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abbyschmidt42's review against another edition
4.0
The follow up to "3 Cups of Tea" tells about what Greg Mortenson and his organization the Central Asia Institute have been working on since September 11th, 2001. The start to work in Afghanistan as well as continuing to work in Pakistan. It is another moving book about the lengths that he, the CIA, and the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan are willing to go to in order to educate you women (and men) in the region. Very inspiring.
casehouse's review against another edition
3.0
This story was enjoyable, educational, and inspirational, but not quite as much so as Three Cups of Tea.
evilmonkey85's review against another edition
5.0
I've read three cups of tea which i loved and found very interesting where a Mountaineer looses track and ends up in a Village and is shown hospitality as a guest and has this vision to build schools.
Stones Into Schools is an interesting read where Greg goes into Afghanistan a war torn country by the Soviets and Taliban and plans provide education to girls how he over comes the atrocious attacks on students and teacher. Greg mortenson a man on a mission to education children and fight the war with books instead of weapons.
I would recommend this book to anyone but they'll need to read Three Cups of Tea
Stones Into Schools is an interesting read where Greg goes into Afghanistan a war torn country by the Soviets and Taliban and plans provide education to girls how he over comes the atrocious attacks on students and teacher. Greg mortenson a man on a mission to education children and fight the war with books instead of weapons.
I would recommend this book to anyone but they'll need to read Three Cups of Tea
margaret_s_library's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
mattintx's review against another edition
5.0
Highly recommend this book. An account of an organization bringing literacy to some of the most remote places on Earth.
mrsthrift's review against another edition
5.0
I got this audiobook after reading Three Cups of Tea. I didn't exactly Love the first book, but the story is so compelling I came back for more. I feel like this is the book where Greg Mortenson really nails it. The stories of the affected women and children shine through. The NGO's maturation is evident, and I'm glad they worked out their fundraising issues. I love the way the story moves between the demands back in the US, and the pressure, requests and needs from the villages and people of Afghanistan and Pakistan. His personality is still in the story, but he is so busy and distracted by the enormous demands of the work that the important stuff takes center stage. There is more emphasis on the stories of the "dirty dozen," the CAI's staff on the ground in the region, overseeing the projects and doing most of the work. This is a welcome change, and really shifts the story from a "white hero saves the day" to a grassroots collaborative effort by local people.
If I wanted to tell someone to read about the Central Asia Institute's work, I would tell them to skip Three Cups and just read this one. The social, religious, linguistic, economic and ethnic barriers in these countries are enormous. At the heart of this book is a quiet understanding that we are all more alike than we are different, and that working in small, focused ways to make concrete changes in the lives of children is the surest way to really change the world. Triumph of the human spirit. Fight the Taliban with school supplies and moderation.
In the last book, I felt like women's education was sort of an afterthought. The context and priorities for women's education in Afghanistan and Pakistan are much more clear and well-defined in this book. There is more discussion about the lifetime value of women's education - to her, to her family, to her village and ultimately her country. Statistics about lower birth rate, lower maternal mortality and lower infant mortality are reiterated often, really making the case for girls education. The author emphasizes that educating a boy educates an individual, but educating a girl lifts up the whole village. As the Taliban's intense restriction of girls' education rises, the Central Asia Institute's work becomes even more important. They experience opposition, threats, and intimidation, but they keep building schools. They build a line of girls schools right across the most concentrated Taliban region.
One of the weirdest, most intense parts of the story is the way that the author represents the US military conflicts in this region. What a strange and fascinating perspective - a US-based NGO working in those countries before and during the post-9/11 US invasions, and to be friendly with the military and still firmly connected to the local culture and traditions with social networks and relationships.... I was exhausted just thinking about how much they had to balance. The US military was portrayed as a sort of distant ally through the book. Both sides (CAI and US Military) were reluctant to be strongly aligned because it complicates so much of their respective work and alliances. The author mentions multiple times that his book, Three Cups, is assigned reading for military officers being assigned to this region. The CAI's treatment of the military was almost gentle and forgiving, like the military is good people doing important work in the most blundering, embarrassing, ill-informed, poorly-conceived way. The atrocities committed by the US military in this region are too numerous and horrifying to gloss over like this. But the situation is complicated. You need all the allies you can get to get anything done in a land with so many social, political, economic and geographic hurdles.
If I wanted to tell someone to read about the Central Asia Institute's work, I would tell them to skip Three Cups and just read this one. The social, religious, linguistic, economic and ethnic barriers in these countries are enormous. At the heart of this book is a quiet understanding that we are all more alike than we are different, and that working in small, focused ways to make concrete changes in the lives of children is the surest way to really change the world. Triumph of the human spirit. Fight the Taliban with school supplies and moderation.
