ThreeCupsOfTeaByGregMortensonAndDavidOliverRelin

 

Introduction/Definition/etc Body Conclusion Discussion Page History Page Statistics Page Views:  since creating on 20110820

 

Introduction/Definition/etc

 

SPOILING, this book review, description, or impressions,

give a little about the book I normally would not be reading,

but bought it to increase my bill, to hopefully get free shipping,

but online, it was from so many different sources, that

it probably didn't save me anything, though browsing like

in a brick and mortar store, mishaps do happen...

 

Someone I randomly encountered liked this book, and I,

having run out of money following Autreat2011 ,

could relate to the starving climber bum part,

he lived in his car, saving money while working odd shifts

as an ER nurse to go back and keep his promise,

to build a school, with donations, mostly a Silicon Valley

pioneer climber, one of the few climbers who

visiting the area to climb, actually kept his word,

and then got an alpine society to help fund schools

in the area...

 

 

Body

 

Subtitled "One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations... One School at a Time"

published back in 2006 chronicles  the life of Greg Mortenson,

who grew up in Africa while his Lutheran missionary father, a football guy,

and mother, who ended up earning a Ph.D. in education.  His father building

a hospital and other facilities in remote Africa when he was a child

 

Greg is a former military man, who joined for schooling as college wasn't

in his family's gifts to give, he served briefly, trained then worked as a medic,

but one tour of Germany was enough, taking his leave and jumping on flights to

explore Europe, and upon honorable discharge schooling but ending up a nurse,

male nurse, but not gay, started medical school but with family health issues,

his father's cancer, and his sister's multiple issues including epilepsy,

and a neurological disorder from childhood, likely a vaccine, then his mother dying,

he got back to the travel bug, and turned to becoming a rock climbing bum,

going to climb K2, the second highest mountain in the world, besides Everest,

though named K2 as the second bill mountain discovered in order,

in a remote area of Pakistan, almost dying himself on the K2 attempt,

probably dealing with his sister and other family losses,

he had taken his sister's locket to leave on the summit...

 

Well, he took a wrong turn on descent and ended up in the remote,

unknown, unmapped village of Korphe (sp?) up in the Northern area,

up river, glacial runoff, and extreme weather and poverty...

 

A good read, but written by the coauthor, with only

two sentence quotes and filling in the background with sometimes

florid language describing the mountain peaks, and situations,

the man eventually got himself into...

 

In 338 pages, with two segments of glossy photos but no index,

this non fiction, is believable/ plausible, though surreal at the same time...

 

Some mention of a Nobel Prize, and going to Mother Terresa's funeral,

meeting a Shah, and other adventures, circumstance alone

might really be the answer, but his wife Tara thinks he's a different

species, from us, mere homosapiens...

 

Detained by what might have later become terrorists,

and then interrogated by the US Embassy,

trying to get his passport back,

a border guard tore out, invalidating it,

claiming it was his second passport, go get the first,

or similar, after 9/11, he was well on the ground forming

schools, a promise he made to the village that saved him,

nursed him back to health, the guide he didn't follow correctly

becoming a lifelong friend, townspeople his new goal in life,

making schools for underdogs, like his sister, the late disabled one,

he largely cared for, taking her places, and eventually

falling off a mountain, while she died, some mystical connection

alluded to, and further coincidences, by the main character

or the story teller, maybe he is a modern hero,

making 20+ schools, creating a non profit, starting with

580 letter fundraising campaign, becoming easier when

he stops using the IBM Selectric typewriter and

learns to use a computer, at copy shops,

one closing and the Pakistani owner of another

helping him learn to use a Mac with cut and paste

features dramatically improving his productivity...

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Summary of experience or similar

 

I'd not really wanted to get into antiterrorism,

but the poverty and remoteness reminded me of

the Appalacia and rual electrification some late relatives

may have worked on building back in the Citizen Conservation

Corps days, of the not so Great Depression Era in the USA,

pre terrorism, but three cups of tea, is the protocol

for being welcomed into some cultures.  First you are a stranger,

Second you are a guest, Third you are family..

 

And he was adopted, figuratively and fairly literally,

losing his father, he died at about my age

and his other family, taking on cultures like he was as

a kid, living in Africa, after being born in the States...

 

 

Discussion

 

A place for feedback on the page presented

 

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20110820 Jerry

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