Book Review: Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea - One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time, photo by elycefeliz, Flickr

Greg Mortenson has done more to combat terrorism than the trillions of dollars the Bush administration has spent on the illegal war in Iraq will ever do. This is a true story of one man's journey and failure to make it to the summit of K2. This event changed Mortenson's life forever.

Mortenson spent 7 weeks in a remote village in Pakistan healing from this attempt. One of the village elder's opened his home and treated Mortenson with kindness and tender loving care.

When Mortenson felt strong enough to return to his home in the United States, he promised this village elder to return and build a school for the children in this impoverished region.

Once back home in Oakland, CA, Mortenson downsized like you wouldn't believe to make this happen. He rented a storage unit before he left for his lifelong dream to make it to the summit of K2. Instead of renting an apartment, he kept everything in storage and slept in his car. He showered in various locations and worked in his field of nursing at night.

During the day he wrote letters to rich people, foundations, journalists, Oprah Winfrey. Tom Brokaw was the only one who responded by sending a check for $100.


Greg Mortenson with children in Pakistan, photo uploaded by benauchc76 on Flickr

A fellow climber heard about the 580 letters Mortenson sent out asking for funding of his school in Pakistan. This climber suggested he write an open letter to a climbing magazine. Did this ever turn out to be the best advice.

An old climber, Dr. Jean Hoerni, who was filthy rich, called Mortenson after reading the open letter in the magazine. Hoerni asked how much he needed for the school. Mortenson told him $12,000. The rich man sent the check and the rest is history.

Mortenson has built several schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He opened schools for girls. Girls never went to school until he built these schools.

Anyway, this is a great book. It will inspire you to act. We can all do little things to make the world a better place. When Mortenson was trying to raise money for the first school, a group of school children donated jars and jars of pennies. Little things make such a difference.

On a personal note, my brother's first wife worked for the Kiriyama Book Prize. Three Cups of Tea won the prize a few years back. She told me that she met Mortenson and he was the most amazing individual she had ever met in her life. And she has met some pretty amazing writers in her life.


Greg Mortenson with children in Pakistan, photo uploaded by benauchc76 on Flickr

So if you want to make a difference, buy this book. Or check out the link on the left hand side of this post, Central Asia Institute. This is Mortenson's foundation. For my educator friends, maybe tell your students about Mortenson and his schools. Maybe your students will be inspired to help by holding a bake sale, or raising jars of pennies.

One last thing, Mortenson talks about how if we all knew more about the Islamic world and culture of Central Asia, maybe we wouldn't be so full of hate and fear.

I took a few ME history courses in college. I remember one of the 5 pillars of faith in the Koran is the tithe. Every Muslim has to give a percentage of their earnings to charity. Imagine that. Imagine if we all did that. The world would surely be a much better place.
Greg Mortenson and children in Pakistan, photo uploaded by benauchc76 on Flickr

The New Huffington Post Book on Blogging

Ariana Huffington and Bob Edwards, courtesy of The Bob Edwards Show (Flickr)


I bought the new complete book on blogging put out by the folks at The Huffington Post yesterday. I highly recommend this book. It has a wealth of information on how to be a successful blogger.

One chapter tells you how to get more traffic and visitors to your blog besides your mom. One of my fears of starting a blog was that no one would read it except family and friends. I see I am not alone.

It is written in a funny blog-like style. I am new to the blogosphere and having a blast. I took a couple of journalism classes at UCLA and dreamed of being a foreign correspondent reporting from war-torn regions like Joanna Cassidy and Nick Nolte in the most excellent film Underfire. I am pretending with my blog that I have my own little newspaper where I can write about whatever I feel like writing about.

As recommended by the new Huffington Post book, I posted a link of my movie review on Australia on reddit.com and had loads of hits within seconds to my blog. Very cool. The review is not a professional review. Just my thoughts on this most excellent film. Screen perfection in my humble opinion. But I digress.

I saw Ariana Huffington interviewed on The Daily Show. Her advice was to write what you feel passionate about and find your voice.

Also, the book encourages uploading images to your posts. Might I recommend Flickr to everyone. They have photos of everything you can imagine under the sun. Make sure that the rights are "common creative." If all rights are reserved, be careful about uploading the image...or at least give credit. By the way, I used tons of photos for my review of the film Australia. Think this might be another reason I had so many hits.

