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Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Audiobook13 hours

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

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

In 1993 Greg Mortenson was the exhausted survivor of a failed attempt to ascend K2, an American climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of an impoverished Pakistani village, Mortenson promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time-Greg Mortenson's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.

Award-winning journalist David Oliver Relin has collaborated on this spellbinding account of Mortenson's incredible accomplishments in a region where Americans are often feared and hated. In pursuit of his goal, Mortenson has survived kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, repeated death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. But his success speaks for itself. At last count, his Central Asia Institute had built fifty-five schools. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world-one school at a time.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 15, 2006
ISBN9781400172511
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

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Reviews for Three Cups of Tea

Rating: 3.748977130683811 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

3,422 ratings298 reviews

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  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I’d like to think I would have spotted this as an overblown exaggeration! The guy practically walks on water. Maybe some good came out of his work but that does not justify the means which include self-aggrandizement, lies and misappropriation of funds. I guess people want to believe things can be done in a superhero sort of way ie: with good will by one man. This type of nonsense just makes it more difficult for the real heroes out there.

    5 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Jon Krakauer’s “three cups of deceit” shines a light on this collection of falsehoods that only serves the purpose of shameless self-promotion.

    4 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book is not true unfortunately. It came out later that the author embezzled most of the donated money for himself.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Unfortunately, several investigations have revealed that Mortenson likely fabricated much of this story and misused the charity funds it helped raise.

