Three Cups of Tea

Infobox Book
name = Three Cups of Tea
title_orig =
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author = Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
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country = US
language = English
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publisher = Penguin Group
release_date = 2006, 2007, 2008
english_release_date =
media_type = Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
pages = 368
isbn = 978-0143038252
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followed_by =

"Three Cups of Tea" is a "New York Times" bestselling book by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin published by Penguin in 2006. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/books/bestseller/0316bestpapernonfiction.html?scp=1&sq=three+cups+of+tea&st=nyt "Paperback Nonfiction Bestsellers"] , "The New York Times", March 16, 2008] The book describes Mortenson's transition from a mountain-climber to a humanitarian committed to reducing poverty and educating girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He did this by co-founding the "Central Asia Institute," which has built over 70 schools in the most remote areas of the countries. [ [http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/story?id=1638728 "Mortenson Campaigned to Build Schools in Asia"] , "ABC News," March 8, 2006] [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/01-13-08PhiladelphiaInquirer.htm Worldview: The lesson jihadis fear most -- In the remote reaches of Pakistan, former mountain climber Greg Mortenson is besting extremists by building schools"] , "Philadelphia Inquirer", January 13, 2008]

The book's title comes from a Balti proverb:

ummary

In 1993, Greg Mortenson, to honor his deceased sister Christa's memory, attempted to climb K2, the world's second highest mountain, in the Karakoram range of northern Pakistan. [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/04-16-06%20Atlanta%20Journal%20Constitution.htm "Schools for Pakistan and Afghanistan"] , Richard Halicks, "The Atlanta-Journal Constitution", April 16, 2006] After more than 70 days on the mountain, Greg and three other climbers had their ascent interrupted by the need to complete a 75-hour life-saving rescue of a fifth climber. The rescue took too much out of Mortenson, forcing him to accept failure and descend the mountain. After getting lost during the descent, he became weak and exhausted, and by chance alone, instead of arriving in Askole, where his porters awaited, he came across Korphe, a small and unremarkable village built on a shelf jutting out from a canyon. He was greeted and taken in by the chief of Korphe, Haji Ali. [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/02-07-02NPR.html "Fresh Air"] , with Terry Gross,"National Public Radio (NPR)", February 7, 2002]

To pay the remote community back for their compassion, Mortenson promised to build a school for the village. After a frustrating time trying to raise money, Mortenson was introduced to Jean Hoerni, a Silicon Valley pioneer. Jean, who climbed mountains in the region as a younger man, donated the money Greg needed for his school. In the last months of Hoerni's life, he co-founded the Central Asia Institute, endowing the CAI with $1 million to build schools in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/03-05-06%20Parade%20Article.pdf "Another Way to stop Terrorism"] , "Parade Magazine", March 5, 2006.]

Co-author Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/01-21-03CSM.html "To fight terror, Montanan builds schools in Asia"] , Todd Wilkinson, "Christian Science Monitor", January 21, 2003]

Faced with daunting challenges of raising funds, death threats from enraged mullahs, separation from his family, and a kidnapping, Mortenson eventually succeeded in building more than 55 schools in Taliban territory. Award-winning journalist Relin recounts the slow and arduous task Mortenson set for himself, a one-man mission aimed particularly at bringing education to young girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. [ [http://www.gregmortenson.com/Articles/FeaturedArticles/09-12-06ChristianScienceMonitor.htm "A failed mountaineer becomes a philanthropist after a village without a school saves his life"] , "Christian Science Monitor", Marilyn Gardner, September 12, 2006]

Publication

The original hardcover book was released in 2006 with a subtitle Mortenson fought against, "One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism One School at a Time." The edition sold poorly, only 20,000 copies. Mortenson prevailed upon the publishers to change the subtitle for the 2007 paperback edition of the book to his first choice, ""One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time." They did and the re-titled book soon made the "New York Times" nonfiction paperback bestseller list. Mortenson explained his reasoning in a talk given in Fairfield, Connecticut, "If you just fight terrorism, it's based in fear," he commented. "If you promote peace, it's based in hope." [ [http://www.fairfieldcitizen-news.com/local/ci_8489983 "Educating the World One Step at a Time"] , Alison Walkley, "Fairfield Citizen News", March 7, 2008] The book has remained a # 1 New York Times bestseller for 20 months since its release, is a popular University Freshman or campus read in about three dozen campuses, chosen for One Book community reads in over 50 cities, and published in over 20 countries internationally. A young adult version of "Three Cups of Tea" will be published by Puffin in 2009.