The book is called, The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging.

I bought it at Border's for 15 bucks, but here is a link to Amazon for those too lazy to go to the bookstore.:)
http://www.amazon.com/Huffington-Post-Complete-Guide-Blogging/dp/1439105006

One last thing, the guy in the photo above that I found on Flickr is Bob Edwards. Remember him from Morning Edition on NPR? Man do I miss that bedroom voice of his and his great reporting. I see he has a show since the photo is courtesy of his show. But where does he have this show? Anyone know? Radio? TV?

Book Review: When the Kissing Had to Stop

Photo of Pacific Coast Highway taken by Spoon Monkey (Flickr)




I am reading a book by John Leonard called When the Kissing Had to Stop. Leonard wrote for the New York Times Book Review and other literary publications. My hero Kurt Vonnegut said Leonard was the smartest and most well read person he had ever met.

Any friend of Kurt Vonnegut's is a friend of mine. Sadly, Leonard died recently. I am reading him for the first time and so glad to have discovered him. He writes at rapid fire speed. While reading him, I feel like I have had 20 espressos. He is brilliant. And funny as hell. I highly recommend this book of essays.

Leonard keeps referring to the Joan Didion book, Play It As It Lays. I don't know about any of you, but I have had plenty of Joan Didion "Play It As It Lays" moments.

In case you haven't read the book, in short, Joan is driving the freeways of the L.A area aimlessly to escape her mundane reality. I usually drive Pacific Coast highway down to Laguna Beach or up PCH through Malibu. A much nicer drive than the freeways. Cool ocean breeze and spectacular views. I roll down all the windows, listen to music real loud and dream.

Here is a link to an article in The Nation where Toni Morrison, et al, share their thoughts and feelings about John Leonard.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081208/john_leonard

Fierce People and a Book

Photo by Alin Boeana (Flickr, downloaded by Baliwww.com) The Dani people are a people from the central highlands of Western New Guinea, the Indonesian province of Papua.

I saw Fierce People with Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland on cable the other night. I caught the film at about the midway point. I just loved this film. The last two lines of the film were so good, in my humble opinion, I quickly wrote it down:

"We are the sum of all the people we have met. The tribe changes you and you change the tribe."

So true, so true. Especially true to those of my friends who have lived in foreign lands. Living in a different land than your own is usually a life changing experience.

I am not saying that you can't have a "tribe change" if the farthest move you make is to Bakersfield, I am just saying living in a different country than your own is always so enlightening and a great learning experience to say the least.

If you live and die in the city where you were born this quote can still apply. Every single day our interchanges with people change the way we look at life and the world. We have an impact on every person we have an interchange. Even a glance or a smile can change the day someone is having.

The tribe changes you and you change the tribe.

I hope you get my meaning and love the two lines as much as I did. I most certainly do not mean that if you visit a faraway land that you impose our customs and way of life. Only that our presence and how we interact changes us and those we encounter.
Guernsey's South Coast, Posted by There and Back (Flickr)

I just finished the book by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows titled, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved this book!!! It is fiction, but written in letter form. I swear I felt like these people were real while reading it.

It takes place in London and on the Channel Island off the UK called Guernsey. Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war. The letters date about a year after the war ends. I guarantee you will fall in love with all of the characters. Really.

I heard about it on NPR and then saw that it is #3 on the L.A. Times bestseller list. It made me miss the art of letter writing. A good book to read on a plane, the beach, the tub, anywhere.

Book Review: Chasing the Flame

Sergio Vieiro De Mello (Posted by Prora, Flickr)

I am reading a most excellent book right now by Samantha Power. This Harvard educated radical was in the news recently when she called Hillary Clinton a monster. Power was on Obama's foreign policy staff, but was forced to resign over this. She would be great as a foreign policy adviser.

Photo of United Nations Assembly taken by Robert wkfrd (Flickr)

The book is called Chasing the Flame. It is the life story of Sergio Vieira de Mello. What an extraordinary life this man led in his career with the UN. He was killed in august of 2003 when the UN offices were bombed in Iraq. I remember the news reports showing a pretty blonde woman frantically standing outside the rubble with her cell phone in hand crying. She was talking to him I am sure. Turns out she was his lover. Vieira De Mello was trapped under the rubble and died some four hours later when rescue teams were unable to reach him.

