A story about what a lot of heart can accomplish with a little money... and how the results increase exponentially the more money you add to that equation. The most valuable thing I gleaned from Mortenson's tale was the way he bridged the gap of so many cultures and languages, to give people what THEY really wanted and not what some irrelevant government or charity decided they should want. I am grateful to Greg for representing America so much better than most of our presidents and other political/military leaders (not to mention the invasive multi-national corporations like McDonald's) manage to.

The book itself does drag a bit, I agree. The writer is clearly not the best in the business. He's a biographer attempting to be a poet, and he doesn't quite pull it off--way too much flowery detail that gets in the way of the story. But it's done well enough that I could get into it after the first few tortuous chapters. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about America's "War on Terror" and why it's not working. ( )

For being a person that does not read much non-fiction because I just don't usually enjoy it, I will tell you that this book gripped my heart and I'm sure it has earned a place in my memory as one of the most important books that I have ever read. I know there are many missionaries and organizations out there trying to help people in war-tattered and underdeveloped countries, but Mortenson's personal mission seemed to me to be the most unselfish and heartfelt account that I have heard in quite a long time.

It was purely accidental when Mortenson luckily stumbled into the Korphe village in Pakistan. Exhausted from physical exertion, the people in this village nursed Mortenson back to health. When he finally awakens from his slumber and starts to spend some time getting to know the villagers he learns that the children come last as far as governmental spending goes. His heart breaks from the knowledge that the children in this village will never have the opportunity of an education that is so easily given in America. This starts the beginning of his mission as he promises the Korphe leader, and his new friend, Haji Ali, that he will return to this village to build a school.

Mortenson didn't come from a family blessed with unlimited amounts of money and he worked very hard as a nurse to earn his way. He returned to the United States so he could work as much as possible to save money for the Korphe school. He lived in such a frugal manner that he even slept in his car some evenings. He found himself feeling guilty if he were to spend any of his money on himself rather than saving it for the school. Even after saving every penny that he is able to earn, he accepts the fact that it will just take too long for him to earn enough money to buy the materials for the school, so he starts to solicit funds from outside organizations. From his efforts he is able to share his vision with a few individuals that also see the importance of his cause so he is able to return to Pakistan sooner than he had originally expected.

The roadblocks that Mortenson endured along the way could have easily swayed the average person. I can only imagine how he felt when he returned to Korphe with the ability to build the school, only to learn that before they build the school they have to erect a bridge! I could feel his frustrations when he learned of this, knowing that his project was going to be postponed for probably a year. But he seemed to collect his emotions and resolve the matter by figuring out what they needed to do to build a bridge.

We learn a lot about the Balti culture and traditions from Mortenson's experience. Just conducting normal business was so different from the quick customer service that we receive here in the United States. Haji Ali taught him that it is just as important to build relationships as trying to accomplish daily tasks.

Once Mortenson was able to embrace this slow paced way of life, his efforts in the area thrived. Village leaders seeked out Mortenson hoping that he would want to build a school in their villages. Mortenson made it quite clear to the Pakistanis that he wasn't looking to change their way of life, but only provide the children with a balanced education.

Mortenson was building a school in Pakistan when the attack on the Twin Towers took place on 9/11. I can only imagine the danger he was in by being an American citizen in that land, but he had built strong relationships with people that were willing to put their lives on the line to protect him if necessary. Mortenson made a trip to Capitol Hill shortly after 9/11 to share the work that he has been doing and what he had learned about terrorism. Here is an excerpt from page 292 about what he shared with a congressman:
"I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death."

I think I could probably go on about this book all day long, as it really touched my heart in a way that I can't explain. Mortenson's work continues as he heads the Central Asia Institute that helps to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This story brought tears to my eyes as I think of how Morteson put his life on the line to help these children.

I read this book with my book club and we all were very inspired by it and I would definitely suggest this book for other book groups. We have been trying to think of a way that we might be able to help Mortenson with his mission so I will be sure to post an update once we make a final decision on that. I will end this review by saying this is the first non-fiction book that I have absolutely loved and I also want to thank Mr. Mortenson for his continuing and selfless work that he does for these children! ( )

Reviewed by Mr. Kome ( )

A beautiful story of one man's journey to bring education to young women and girls in Afghanistan. Through his own personal journey, the dedication to this cause saves him from a life without purpose. ( )

My 5 stars is more for the content: the compelling life story of Greg Mortensen and not so much for the writing of the book. I read some reviews that some readers didn't finish the book because of the writing didn't keep them stay with the book long enough to get hooked. But I encourage everyone who pick up the book to stick with it because this is one of those life changing book (or more attitude changing). Unbelievable story of Greg Mortenson's life building one school at a time at Pakistan and Afghanistan. As his website describe "the book that changed the way people think about changing the world: Peace Through Education" and I am completely persuaded by the book. Mortenson's co-founded organization, Central Asia Institute will be my destined charity for life. ( )