Publisher : Imprint unknown
Publication Date : 2009 12
>> Riveting Inspiring and Fair
I knew before finishing Three Cups of Tea that I wanted to read the sequel Stones into Schools is even more wonderful For one thing Mortenson has found better help with the writing so the story is crafted in a riveting compelling fashion
Most of all though the story itself is riveting and compelling While autobiography was a necessary and interesting part of the first book this one is more about the work of the Central Asia Institute than about Mortenson himself In an inversion of the usual approach taken in books about institutions here the pyramid of emphasis gives the most prominence to the people at the bottom of the organizational structure Perhaps the greatest strength of the Central Asia Institute is the extent to which the principle of subsidiarity is honored the work is handled at the lowest competent level which means most of it is in the hands of the Afghanis and Pakistanis themselves The Americans handle the overall organization and fundraising at which it must be admitted we are much better than at dealing with the intricacies of getting things done in a culture that is completely foreign to us
The Russian invasion of Afghanistan the rise and fall and rise of the Taliban the devastating earthquake in Kashmir the tensions and war between India and Pakistan the unselfish goodness and the tragic pig headed stupidity of American intervention see these from the inside and never look at a map of that part of the world in the same way again Learn what unbelievable sacrifices the backwoods tribal peoples will make to gain an education for their daughters and how much they appreciate schooling for their sons that does not include militant Taliban backed Saudi funded extremist indoctrination
What pleases me most about Stones into Schools is the clear fairness of it all In the acknowledgments section there are as many D s after the politicians names as there are R s Mortenson excoriates and praises American policy with an even hand according to the results he sees And while he is careful never to take any funding from the U S government for fear of jeopardizing the credibility of his organization he is happy to work with the military to promote peace and understanding
Prior to those meetings with military personal from service academies to high level officials my judgment of the American military s conduct in Afghanistan was harsh and rather uncompromising and even after these encounters I still have my objections Between June and November 2006 for example the U S Air Force dropped roughly 987 bombs on Afghanistan The resulting civilian casualties generated deep revulsion among the Afghan people
Nevertheless as I experienced the equivalent of sharing three cups of tea with the U S military my perspective began to change In a way each side had something to teach the other and we both wound up emerging wiser and enriched by the encounter In the end I also came away with the conclusion that the military is probably doing a better job than any other institution in the United States government including the State Department Congress and the White House of developing a meaningful understanding of the complex dynamics on the ground in Pakistan and Afghanistan
The progress that the military has made began under President Bush and continues under President Obama The Central Asia Institute s supporters are as red as they are blue They are school children collecting Pennies for Peace and high ranking military leaders Is there something here that can unite our sorely divided country
I often recommend books but I rarely say everyone should read this book
Everyone should read this book
Most of all every American should read Stones into Schools
>> Greg Mortenson even better
Stones for Schools once again illustrates how one person can make a difference Greg Mortenson s storytelling craft has improved and this was definitely a great read a great story inspirational
>> Building
Greg Mortenson s follow up to his inspirational best selling Three Cups of Tea is titled Stones into Schools Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs in Afghanistan and Pakistan This book builds on the last one and conveys the huge impact that a single school can have on a community and a region Along the way readers are introduced to the lives of people who live different external lives from most Americans but who share the same dreams for our children and our communities The importance of the education of women in Afghanistan and Pakistan can t be overstated and Mortenson s work and this description of it make the case clearly
Rating Three star Recommended
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