Viera De Mello man was being groomed to be the new secretary general when Kofi Anan stepped down. And a most excellent SG he would have been. A great loss to our world. Anyway, a fascinating read. It reads like a thriller.

Photo of United Nations flag taken by Linda Jia (Flickr)

Bad News and Oscars

Walter Cronkite (Flickr, E-dubya)

I just finished reading a book called Bad News by Tom Fenton. I heard him interviewed on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. Fenton was a foreign correspndent for CBS News. His book is about how we have become brainwashed, how the news is supposed to be a public service, but has become nothing more than 22 minutes of fluff and sound bites to sell commercial ads.

Fenton also says we have to fight back. It is a great book and easy to read. Check it out. It is at the library. I loved it so much I did buy a copy from a gift certificate I got for Christmas.

I read something interesting in the book about Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. Long ago, Cronkite was told by fellow journalists that he should run for president. He responded with, "they think they would want me for president until they found out if I was president I would take all guns out of Americans hands." I would have voted for him.


Hal Holbrook and Dixie Carter at Academy Awards, 2008, photo taken by Alan Light (Flickr)

I was pleased with the winners at the Academy Awards. I wanted Hal Holbrook to win, but Javier Bardum nailed the character, Anton Chigurgh. I noticed that Hal Holbrook and his wife, Dixie Carter were sitting about five or six rows back in the audience. However, they were moved up to the front row a little later and were sitting next to Daniel Day Lewis and his wife. That was cool. Holbrook deserves our respect and a front row seat. I wonder if Daniel Day Lewis arranged that.

Open Letter to Doris Lessing

Photo of Doris Lessing taken by Chris Saunders

Dear Ms. Lessing,
Congratulations on a much deserved Nobel Prize. I would like to share what your book, The Golden Notebook, means to me.

I will begin with London. I am from the United States, however, I moved to London with my New Zealander boyfriend in 1987. We met while living in the greater Los Angeles area, Newport Beach to be exact.

Before we moved to London, I worked as a waitress at an elite restaurant, wore the latest fashions, drank expensive wines, drove a trendy car. However, even through my debauchery and shallow life, I continued to read literature.

While living in London, I read and loved The Guardian newspaper. The Guardian was so very different from the major newspapers in my country. I was also reading Dosteovsky, Gunter Grass, Isak Dineson, Vonnegut, et al. I would think about these books after I read them. One day, while wondering through Covent Garden, I stopped in the General Store and bought a little journal. I began to write little notes about the books in this journal. You see Ms. Lessing, I was pretending I was a literature major at university.

I worked at a cafe on High Holburn called, My Old Dutch, near the West End. At the cafe, I met the most amazing women I have ever encountered in my life to this day. One from Italy, one from Sardinia, and one had an English father and Spanish mother.

Agostina from Sardinia had just returned from a six month journey through South America. Carmen from Italy had many lovers a dozen years younger banging on her door at all hours of the night begging to be let in. The brilliant English/Spanish girl, Glamorous Janice, was working on her law degree and sleeping with a black man who read the tabloid called The Sun...or was it The Standard. It was the tabloid with the half naked woman on page three. Anyway...

All of these women were so strong and adventurous. We spent nearly every afternoon together when our lunch shift ended at 2pm until 6pm when we had to return for the dinner shift.

We walked to Convent Garden/Neal's Yard to have lunch at Food for Thought, a cheap, but good vegetarian cafe.. We shared stories, discussed the cultural differences between our countries, and of course discussed our men.

These women had such amazing stories and lives. So well-traveled. They opened up a whole new world to me. I felt that my life thus far in the culturally vacuous wasteland of Los Angeles was meaningless.

Carmen had coincidentally moved to New Zealand with a boyfriend she met in London who was filthy rich, but tight with his money. She lasted less than a year in Wellington before running back to London. She shared with me countless horror stories of her time there.

My boyfriend also came from a wealthy family and was tight with his money. Carmen kept telling me how New Zealand was like stepping back in time in terms of how they viewed a woman's role. Carmen was a devout feminist and could not tolerate this sort of view.

As a matter of fact, when I began having trouble with my boyfriend, Carmen kept warning me not to go to New Zealand with him. We were planning to move to his home in New Zealand sometime in the fall.

I spent a four hour lunch with Carmen on the day I was to purchase the one way tickets to New Zealand. We consumed two bottles of Pinot Grigio while I listened to Carmen's list of reasons not to go to New Zealand.

