Cultural Books

Greg Mortenson is an American who was raised by missionary parents in Tanzania. These parents left a legacy in Africa of one of the best hospitals led by African Doctors and a leading international school. They also modeled to a cross-cultural son about aiming high. Greg became a nurse who loved mountain climbing, dreaming of one day also conquering K2.

This is the story of his near fatal attempt to climb that mountain. The failure led him on another journey: to a very poor village in the Karakoram mountains and to the conservative Muslim tribal worlds of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Greg, emaciated and exhausted from his failed attempt, is taken in by a local family and nursed back to health. During his recuperation, he hears of some of their dreams for their village and makes a promise to return to build a school for their girls.

The name of the book derives from what a local village chief said, "Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan) we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger; the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything--even die."

Greg is thrown into another cross-cultural world that is far different from his world in Africa. It is a world of tribal chiefs, imams, the poor trying to survive in incredible circumstances and the impact of poverty upon the lives of children. These people wonder why an American would make a promise that looked so impossible to keep and how this turned into Greg's destiny.

'Three Cups of Tea' is a story of wisdom learned from the local culture over the centuries. It is seeing the practical difference that education makes in the lives of poor villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan one school at a time. It is a story of deep, lasting cross-cultural friendships in a world that has been defined by its geo-political and religious divides. Read it and weep......Read it and get involved.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ! It makes you want to get up and make the world a better place!!! It is amazing how many lives Greg Mortensen has changed for the better. You are missing out if you do not read this book! Please pass it along to others~!

What a tragedy that such an important, enlightening, and inspiring story was written so poorly. I actually didn't get past page 15 because I just couldn't stand the run-on sentences any more. Everyone in my book club loved the book but for me, the way a book is written is just as important as the story itself, and when I have to stumble over every other sentence because it's so awkward, it ruins the experience for me.

Three Cups of Tea is an inspiration beyond measure. Great story filled with determination -- I highly recommend this book for everyone. To help make a difference and spread the word, I bought 4 copies on Amazon to give as birthday gifts to my friends and family. PS

I was so excited to read this story and thoroughly enjoyed the first 175 pages, but then it seemed to lose its focus and ramble on. The story itself is a good one, but it quickly becomes lost in "thick" writing. The author overuses adjectives and description to such an extent, his real point is often lost. He also has a knack for going into way to much detail about every little person who comes across the story. IT IS SO UNFOCUSED! The second hand view of the story is also strange, as we never get into Greg's head. The beginning of the book focuses on his struggle to build a school in Korphe, but then it is all over so quickly. We never find out his emotions or about the students. It's all very strange. I thought "ummm did I miss a chapter or something?" It just rattles on to talk about other adventures and people, having nothing to do with this school or, at some points, even Greg himself. I wondered where the editor was on this project. Yikes! What a mess! As a teacher, I was expecting to read a story that got more to the heart of this amazing man and the girls he helped to educate, but what I got was a circuatous description of small meaningless details that swallowed the real story.

I am a young person trying to break into the field coaching. I currently work for a division one program and some times I get discouraged. Coaching is a difficult profession to break into and some times my life gets discouraging. My father got me this book and told me to read it. It was after a particularly bad week that I decided to read this book and it lifted my spirits. Coach Dungy has the right idea in a profession full of wrong ones. Knowing people like him have made it gives me strength to keep going.

Tony has a great testimony! Makes a great gift or a great read, football fan or not!

Whether you are a parent, a coach or both this book is absolutely captivating. I have been reading it with our 12 year old son and found myself reading ahead after he went to bed. Tony Dungy is an inspiring man of God and his wisdom and experience will certainly give adults and young readers a new perspective on life.

I am in the process of purchasing other copies of the book to give to clients and friends. It is a great story and is the best book I have read in years!

Brett Morey
Brentwood, CA

Tony Dungy's autobiography, "Quiet Strength" is a terrific book that contains a message that should appeal to any reader (not just football fans). Dungy speaks of leadership without intimidation, confidence through religious conviction and success through perseverance. The book has a religious tone, but Dungy gets his point across without being preachy. He draws from a stable upbringing by his parents and shares his thoughts about life, football, parenting, dealing with adversity, and being a man.

There's a lot of football references so football fans and those who have followed Dungy's playing and coaching career will certainly enjoy "Quiet Strength". The book should play well in Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Indy because so much of the book deals with Dungy's career as an NFL football coach.

