In Pakistan and Afghanistan, drinking a cup of tea with someone is more than a casual encounter. With the first cup of tea, you are a stranger. During the second cup of tea, you become a friend. After the third cup of tea, you join the family. As quoted in Three Cups of Tea, Haji Ali, the Korphe Village Chief in the Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan, said, “… for our family we are prepared to do anything -even die.” Written by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin,Three Cups of Tea is an uplifting story about one man’s remarkable perseverance that led to astonishing changes.

Mortensen’s attempt to climb K2 (the world’s second largest mountain) in memory of his sister fails. On his descent, he arrives in a village, Korphe. The welcome of the people of the village touches him so much that he decides to build a school for the village. This, of course, is not as easy as it sounds. School for women was forbidden in Pakistan under the rule of the Taliban. Today, the literacy rate among the adults is a shocking 50%. (Literacy is defined as being able to read at the elementary school level.) In the story of becoming a humanitarian from a mountaineer, Mortenson is described as “a real-life Indiana Jones”. In his quest to make a difference, his adventure encourages him to build not one school, but seventy-eight.

This book is wonderfully written. Consequently, it topped the New York Times’ bestsellers list and has been on the list since its release in January 2007. My mother recommended the book to me, and in turn, I recommend it to you, knowing that you will enjoy it and recommend it to others. It is a fabulous story that should be shared with everyone.