At the end of this marathon lunch, I told Carmen that if I did not go, I may wonder the rest of my life if I made the right decision. I told her London may be why we were having problems since my boyfriend and I got along so well in California. Carmen and I walked... more like stumbled and staggered across the street to the travel agent's where I purchased non-refundable one way tickets to New Zealand.

We left London on yet another bone chilling cold and rainy November morning. I was happy to leave the weather behind, but so sad to leave my new friends who had become like sisters to me.

While in New Zealand I was feeling very much like I wanted more from my life than being a wife, country club memberships, tennis with the other wives, etc. I told my boyfriend that I wanted to go back to university. I was 29 at the time. He said I was too old.

To make a long story short, shortly after my boyfriend crushed my dream of a university education, I was home one afternoon escaping my mundane reality with the Gabriel Garcia Marquez book, One Hundred Years of Solitude. This book lifted me out of my house and flew me across oceans to the far away and exotic country of Colombia into the lives of the characters in the story.

I had all the french doors and windows open in our country house outside Wellington on this warm fall day.

I put a pot of potatoes on to boil for dinner in between chapters. I did not notice or smell that the water had burned down. The potatoes were on the verge of burning when my boyfriend came home. The cross breeze from the open windows and doors kept the smell from reaching me in the living room. He picked up the pot and threw it across the kitchen. He then stomped into the living room and yelled that he was tired of my reading books all the time.

I quickly ran out of the living room for the bedroom and locked the door. My hands were shaking while I called the wife of one of our friends. I asked her to come and get me. He continued banging on the bedroom door and berating me with his verbal insults.

I left New Zealand shortly after that, returned to the greater Los Angeles area, and enrolled in a community college. I had the summer to kill before classes began in the fall. I found a job as a waitress in a cheap diner, shopped at thrift stores, and rode a bicycle for transportation.

I ran across your book, The Golden Notebook, in a bookstore that summer. It was the most perfect book for me to read at this turning point in my life. I could not put it down. I read it every waking moment when I wasn't working until I finished it. Such powerful women characters and stories. I can't tell you how much I loved this book. It had the most profound impact on me.

There were moments, mostly in the evening when I was alone, that I questioned whether I had made a mistake by leaving my boyfriend. After reading your book, I knew I made the right decision. Your book helped me realize that there was more to life than country clubs and tolerating your husband's mistresses.

I graduated from UCLA with a degree in history in 1993. I have worked primarily as an educator in Arizona and California. Internationally, I have taught in Bogota, Colombia and Gumi, S. Korea.

There were many times while I was in Colombia that I thought of my little Sardinian friend Agostina who traveled on her own through South America for six months. Meeting Agostina and listening to her stories on rainy afternoons in London helped give me the courage to move to Colombia.

I have also dabbled in documentary filmmaking and made a film on human rights abuses in Colombia. It made some festival circuits, was nominated for an award, and is still shown nationwide at colleges through Amnesty International groups on campuses.

I want to thank you for writing The Golden Notebook. Your book gave me the strength to forge on through some difficult times and countless obstacles while I was at university.

On an end note, it will be twenty years in November that I left London. I am still in contact with Agostina and Janice. We lost track of Carmen a few years after she returned to Milan. The last time I saw Carmen was in Milan in 1989. She had an Italian boyfriend who was at least a dozen years younger.

Agostina has traveled every continent as a translator on cruise ships. She speaks five languages. Agostina is now building a small hotel on Sardinia. She lives with her boyfriend in London. Janice is a lawyer/solicitor. She works in what we call the DA's office here in the USA. Janice worked in sex crimes for a few years, but the child pornography got to her. She asked and was granted a transfer to homicide. She lives with her boyfriend, also a lawyer/solicitor in her office.

I have heard through the grapevine that my ex-boyfriend owns loads of commercial real estate, boats, jet skis, married a nurse/aerobic instructor, had two kids, and a very public affair with an Argentinian ex-beauty queen which ultimately caused his wife to ask for a divorce. She got a huge house out of the deal.

Again, congratulations on your much deserved Nobel Prize. I still have the copy of The Golden Notebook I bought 20 years ago on my shelf and plan to pull it down tonight to read again.

Respectfully,
Mary Cuevas
Los Angeles, California
USA