The book is a testament about doing things "right" and treating people with respect in order to gain the same in return. And...as evidenced by the 2007 Super Bowl, nice guys CAN finish first!

Tony tells his story through out the book just like any other biography, but what stands out is what a great coach he is, great father and familyman and great person.
This was a great book. Fast read.

I am a young person trying to break into the field coaching. I currently work for a division one program and some times I get discouraged. Coaching is a difficult profession to break into and some times my life gets discouraging. My father got me this book and told me to read it. It was after a particularly bad week that I decided to read this book and it lifted my spirits. Coach Dungy has the right idea in a profession full of wrong ones. Knowing people like him have made it gives me strength to keep going.

Tony has a great testimony! Makes a great gift or a great read, football fan or not!

Whether you are a parent, a coach or both this book is absolutely captivating. I have been reading it with our 12 year old son and found myself reading ahead after he went to bed. Tony Dungy is an inspiring man of God and his wisdom and experience will certainly give adults and young readers a new perspective on life.

I am in the process of purchasing other copies of the book to give to clients and friends. It is a great story and is the best book I have read in years!

Brett Morey
Brentwood, CA

Tony Dungy's autobiography, "Quiet Strength" is a terrific book that contains a message that should appeal to any reader (not just football fans). Dungy speaks of leadership without intimidation, confidence through religious conviction and success through perseverance. The book has a religious tone, but Dungy gets his point across without being preachy. He draws from a stable upbringing by his parents and shares his thoughts about life, football, parenting, dealing with adversity, and being a man.

There's a lot of football references so football fans and those who have followed Dungy's playing and coaching career will certainly enjoy "Quiet Strength". The book should play well in Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Indy because so much of the book deals with Dungy's career as an NFL football coach.

The book is a testament about doing things "right" and treating people with respect in order to gain the same in return. And...as evidenced by the 2007 Super Bowl, nice guys CAN finish first!

Tony tells his story through out the book just like any other biography, but what stands out is what a great coach he is, great father and familyman and great person.
This was a great book. Fast read.

Fantastic book, I recommend it to many of my students at work. I cried and cried at the end. We certainly have no idea in our cosy 2007 world. A brave, graphic and well written book.

She was one in thirty five that returned...Originally, five hundred left. Into the ghetto then into cattle cars, off to fend for their lives. Thirteen year old Elli (later, changing her name to Livia. Yes, this is a true story!) was one of many young, Jewish, innocent, Holocaust victims. Elli and her family lived a comfortable life. They owned a local gocerey store, they were successful and had many close friends and family...that is, until Germany took over. In March 1944, the Nazis invaded Hungary. Privledges were taken away slowly but surely, no more school, giving up prized possessions and their store, having to wear yellow stars. What was this? No one knew. SUddenly, Elli finds that all will be lost. Elli's family is moved into a crowded ghetto, and they lose all the privledges and possessions that they hadn't already lose. It took everything they had to survive, yet little did they know, this was only the beginning. Soon, they were put on cattle cars. Ellie's family was spilt up among concentration camps; although, Ellie and her mother managed to stay together and survive some of the harshest punishments the Nazis dished out. This is a remarkable memoir of a teenage girl who no doubt had, lived a thousand years, she had no chouce. Her hope and faith along with her suffering and fears, you won't beleive a thirteen year old would've realized and out smarted the Nazis in such ways. Not only is this a beautiful story of survival but an ugly piece of history. Having background on WOrld War II helped me understand a bit more but also this book taught me a great deal of history, another reason to read. This book, was definitely a fast read, I couldn't put it down. You're constantly wondering..."Will she survive?! How will she out smart them this time?! Will she escape?!" You would definitely need to enjoy survival and history to get through this novel and also know that some chapters are a bit graphic. This woman went through the unthinkable and she doesn't hold back on letting you know that. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an amazing story with some history behind it. Livia Bitton-Jackson is a part of our history and survived as one of thirty five returning of an original five hundred. This woman did the unthinkable.

-Kaitlyn Toner

I read this book years ago, when I was about 10 years old and didn't even understand fully the depth of the Holocaust. But even then I enjoyed this tale of a girl surviving against the odds. Great book for everyone; helps even the young to understand the plight of millions during that dark era and got me interesting in the Holocaust.

This book is so powerful. I have read many stories of Holocaust survivors, but few if any have presented such a vivid view of the horrors the Jews faced. Some parts were disturbing, but they describe true history, so they are definitely important to read. If you're interested in the Holocaust, this is a great read.

