Three Cups of Tea

The book Three Cups of Tea is a book about a man who stepped out of his comfort zone into another country and another culture to fulfill his calling by teaching children about equality, acceptance and perserverance through education. When you initially read the title, it doesn't mean anything to you until you dive deeper into the context. After learning what this title, Three Cups of Tea meant, it made me think of how much hard work went into this book and this story. We see how important it is to build relationships and listen to others with a kind humility. Greg Mortenson obviously accomplished this and earned the respect of many people who will never forget what he did for their community.

Does this book do a good job of conveying a culture?
Yes, I believe it does. Mortenson describes everything in such detail that it helps readers to feel a personal connection with him as if they were living the story in the book. It helped me to see what kinds of things go on in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, those things that I thought I knew about but really had no idea. One example that hit me was when he was talking about the children doing arithmetic in the dirt. I thought about how the dirt will eventually wash away and their arithmetic will only be a memory in their minds. A piece of paper or a pen is something we just take for granted but by reading this book, it made me aware of those little things in life that I should appreciate more.

Does the writing engage you? What techniques does the author use?
The writing is very engaging because the author does a wonderful job of allowing you to picture everything that goes on during Mortenson's adventures both at home and in Pakistan. Although this book was wonderful, it is a challenging piece because it's not a book to skim. You have to read each word and sometimes pause to understand what has just been said. The names are difficult to pronounce and sometimes you must read ahead in order to understand a passage completely.

Overall, I thought this book was a written form of a wonderful story. Greg Mortenson will die knowing that he has fulfilled his duty and allowed children of Afghanistan and Pakistan to learn skills that they can build lives upon and cherish forever.