3rd Quarter ORB

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Penguin Books, 2006. Genre: Nonfiction

Mortenson is a brave man, embarking on the journey of a lifetime. He is a kind, educated man who wants to put his dead sister's necklace on the top of K2. The twist of events and failures lead him to an isolated town in Pakistan called Korphe. He's greeted with hospitality and shares tea with them. This book follows Mortenson on his journey to build a school in Korphe and all of the financial problems that go with it. The constant need for schools and teachers in rural parts of Pakistan make Mortenson want to help even more. He struggles to get donations and accomplish his dreams of helping these poor, innocent people. The book is filled with friendships, love, compassion, and drama.

"Mortenson's mission is admirable, his conviction unassialable, his territory exotic and his timing excellent."- The Washington Post

This story is inspirational and lets the reader know that if you try hard enough, you can accomplish anything. Mortenson's determination and persistence make the reader root for him, cheering him on. The message is sent that if you try hard enough you can accomplish anything, and that one person really can make a difference in the world. The author uses quotes and incorporates Mortenson's thoughts and feelings throughout the book. He interviewed people that Mortenson met on his journey and quoted their opinions and ideas about what he was doing. The quotes are balanced with admiration, new ideas, and some criticism. The input brings the story to life. The author's details create a real atmosphere that takes you into the struggles in Korphe and other places in Pakistan.

"But in the breeze whipping across this fragile shelf where humans survived, somehow, in the high Himalaya, he also heard the musical trill of children's voices, at play in the courtyard of Korphe's school," (260).This book changed my opinion on non-fiction books. Before I would just brush off the thought of enjoying a non-fiction book and groan and complain when I was forced to. This book was an exception; it didn't read like most non-fictions books do. It wasn't filled with facts or go off on tangents, it stuck to a dramatic, inspiring storyline. I would defiantely read this book again and other books like it.