ThreeCupsofTea.doc

评论：An unlikely diplomat scores points for America in a corner of the world hostile to all things Americanand not without reason. Mortenson first came to Pakistan to climb K2, the worlds second-tallest peak, seeking to honor his deceased sister by leaving a necklace of hers atop the summit. The attempt failed, and Mortenson, emaciated and exhausted, was taken in by villagers below and nursed back to health. He vowed to build a school in exchange for their kindness, a goal that would come to seem as insurmountable as the mountain, thanks to corrupt officials and hostility on the part of some locals. Yet, writes Parade magazine contributor Relin, Mortenson had reserves of stubbornness, patience and charm, and, nearly penniless himself, was able to piece together dollars enough to do the job; remarks one donor after writing a hefty check, You know, some of my ex-wives could spend more than that in a weekend, adding the proviso that Mortenson build the school as quickly as possible, since said donor wasnt getting any younger. Just as he had caught the mountaineering bug, Mortenson discovered that he had a knack for building schools and making friends in the glacial heights of Karakoram and the remote deserts of Waziristan; under the auspices of the Central Asia Institute, he has built some 55 schools in places whose leaders had long memories of unfulfilled American promises of such help in exchange for their services during the war against Russia in Afghanistan. Comments Mortenson to Relin, who is a clear and enthusiastic champion of his subject, We had no problem flying in bags of cash to pay the warlords to fight against the Taliban. I wondered why we couldnt do the same thing to build roads, and sewers, and schools. Answering by delivering what his country will not, Mortenson is fighting the war on terror the way I think it should be conducted, Relin writes. This inspiring, adventure-filled book makes that case admirably.读后感：When I started Three Cups of Tea, I had not heard of Greg Mortenson. I assumed he was some rich guy who had the resources to do anything he wanted. Then I learned Mortenson had worked hard to get through college and had done everything he could to spend time with his sister, Christa, to give her a better life prior to her death. Mortensons missionary parents were born in Minnesota, but he was raised in Tanzania with his siblings because they were building a school at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. While there, Christa contracted acute meningitis, from which she never fully recovered, and she became epileptic. On her twenty-third birthday their mother was taking her to the “Field of Dreams” cornfield, because that was her favorite movie, but en route Christa died of a massive seizure. In remembrance of his sister, Mortenson attempted to climb K2, the worlds second highest mountain, located in Pakistans Karakoram Mountains, to leave Christas necklace at the summit. Fortunately for many of the villagers of Central Asia, he lost his way not once but twice, which took him on a path that would change tens of thousands of lives. The villagers offered luxuries to Mortenson that they themselves could not afford in their daily lives. Mortenson was amazed by how these children tried to teach themselves using a stick in the dirt, because their parents couldnt afford the dollar-a-day teacher salary. Their fierce determination reminded him of Christa, and he promised to build them a school. After returning home, Mortenson began writing letters on a rented typewriter asking for money to build a school in Korphe. One day the copy shop he frequented was closed, so he went to another and it turned out the owner was from Pakistan. He taught Mortenson to use a computer, which made it much faster to complete the 580 letters. Unfortunately, the replies were not promising. Mortensons luck changed when a doctor he worked with gave him Jean Hoernis number. Hoerni was an older man who had been a mountain climber. He gave Mortenson $12,000 to build the first school, then donated money to his Central Asia Institute. Mortenson sold all his possessions and made the long trip back to Korphe. He even slept in his car so as not to waste any money he could use to build the school. The villagers were thrilled to see “Dr. Greg,” as they called him, because he had a first-aid kit and gave them badly needed medical attention. Although he told them he was only a nurse, they persisted in calling him Dr. Greg. He learned that many climbers had promised to return and help, but he was the first who had actually done it.Mortensons determination to help the people of Central Asia is remarkable, especially after he was held hostage by the Taliban. Some of these Taliban fighters have since rejected violence and now work with him to build schools for the female population they once oppressed. Mortenson realizes that the best way to fight terrorism is by educating those who would otherwise be recruited by the Taliban.The one school Mortenson vowed to build has become 55 schools. If anyone ever deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize, its Dr. Greg. Please go to for information on purchasing this book (proceeds go to the schools) or to make a donation to advance education in Central Asia. References：1、Paperback Nonfiction Bestsellers, The New York Times, March 16, 2008. 2、Mortenson Campaigned to Build Schools in Asia, ABC News, March 8, 2006. 3、Worldview: The lesson jihads fear most In the remote reaches of Pakistan, former mountain climber Greg Mortenson is besting extremists by building schools, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 13, 2008. 4、Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Penguin Books, NY, 2006, p. 150. 5、Schools for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Halicks, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, April 16, 2006. 6、Fresh Air, with Terry Gross, National Publ