Three Cups of Tea

After I finished my beloved Diana Gabaldon series - for now at least, (the 7th book comes out next spring!!!) I seriously went into mourning, and could not bring myself to pick up a book for a few days. Nothing was going to be able to take the place of Outlander in my Literary heart. I knew that the next book I would read would have to be totally different because I would constantly compare otherwise. I found the perfect book to trail "A Breath of Snow and Ashes" in the true story of "Three Cups of Tea".

This book combines mountaineering, humanitarianism and education in the story of Greg Mortesen and his passion to bring an unbiased education to impoverished children of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He fights terrorism from the very core of where it begins. Because the governments of these countries cannot provide rural villages with adequate schooling, the only options for an "education" are the extremist Madrases - schools that teach a fanatical form of Islam, which is by its nature a peaceful religion.

The book begins with Greg's failed attempt to summit K2, and follows him through his many sacrifices, failures and victories as he seeks to unselfishly help children half a world away that have been forgotten and ignored by the civilized world.

This book is a true inspiration.