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

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Penguin, 2006 M03 2 - 368 pages
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard

Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson’s quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.
 

Contents

INTRODUCTION IN MR MORTENSONS ORBIT
1
FAILURE
7
THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER
17
PROGRESS AND PERFECTION
27
SELFSTORAGE
34
580 LETTERS ONE CHECK
47
RAWALPINDIS ROOFTOPS AT DUSK
57
HARD WAY HOME
70
A SMILE SHOULD BE MORE THAN A MEMORY
154
EQUILIBRIUM
174
MORTENSON IN MOTION
184
RED VELVET BOX
198
CHERRY TREES IN THE SAND
211
SHROUDED FIGURE
225
A VILLAGE CALLED NEW YORK
241
TEA WITH THE TALIBAN
261

BEATEN BY THE BRALDU
83
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN
98
BUILDING BRIDGES
108
SIX DAYS
125
HAJI ALIS LESSON
136
RUMSFELDS SHOES
278
THE ENEMY IS IGNORANCE
297
STONES INTO SCHOOLS
314
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
333
Copyright

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About the author (2006)

Greg Mortenson is the director of the Central Asia Institute. A resident of Montana, he spends several months of the year in Pakistan and Afghanistan.


David Oliver Relin is a contributing editor for Parade magazine and Skiing magazine. He has won more than forty national awards for his work as a writer and editor.

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