    If you want to learn the real story, read "Three Cups of Deceit" by Jon Krakauer or watch the "60 Minutes" episode from 2011.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Surprised to see this book here after reading “three cups of deceit” from John Krakauer. It’s a very inspiring book until you realize it isn’t a true story.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This was a very inspiring book until the author was accused of exaggerating or simply making up parts of his story as well as using donations to his non-profit for personal travels, etc. He ended up having to repay one million dollars and many inaccuracies were found in his book.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Scatterbrained and irritating to read. I had a hard time finishing it.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The writing isn't great, but the story is VERY interesting. I thought the author came across as self-centered and somewhat selfish, but perhaps that is the fault of the writing. Still, he has accomplished SO much, and I really like his message.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love what Mortenson is doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Best read so far there are some good people in this beautiful world of ours
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I was incredibly disappointed to learn a little more than half way through the boom that Mortenson manipulated or fabricated many of the anecdotal stories. When I thought what I was reading was true the stories seemed unbelievable but were worth being told. After learning they weren’t all true it made Mortenson seem self centered and his descriptions of the people he encountered became crude and rude rather than an honest, naive expression of true events.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Though this is a best-seller, and truly a must-read, this biography is not well-written. The story belongs to Greg, but the narration is not. Just because someone is good at journaling does not mean all that flowery language will translate well in a feature-length novel. However, those who manage to ignore Relin's ineptitude will be rewarded with a heart-warming true story, and a better understanding of the world around us.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Just a reminder that the author of this book has many proven allegations against him for the things that he said he did and for mismanagement of the funds he was given for building schools and his other efforts. Jon Krakauer wrote a short book on the topic Three Cups of Deceit for those who are interested in learning more.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Exceptional true story; not particularly well-written.Substance: Amazing what one man can accomplish by focusing the efforts of like-minded people and sticking with his mission. The desire for an education supplies outstanding motivation for pulling people and communities out of poverty, with "real" schools contrasted both to Islamic madrassas and American defections from useful curricula. People of good-will can get along regardless of religion, country, or class. Bad people cause trouble ditto, ditto, ditto.Style: Back-stitches unnecessarily and too often, making it hard to follow the sequence at times. Heavy on "journalism flavor". Captures the spirit of Mortenson's work and gives due credit to the Pakistanis and others. Not sensationalized.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It's been a long time since a book has so powerfully touched me, and this book is probably the first that's made me want to give all of my money away. Greg Mortenson's efforts to help the children of Afghanistan are astounding, and I only wish that more people were aware of what he's trying to do.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Greg is a wanderer and an adventurer. He's devoted much of his adult life to rock climbing. But when his young sister dies, he decides to honor her memory by scaling Everest. He ultimately fails in this goal. Defeated and weary, he stumbles towards home but gets lost in the remote hills. Eventually he arrives at a village whose inhabitants take him in and make sure he returns safely home. When Greg learns that the children of this village don't have a school but must take what lessons they can in the open air, he vows to build them a school and finds a whole new way to honor his sister's life. Though he thought he was setting out on one important task, it soon becomes the mission of his entire life.This is a moving and inspirational story about the power of education and the ability of one person to alter the lives of many.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After failing a mountain climbing expedition in Pakistan, Greg Mortenson is cared for by a group of villagers in a remote corner of the country. While at the village, Mortenson sees the local children struggling to attend classes outdoors, in the cold, with no supplies. In gratitude for all they have done for him, Mortenson pledges to return to the village and build a school. After seeing the poverty of rural Pakistan, however, Mortenson is determined to do more, risking danger and death to educate all children- a mission that grows more critical and controversial after 9/11.Quote: “Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down, and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them.â€?This book is both enjoyable and enlightening. It makes the case excellently that the only long-term solution to terrorism is building stable nations with educated citizens- give young people a reason to choose life over death. Mortenson chooses to aggressively wage peace, and believes that this is not only helpful to poorer nations, but is also of great benefit to the United States. A fantastic read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Excellent....amazing. A true story told honestly and without all of the embellishments and sappiness of those of others' accomplishments. This man is doing an amazing thing in Pakistan and every American ought to read this book in order to become aware of it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    More than the book itself, I love what this book is looking to achieve. One man's obsession for children in a country half a world away, is humbling and inspiring. From the remoteness of my Australian perspective it is hard to understand the passionate hatred that some people feel for an entire country, endowing many with the sins of a few. This book helped me to gain some insight into this.The structure of the book was more disjointed than I expected it to be and it was sometimes hard to follow the sequence of events and places. But perhaps that is reflective of the character of our hero, who seems never to be able to stay in one place for more than a few weeks at a time.I have to say that one of the relatively unsung heroes of the book is Greg Mortenson's wife. She must be a woman of vast patience and understanding, to see her husband disappear so regularly and for such lengths of time, and to be left with the responsibility of parenting their children whilst he is occupied with the care of thousands of other children. As much as I admire his vision and tenacity deeply - how could you not? - a part of me was always left wondering "What does Tara think of all this? How is she coping back home?"Mainly this book is insightful and educational for all of us who only ever hear snatches of news stories. It brought humanity back to a situation that can sometimes seem beyond redemption.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A former mountain-climber and nurse made his life's mission to raise support for education in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Not well written, but a fascinating tale.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book was amazing, intelligent, inspiring. I can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Narrated by Patrick Lawlor. Jacket copy: “One day in 1993 high up in the world’s most inhospitable mountains, Greg Mortenson wandered lost and alone, broken in body and spirit, after a failed attempt to climb K2, the world’s deadliest peak. When the people of an impoverished village in Pakistan’s Karatoram Himalaya took him in and nursed him back to health, Mortenson made an impulsive promise: He would return one day and build them a school.” Book traces his decade-long odyessey to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan in face of the causes of terrorism, a kidnapping, fatwas, cultural misunderstandings, death threats from Americans, and long separations from his wife and family.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fascinating and heart warming tale of climber Greg Mortenson's attempts to build schools and educate some of the poorest communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A real insight into a difficult region and a reminder that at the heart of the stories of war are many normal people fighting to make life better for themselves and their families. A great read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Greg Mortenson may have failed in his attempt to reach the top of K-2 in Pakistan, but he has found success in his role as humanitarian. In gratitude to the villagers who saved his life, he promised to return and build a much-needed school. After he had seen children sitting on the open ground scratching their lessons in the dirt with sticks, he knew he had found his life's calling.Greg was a man of incredible vision, but with no resources, he had no way of keeping his promise. He naively hand typed solicitations on a rented typewriter and sent them to all the prominent people he could think of. This is just one example of the impulsiveness and persistence that makes him who he is. Through his dogged determination he finally found a sponsor and returned to Pakistan where, despite many setbacks, he turned his original failure into triumph and has succeeded in building over 50 schools in this impoverished- war-torn area.The story is truly incredible and inspiring. It's too bad that his ghostwriter David Relin made this such an agonizing read. The book jumps around in time and place without transitions and tries too hard to make a soul-touching story into a literary piece. Don't let this clumsy mishandling stop you from reading this powerful and highly recommended book about fighting the war on terror through education.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Though this is a best-seller, and truly a must-read, this biography is not well-written. The story belongs to Greg, but the narration is not. Just because someone is good at journaling does not mean all that flowery language will translate well in a feature-length novel. However, those who manage to ignore Relin's ineptitude will be rewarded with a heart-warming true story, and a better understanding of the world around us.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I have to think on this one for a while because the story of what Mortensen has done and accomplished is a separate story from a review for the book as written by David Oliver Relin.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I am from Baltistan, lives in New York, I heard about Greg’s Three Cups of Tea long time ago but couldn’t get a chance to read it or listen. I was impressed by the description with minute details he presented here. I am very grateful for his work even to educate one single child of my people but also felt some over exaggeration and some discrepancies and inaccuracies of information but I understand such things happen in such works.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was on my to-read list for a long time but I just couldn't seem to pick it up. Then it became a pick for my reading club. I missed the book club meeting and still hadn't finished the book two weeks afterward. It's just the kind of story that takes you a while. One of those books where the comment "it has a lot of words" meets nods of understanding.While the story is quite good and morally awakening, the power of Mortenson's activism can get lostin all the descriptions. Since it's a plot you know before beginning the first chapter - Mortenson asmountain climber turned do-gooder builds schools in Pakistan, especially for girls - the narrative turnslengthy with small anecdotes that slow the progress of the reader in much the way that politics and turfwars impeded Mortenson's building; these details are important, but just get really old really quickly.Certainly a must-read for anyone wanting an emotional pick-me-up, but definitely lacks the structure of a good novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good story of a former mountain climber's work on building schools for girls in the Middle East or Central Asia area. Very inspiring. I hope the rumors that he falsified some of it are not true.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I’ve had this book for years but never got around to reading it until hearing a podcast about how several of the stories are exaggerated or completely fraudulent . That may have coloured how much I enjoyed the book. Next on the list is “Three Cups of Deceit”!