Themes

As with much travel writing, "Three Cups of Tea" is repeatedly concerned with overcoming cultural divides. Though gifted linguistically and with a childhood-bestowed familiarity with exotic cultures and developing nations, Mortenson is often seen struggling with cultural differences, from a foul-smelling butter tea to the commonly encountered attitude by many well-meaning Americans overseas of, "Don't tell us what we want; we'll tell you."

Perspective

Though Mortenson and Relin are given equivalent author credits, the book is written from Relin's perspective as an admiring journalist interviewing and observing Mortenson. In the book's introduction, Relin admits to liking Mortenson too much to be as objective as he probably should be.

Criticism

Though widely praised, "Three Cups of Tea" was subject to some specific criticism. Bookmarks Magazine wrote that, "Despite the important message, critics quibbled over the awkward prose and some melodrama. After all, a story as dramatic and satisfying as this should tell itself." ["Bookmarks Magazine", Nov./Dec. 2007.] AudioFile echoed these comments, "Though Relin's writing is not top-caliber, Mortenson's story comes through as exciting and inspiring." [AudioFile, 2007, regarding AudioCD version; review available at [http://www.amazon.com/Three-Cups-Tea-Terrorism-Nations-One/dp/product-description/0670034827 amazon.com] ]

Central Asia Institute

The Central Asia Institute is a Montana-based non-profit organization founded in 1996 "to promote and provide community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia." [ [http://www.ikat.org/about.html "About CAI"] , Central Asia Institute] Dr. Jean Hoerni, a Swiss physicist who made his fortune in microchips, provided the initial funding for the Central Asia Institute and made Mortenson the director. [ [http://www.ikat.org/history.html "Central Asia Institute History"] , Central Asia Institute] The Institute is run by a board of directors, all of whom have worked or lived in Pakistan and/or Afghanistan. Today, the Central Asia Institute has expanded its focus to include teacher training programs, the establishment of libraries, and the provision of temporary education programs for refugees of natural or man-made disasters. [ [http://www.ikat.org/about.html "About CAI"] , Central Asia Institute] The Institute also runs a "Pennies for Peace" program, where schoolchildren raise pennies to help fund building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. [ [http://www.penniesforpeace.org/home.html "What is the power of a penny?"] , www.penniesforpeace.org] [ [http://www.wickedlocal.com/mansfield/fun/entertainment/books/x257793213"'Three Cups of Tea' Talk of Town"] , "Mansfield News", February 21, 2008] [ [http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=6001746 Students raise $3,700 in 'pennies for peace'"] , "ABC7News", KGO San Francisco, California, March 5, 2008]

Awards

* Kiriyama Prize Nonfiction Award
* Time Magazine Asia Book of The Year
* Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association - Nonfiction Award
* Montana Honor Book Award
* Borders Bookstore Original Voices Selection
* Banff Mountain Festival Book Award Finalist
* Dayton Literary Prize Nonfiction Award – runner up
* People Magazine – Critics Choice
* Publisher’s Weekly – Starred Review

Editions

* 2006, "Three Cups of Tea". 1st Edition. Viking Press. ISBN 978-0670034826. Hardcover.
* 2007, "Three Cups of Tea". Tantor Media. ISBN 978-1400152513. (Audio MP3 CD).
* 2007, "Three Cups of Tea". Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN 978-0143038252. Paperback.
* 2009, "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Change The World…One School at a Time" (Young Adult Book). Mortenson, Greg; Relin, David Oliver; signature by Amira Mortenson, forward by Jane Goddall. Puffin. ISBN 0-142-41412-3.
* 2009, "Listen To The Wind: A Village in Pakistan Builds a School", (Children's book). Mortenson, Greg; Roth, Susan - illustrator. Dial Books. ISBN 0-802-729448.Translations.Hebrew edition, 2008, 'Agenda' publication house.

References

External links

* [http://www.threecupsoftea.com/ Three Cups of Tea] - official site
* [http://www.gregmortenson.com/ Greg Mortenson]
* [http://www.davidoliverrelin.com/ David Oliver Relin]
* [http://www.ikat.org/ Central Asia Institute]
* [http://www.penniesforpeace.org Pennies for Peace]