Three Cups of Tea is a New York Times bestseller published by Penguin Group in 2006. Alongside co-author David Oliver Relin, Greg Mortenson describes the events in his life that led him to devote himself to fighting for poverty relief and education in Afghanistan and Pakistan. After an unsuccessful attempt at climbing K2 in Pakistan, the world’s second highest mountain, local villagers rescued and cared for Mortenson. In return, he promised to build a school for the village. The book details the long and arduous process Mortenson faced in securing financing and squaring off against the Taliban in his attempt to bring education to young girls in the region.
MAGGIE HEYDUK from Ballwin, Mo., College of Arts and Sciences: “What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Greg Mortenson epitomizes this quote from Mother Teresa with his humanitarian efforts chronicled in Three Cups of Tea. Though not written in the most poetic fashion, the plot line engages the reader right from the start. At times, the book seems to lose its grasp on the reader with long drawn anecdotes, but, through its powerful messages and overall call for self-empowement, Three Cups of Tea delivers a compelling story of one ordinary man’s effort to change the world and his incredible effect over a foreign nation.
LILA WAHIDI from Creve Coeur, Mo., College of Arts and Sciences: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin’s Three Cups of Tea is a great model of selfless service. Mortenson exemplifies the Jesuit Mission by dedicating his life to providing educational opportunities for Pakistani children. He says that education is the key to achieving global peace, for education guarantees a stable future and reduces the need for violence. In addition, his determination to overcome challenges demonstrates that failure is essential for personal growth. We must view our struggles as a source for self-improvement. Three Cups of Tea was well worth reading.
CHADD MATHIS from De Soto, Texas, College of Arts and Sciences: I actually looked forward to reading Three Cups of Tea as a way to end the complacency I had drifted into during the break. But, the further I read, the more disinterested I became in David Oliver Relin’s awkward and forced writing. Relin chooses to portray Greg Mortenson’s journey from a third-person point of view, transforming this compelling story into a long, lackluster and impersonal list. How can an audience member relate and sympathize with your efforts when he or she has to sift through one run-on sentence after another? Mortenson’s tireless devotion to his mission deserves to be told. Too bad it was Relin who had to tell it.
