Book recommendations

“I am reading "Running with Scissors" at the moment. It is totally fascinating. It's piteously sad and funny at the same time. Definitely not one for the kiddies to read.”

“Read "Who Moved my Cheese"”

“shhhhhh, don't say cheese when spirit coyote is around!”

“I've just about read the book "three cups of tea." We all should read it and realize here is a way to change the world, with small schools in Pakistan's frontier country.

In THREE CUPS OF TEA: One Man’s Mission to Promote . . . One School at a Time (Viking/On-sale date: March 6, 2006) Greg Mortenson, and acclaimed journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the unlikely journey that led Mortenson from a failed attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully building schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to fight terrorism with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote villages in central Asia. THREE CUPS OF TEA is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.



In 1993 Mortenson was descending from his failed attempt to reach the peak of K2. Exhausted and disoriented, he wandered away from his group into the most desolate reaches of northern Pakistan. Alone, without food, water, or shelter he eventually stumbled into an impoverished Pakistani village where he was nursed back to health.



While recovering he observed the village’s 84 children sitting outdoors, scratching their lessons in the dirt with sticks. The village was so poor that it could not afford the $1-a-day salary to hire a teacher. When he left the village, he promised that he would return to build them a school.


From that rash, heartfelt promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time: Greg Mortenson’s one-man mission to counteract extremism and terrorism by building schools—especially for girls—throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.



Mortenson had no reason to believe he could fulfill his promise. In an early effort to raise money he wrote letters to 580 celebrities, businessmen, and other prominent Americans. His only reply was a $100 check from NBC’s Tom Brokaw. Selling everything he owned, he still only raised $2,000. But his luck began to change when a group of elementary school children in River Falls, Wisconsin, donated $623 in pennies, thereby inspiring adults to take his cause more seriously. Twelve years later he’s built fifty-five schools.



Mortenson and award-winning journalist David Oliver Relin have written a spellbinding account of his incredible accomplishments in a region where Americans are feared and hated. In pursuit of his goal, Mortenson has survived an armed kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, repeated death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. Yet his success speaks for itself. This year the schools will educate 24,000 children.”

“What a coincidence! I just bought that book today, IdahoBob. Along with Wuthering Heights and a Madeleine Peyroux CD.”

“idaho bob, I heard a review of that book and an interview with the author, sounds very interesting. I have been reading quite a bit about that region, I'll have to check it out.”

“If you liked the Bourne Ultimatum, try some of the W.E.B. Griffin books, notably the Presidential Agent series. I guarantee you can't put them down. When a new Griffin book comes out, I normally plan a camping trip, sit out with a case of beer and a fifth of scotch and read my way through it. I also usually read them over several times. Excellent reads for a vacation. I'm not as fond of his Secret Agent series or the Police series, but I've read all the rest many times. Another group of page turners is the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. A private eye who is also a wizard....”

“I've read most of griffins stuff, but haven't heard of teh presendential agent ones. I haven't read the cop ones either. But the rest are awesome”

“Four books in the series so far. The hero is a Special Forces Major who works directly for the President, putting out fires for him. Much of it takes place in Argentina, where Griffin lives. Well worth the read. No pictures, unfortunately, Hyway!”

“A new series by griffin, cool. I have read all the books of his in the following series, all very good.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF WAR is the first of the Griffin series. Its epic nine novels span the period from World War II to Vietnam, capturing all the drama and challenge of Army life.

THE CORPS series covers the fighting men of the U.S. Marine Corps from World War II to Korea.

The MEN AT WAR series follows the secret agents in Colonel William "Wild Bill" Donovan's Office of Strategic Services during World War II.

The World War II series HONOR BOUND follows OSS agents sent to neutral Argentina to secretly undermine German operations there.

Of all of those Honor Bound is probably my least favorite, but I still enjoyed them. Griffen is a very strong writer and completely understands the military (or at least the officers). Some really great dialogue in his books.”

“I read the Brotherhood of War series when I was in the Army. I can't remember where I left them though. I think I just left them in the barracks when I ETS'd.
I wouldn't mind reading them again.”

“The Character who starts as Lt. Craig Lowell is a great character to follow through the books.”

“Ruby and Birch, you will like the book. Its kind of scary and also hopeful. He has built 55 schools, and has the support of the local mullahs and the whole religious establishment in that part of the world.”

“Thanks, IB. I am adding that to my list of books to read.”

“IB, that seems to be a common set of themes in that region, fear and hope and how they work with and against one another. Somethings are so amazingly optomistic others terrifying. I look forward to reading it.”