In the last book, I felt like women's education was sort of an afterthought. The context and priorities for women's education in Afghanistan and Pakistan are much more clear and well-defined in this book. There is more discussion about the lifetime value of women's education - to her, to her family, to her village and ultimately her country. Statistics about lower birth rate, lower maternal mortality and lower infant mortality are reiterated often, really making the case for girls education. The author emphasizes that educating a boy educates an individual, but educating a girl lifts up the whole village. As the Taliban's intense restriction of girls' education rises, the Central Asia Institute's work becomes even more important. They experience opposition, threats, and intimidation, but they keep building schools. They build a line of girls schools right across the most concentrated Taliban region.
One of the weirdest, most intense parts of the story is the way that the author represents the US military conflicts in this region. What a strange and fascinating perspective - a US-based NGO working in those countries before and during the post-9/11 US invasions, and to be friendly with the military and still firmly connected to the local culture and traditions with social networks and relationships.... I was exhausted just thinking about how much they had to balance. The US military was portrayed as a sort of distant ally through the book. Both sides (CAI and US Military) were reluctant to be strongly aligned because it complicates so much of their respective work and alliances. The author mentions multiple times that his book, Three Cups, is assigned reading for military officers being assigned to this region. The CAI's treatment of the military was almost gentle and forgiving, like the military is good people doing important work in the most blundering, embarrassing, ill-informed, poorly-conceived way. The atrocities committed by the US military in this region are too numerous and horrifying to gloss over like this. But the situation is complicated. You need all the allies you can get to get anything done in a land with so many social, political, economic and geographic hurdles.
elusivesue's review against another edition
4.0
I wish _this_ would be how people deal with those in the Muslim world instead of thinking of burning things and causing more possibilities of violence.
booksandbecoming's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent-I thought this was even better than Mortenson's first book, Three Cups of Tea. All about Mortenson's -- and the other staff of his NGO's --efforts to build schools for girls/young women in rural Afghanistan -- and later, the effects of the earthquake that struck Pakistan, and their efforts to build earthquake-proof schools there. Very engaging, filled with great anecdotes about the people and communities they worked with.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘We must turn these stones into schools.’
This book recounts Greg Mortenson’s ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005. I’ve not yet read ‘Three Cups of Tea’, so can’t compare the two.
This book is part vision: promoting peace through education and literacy; part cultural adventure: the realities of life in Afghanistan; and part collection of stories of those most involved in making a difference through their efforts in this troubled region. It is hard not to be inspired by the achievements of Mr Mortenson and his ‘Dirty Dozen’: they believe in what they are doing and work very hard to anticipate and to overcome obstacles to success. The logistical challenges of building schools in such remote regions are clearly explained, as is the determination of those who want the schools seeing them as a step to a far brighter future. I especially like the way Mr Mortenson and his team describe working with people at a local level rather than imposing externally developed solutions on them.
But what does the future hold? Education and literacy are means to an end rather than an end in themselves. Certainly, those who are educated now can educate others. But for how long, and what will happen then? At some stage, there will need to be a new phase in this story. And, hopefully, it will be a phase that can be led from within.
Perhaps, though, the real value of Mr Mortenson’s book is to provide a view of Afghanistan which is not entirely constrained by politics and war. Yes, we – individually and collectively - can make a difference.
‘When you take the time to actually listen, with humility to what people have to say, it’s amazing what you can learn.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This book recounts Greg Mortenson’s ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005. I’ve not yet read ‘Three Cups of Tea’, so can’t compare the two.
This book is part vision: promoting peace through education and literacy; part cultural adventure: the realities of life in Afghanistan; and part collection of stories of those most involved in making a difference through their efforts in this troubled region. It is hard not to be inspired by the achievements of Mr Mortenson and his ‘Dirty Dozen’: they believe in what they are doing and work very hard to anticipate and to overcome obstacles to success. The logistical challenges of building schools in such remote regions are clearly explained, as is the determination of those who want the schools seeing them as a step to a far brighter future. I especially like the way Mr Mortenson and his team describe working with people at a local level rather than imposing externally developed solutions on them.
But what does the future hold? Education and literacy are means to an end rather than an end in themselves. Certainly, those who are educated now can educate others. But for how long, and what will happen then? At some stage, there will need to be a new phase in this story. And, hopefully, it will be a phase that can be led from within.
Perhaps, though, the real value of Mr Mortenson’s book is to provide a view of Afghanistan which is not entirely constrained by politics and war. Yes, we – individually and collectively - can make a difference.
‘When you take the time to actually listen, with humility to what people have to say, it’s amazing what you can learn.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
cpeterson164's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. Couldn't quite finish Three Cups of Tea (a few too many descriptions of logistical issues), and I have to admit I started this book in the middle to avoid the same issue, but the accomplishments of Greg Mortenson and his team are amazing. His story is moving and empowering and tells us that we can take actions to improve the most hopeless parts of the world. I'd like to see everyone read this book.