Book Review: Three Cups of Tea

I am joining up with Camila at Mattornety Life to review "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I have been wanting to read this book for awhile so I was glad when Camila chose it as the book club book for December January. (She had originally chosen it for December but, as with me, didn't get it read so moved it to be January's book.) I know there has been some controversy surrounding this book, and Greg Mortenson in general, but you know what? I. Don't. Care.*

Reading this book inspired me to figure out what my dream is and then set out to achieve it. And hopefully make the world a better place in the meantime. I think that is exactly what Greg Mortenson did. He made a promise and then kept it. I was so impressed at the sacrifices he made, and the way his wife, Tara, supported (and still supports) him and how committed he was to what he was doing.

Building schools in a country of the world that isn't "popular" and, continuing to do so, even after that country came under attack after 9/11, is an amazing thing to do. Greg Mortenson made it happen. I want to send all my money to CAI. I want to live in my car and eat once a day and have a shower at the local gym so that I can give the rest away. I won't do this because this is not the kind of person I am. Plus my husband wouldn't understand. But I want to. Greg Mortenson not only wanted to do this, but he DID do it and that to me is the amazingness of this story.

I also want to be like Jean Hoerni who believed in Greg Mortenson and supported him, and helped to make the dream of schools in Pakistan come true for the thousands of girls who wanted an education. I want to help enable people's dreams to come true.

Most of all I want to make the world a better place. And this is one story of a man who did that. Everyone should read this book. If you haven't yet picked it up, please do. And then let me know what you think. And then go out and make the world a better place.

*The reason I don't care about the controversy is because I believe the general premise is true. When Greg Mortenson started his odyssey I'm guessing he had no idea that anyone might want to one day write a book about him. Therefore I'm guessing that he didn't record every single conversation and adventure he had with people. Therefore I'm guessing some of the conversations, and adventures, are based on recollections. Even with this blog to record certain aspects of my life, I won't be able to tell you what I did ten years ago today, if ever, for some reason, someone wants to write my life story.