"I Have Lived A Thousand Years" is a personal and gut-wrenching story of how a 13-year old girl survived the German Holocaust in the death camp of Auschwitz. The book is fairly short with short chapters. It is obviously written for adolescent readers, but can certainly be appreciated by adults as well. This is a very good first book for teens to learn about the Holocaust. It is written in the first person, and we "see" the horrifying conditions through the author's sensitve eyes.

The story is gripping from page one to the last page. It should be read and then discussed with the adolescent reader, as many questions will be raised as to the horrific nature of the Holocaust.

There are many good Holocost books, but the stark reality presented in this book, along with the narrative style, makes this an excellent introductory first-person account to the atrocities of the Holocaust.

Jim Koenig

In Iraq right now and had to read this. Wasn't as good as I thought it would be but it gives a perspective.

This was an excellent book. Well written and really made you know the soldiers involved and placed you in the action. It really made it personal. I was expecting the author to point fingers at the rediculous methods employed by the US commanders, but the author just tells the story and lets the reader come up with his or her own opinion. I am in the middle of reading another book about Iraq, "No True Glory", and appreciate this book even more. No True Glory tells the story of a much larger operation, and as a result you lose that personal feeling. You won't be dissapointed with this one.

A very good read! I was a bit hesitant to buy and read this book,since it was written by a person , Martha Raddatz, who works for a liberal and biased ABC news network. I thought it might just be another "Bush Bash" !! It was anything but that. It is well written and very well describes the modern day battlefield that our troops face every day. I would highly recommend reading this book. Thanks Martha !!!! WELL DONE AL

An excellent book that covers not just the view from the troops in Iraq but also an excellent coverage of the folks left at home.

Absolutely fabulous...being the mother of a soldier I was terrifed and yet strangely comforted by Ms. Raddatz's book. I run an FRG for my daughters group and never realized how important it is...Thank you Ms. Raddatz

I can't believe I didn't write a review for a book I read 10 years ago. This is one of my favorite books. It was this one book that drew me into reading books and becoming a book lover. One of the best books I ever read. Highly Recommended!!

Claude Brown quite literally puts his life time between the paper's line[just to quote Mobb Deep] exposing us to the world of Harlem circa the early 1950's. The story definately has universal appeal to all children that have been spawned from the depths of ghetto despair. What Claude reveals to the general reader is that even a ghetto child destined to either a prison block or pine box can rise above and accomplish what they will.

The book functions as a autobigraphical novel,socilogical story,and psychological observation. All the following can be gleaned from Claude's Manchild in the Promised Land. Every other view we get of the ghetto comes from exagerated gangsta rap lyrics or second hand suburban reserchers. Clude provides us with a realistic depiction from single parent households down to street hustlers that flood the block with heroin.


The Harlem of the 50's-60's definately sounds alot like the inner city realities of today even at 2007. While Claude was able to escape the trap, you have to wonder how many ghetto youth today are just simply a victim of their own enviroment. How many Claude Browns are there in every inner city that don't live to tell their story or do so behind iron bars? The sadness is that such conditions have only became worse since Manchild in the Promised Land was published in the 60's.


Before Brown's death he planned a sequel to his previous work detailing experiances of the 80's generation and how crack cocaine devistated Harlem much like heroin did in the 50's-70's.

I was able to find this book relatively easy, based on a few keywords. My boyfriend started reading it several years ago and was unable to complete it. The storyline stuck in his memory and I bought it as a surprise for him, because over the years he mentioned it occasionally. Thanks for making the lookup so easy!

This book made such an impact on me when I read it the first time. I was in high school in New Jersey in the early '70's and had friends in Harlem so I visited often. To read such a vivid portrait of a young life at that time in New York City felt real for me. Claude Brown's writing influenced me at an early age. This work is a masterpiece and will stand the test of time.

Brown leaves no stone unturned when it comes to his life in New York. The Howard University graduate covers the story of the first generation of Southerners (his parents) that left to New York-the "promised land" where they expected to enjoy equality and prosperity. Instead, they were forced to deal with overcrowded living spaces and violent ghettos. He paints a picture of his rugged coming of age with vivid recollections of how he gained his rep as a brawler, the friendships gained and lost due to drugs and violence, as well as his fight to escape the seemingly hopeless condition that Harlem was trapped in at the time. After surviving run-ins with the law, brutal fights and the ravages of drug abuse, one can only hope to have half the mental toughness that Brown had to rise above his circumstances.