Book Review: Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into School

Last weeks I read two wonderful and amazing books, "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones into Schools."  (A huge thanks to Jenny for the recommendation!)  The first book, "Three Cups of Tea" started auspiciously, with a description of the author's attempt to climb K2, the second highest mountains in the world.  I figured any book that included mountain climbing must be worth reading.

After getting lost coming down K2 the author wanders into a remote village in Pakistan, where he is cared for and nursed back to health.  As he is convalescing he notices that each day the children of the village gather and sit outside, scratching in the dirt with sticks.  He is told that they have no school, and have a teacher only a few days every week, so on the other days the children sit and practice their schoolwork in the dirt.  When he left the village, he promised that he would return to build them a school.

The rest of the book tells of his incredible change from mountain climbing bum to full time philanthropist, building relationships and working with people in the remotest parts of the world to build schools.  The second book tells of his expansion into the remote areas of Afghanistan, and is equally compelling.

I can't imagine being this man, who has ended up devoting his life to the cause of providing education to the children of these countries.  And I think we will have to donate to his cause...