the book! I'd heard about it and bought myself a copy in the airport in Chicago, while waiting for my flight to Savannah last month. I only started it a little while ago and I'm really amazed by this guy, Greg Mortenson. He's taken a quiet path for change in this world, and I have tremendous respect for him and the people who help him create the schools and educational facilities in the areas that are suffering under conflict and war.
Nancy, I agree...getting lost was actually an act of grace for him and a perfect example of what I call flow. When things work out, when everything pushes you towards one point in your life and it seems that nothing you do can stop it, that's flow!
Jill, Welcome back! I posted the date in the title of this thread but didn't do so here...sorry! May 18th, 2008, 2:00 P.M.
I've finished the book and have been browsing the various sites that he recommends. Here are some interesting things for you to look at:
The book has won the following awards: ~ Kiriyama Prize - Nonfiction Award ~ Time Magazine - Asia Book of The Year ~ Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association - Nonfiction Award ~ Borders Bookstore - Original Voices Selection ~ Banff Mountain Festival - Book Award Finalist ~ Montana Honor Book Award
BookBrowse poses some interesting discussion questions about this book in this article.
Greg was given the National Awards for Citizen Diplomacy announced Award Ceremony on February 12, 2008 in Washington, D.C.
In rural Pakistan or Afghanistan it cost only about $1 per month per student to educate a child, about $1 daily for a teacher's salary, and a penny buys a pencil.
"We've started a Youtube with video clips, that we add to this month when I am in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Search 'Greg Mortenson' or 'CAI schools.'" ~ Greg Mortenson Brenda
Just a reminder about our book chat on Sunday, May 18th at 2:00 P.M. Our book selection for this month is Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Here are a few bits of interesting info about the book and Greg's life path... Reader's guide courtesy of Greg Mortenson. This has some interesting points and thought-provoking comments...check it out!
An interview with Greg...a great discussion about the fear and stress Greg lives with in the day by day life in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pennies for Peace is an organization of Greg's Bozeman, Montana-based company, Central Asia Institute. The 400 people of the Karakoram Mountains' village of Korphe struggle under very trying circumstances to fed and clothe their families. Greg's work has helped these people in many ways. The first school that he helped to build was in Korphe in 1996. Today, there are 4 classrooms and the first ever library in the Bradu Valley area. Three teachers earn $1 per day for their work with 95 students, helping the kids learn about Urdu, Science, English, Islamic Studies, Social Studies and Mathematics.
"Pennies for Peace teaches children the rewards of sharing and working together to bring hope and educational opportunities to children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A penny in the United States is virtually worthless, but in Pakistan and Afghanistan a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy." ~ The Power of a Penny, Pennies for Peace Brenda
Sorry to say that I have not gotten this book yet. I asked my MIL if I could borrow hers weeks ago and she said "Yes.", but after your Dad get's done reading it. Well he hasn't finished it yet and it's been checked out at the library every time I've been there, so.... sorry but I will not be much help at the discussion.
Panda, Like the section about the villagers towing themselves across the river in the rickety handmade wooden crate?
I just received an information-rich package from Greg's head office in Bozeman, Montana. Excellent information, loads of photos of the kids he's built schools for, the parents of these kids, and the students who have graduated and now are working in their own villages as medical staff and teachers, changing their corner of this world because of their education.
I've been working with Greg's office personel to have him answer questions from our book club, like we did Alexandra Fuller and her wonderful book, Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight. He's been extremely busy in Afghanistan and then a full slate of speaking engagements back home, so it's not looking too promising to hear from him. No matter, he's taking care of so many people who need that care, and that's what is important, I think.
Anyone else reading this book and joining us on Sunday?
“Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in cities. But the girls stay home, become leaders in the community and pass on what they've learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls.” ~ Greg Mortenson Brenda
I started reading this morning and am about 1/2 way through the book. I will confess to skimming parts. I'm finding the writing a little dry and tedious. With the exception of travelogues, I generally don't read non-fiction. And I don't quite consider this a travelogue...more like a publicity piece. Not that I don't think it's for a good cause. It's just not sucking me in.
Concentric Reading Circle meets today at 2:00 P.M. MST in the Gold Star Chat Room!
See you there!
"Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.” ~ Tom Brokaw Brenda
Slow Travel Talk 
