I read this book a few weeks ago and I loved it! I know it's non-fiction but I figured I'd post it here since I also made a review for it..This is what I wrote:
"I read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson when it first came out and I was fascinated and deeply touched by his story. His dedication to the cause he is supporting (promoting female literacy in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan) is highly contagious and so, when " Stones into Schools" came out I didn't hesitate in purchasing it and I was not at all dissapointed. It continues the story developed in his first book while at the same time making it very easy to follow if you haven't read "Three Cups of Tea" and refreshing your memory if you have read it. The title might be a little deceiving and unless you pick it up and start reading it you might not grasp the fact that it is not about the physical labor of building the schools but rather about the incredible relationships that Greg Mortenson and his crew have developed with the people from dozens of villages in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The writing style is simple but engaging enough to make you feel as part of their journey. In a world dominated by conflicts, few have time to look past the media coverage and deep into the hearts of those who,more often than not, are seen as nothing more than "collateral damage" (millions of civilians in Pakistan and Afghanistan). But as Greg Mortenson describes in his book "Stones into Schools", what he and his crew from Central Asia Institute discovered is that these people with their simple lives and limited aspirations have a deep understanding of human relationships and a knowledge of things that is hard to equal. Most of all, they have a suffocating desire to learn and are willing to change their secular traditions in order to help their countries and improve education. This desire and the look on all the children's faces whom he meets in his travels to those regions support Greg Mortenson and his NGO in their school building expeditions. This book is about these wonderful people's lives and it clearly describes how education not only improves the lives of individuals but it gives the insights into the improvement that could be seen in Afghanistan and Pakistan if only these simple people, who suffer as much from extremist groups as those who are in war with them, would be aknowledged more and more time and effort would be dedicated to educating these communities. This is a book that you will not be able to put down and whose touching stories and influx of information you will find exhilarating!"
Thank you Susan! I really did enjoy both of the books and after finishing "Stones into Schools" I just had to make a review for it 
..Thank you for the info I will check out those clubs as well. I can't say I am too much into Sci Fi but I usually keep my mind opened to anything as long as it engages me so I will definetely look into it!
A_G_D wrote:Thank you Susan! I really did enjoy both of the books and after finishing "Stones into Schools" I just had to make a review for it
Hi. Thanks for responding...."The Discovery of Witches" is more then one can imagine..Have fun Exploring....After Anne Rice I did not pick up any other book in that genre until recently..I have been recommended such Fine Authors and ,I became a fan of some..It must be a good fit for me..as with all books,...Best Susan'''
Three Seconds Thank you Andreea for recommending the book..I will pass it on to a friend who has a family member with Autism.I have a book to recommend to you ..We were fortunate to have the Authors Visit and were each given copies of..Three Seconds..I believe an ereader version is available..We did have a FirstLook Club and thats how we obtained the book..Its gender friendly..so of course your husband might enjoy it as well..have a look at it and no one was disappointed...Wonderful book..It seems Americans,well I am, drawn to Authors from other countries..If you have never read"Shadow of The Wind"By Carlos Ruiz Zafon..he is an amazing writer/storyteller. He has "Angels's Game" as well and new release coming out soon.....Enjoy..Susan
For those of you with nooks and other e-readers looking for a debut novel, a new author who's got a great story to tell. Look no further
http://thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2011/02/revie
enjoy
Three Seconds Thank you Andreea for recommending the book..I will pass it on to a friend who has a family member with Autism.I have a book to recommend to you ..We were fortunate to have the Authors Visit and were each given copies of..Three Seconds..I believe an ereader version is available..We did have a FirstLook Club and thats how we obtained the book..Its gender friendly..so of course your husband might enjoy it as well..have a look at it and no one was disappointed...Wonderful book..It seems Americans,well I am, drawn to Authors from other countries..If you have never read"Shadow of The Wind"By Carlos Ruiz Zafon..he is an amazing writer/storyteller. He has "Angels's Game" as well and new release coming out soon.....Enjoy..Susan
Thanks Susan! I will definetely look into it! I've only been following these threads for about a week and a half and I already have a huge list of books to read! If only there were more hours in the day...
A_G_D wrote:Three Seconds Thank you Andreea for recommending the book..I will pass it on to a friend who has a family member with Autism.I have a book to recommend to you ..We were fortunate to have the Authors Visit and were each given copies of..Three Seconds..I believe an ereader version is available..We did have a FirstLook Club and thats how we obtained the book..Its gender friendly..so of course your husband might enjoy it as well..have a look at it and no one was disappointed...Wonderful book..It seems Americans,well I am, drawn to Authors from other countries..If you have never read"Shadow of The Wind"By Carlos Ruiz Zafon..he is an amazing writer/storyteller. He has "Angels's Game" as well and new release coming out soon.....Enjoy..Susan
Thanks Susan! I will definetely look into it! I've only been following these threads for about a week and a half and I already have a huge list of books to read! If only there were more hours in the day...
Ah Andrea, you've discovered our ulterior motives
Yes I did! It's funny..Last night my husband cooked dinner for me for Valentine's Day (He is normally the cook in our family ) and so when I got home from work he was still in the kitchen getting everything ready..What do you think I did in the 15 min I had free before sitting down to eat!? yes, I couldn't help it and I downloaded " The Girl who Played with Fire" and managed to read a few pages..I know it sounds weird but I just finished the first book in the series and couldn't wait to start the second..Talking about not having enough hours in the day..
A_G_D wrote:
You have learned well Grasshopper
pjpick wrote:
Mountain_Muse wrote:
pjpick wrote:The Atomic Times Four stars. Things that make you go, "YYYIIKES!" With all the information we know today in regards to radiation exposure it does seem ludicrous that such reckless testing was done with the H bomb. Harris' interesting memoir chronicles his days spent on the Pacific Proving Ground in 1955 and depicts the stress of those who were stationed on a small island in the Atolls. Like the author, I would've been horrified to hear that a co-workers toenails were glowing in the dark,to swim with three eyed fish, or to stand outside in view of a mushroom cloud. Although I found the "guy" talk a little too coarse for my taste, the story kept me riveted.
It sounds like a great book, Deb. I grew up and lived the last 30 years in the shadow of Los Alamos....I've heard the stories. There are the same ones from Nevada, Utah and New Mexico. I remember from age 4 or 5 mom telling I couldn't go and play in "this" snow. It came from an atomic bomb blast.....yes, it made an impression on this little kid.
Mtn Muse
EEK! I too, am a New Mexican but grew up in the southern part of the state. My dad worked at WSMR for decades. Each year, they would open up Trinity site to the public. When I was in college and majoring in history I really wanted to go see it and asked my dad if he could get me on the tour. We both share a love of history. He adamantly refused and there was no talking him into getting me on that tour. Oddly enough, he had the same sort of visceral blunt response when I asked if he believed in UFOs. He gave me a sharp, "No!" and when I persisted with a ''but.." he again said, "NO!" --case closed.
Don't get me started on UFOs....From 4th through 10th grade we lived in El Paso and had several friend who worked at WSMR....2 of them were part of the "UFO" project.....don't ask, I still don't like talking about the things I overheard them talking over with my parents (my dad was a pastor and his confidant). I've lost many a night's sleep growing up...but over all have a new a broader respect for God, who he is and what he is capable of.
Enough said.
Mtn Muse
Peppermill wrote:
pjpick wrote:
Mountain_Muse wrote:
pjpick wrote:The Atomic Times Four stars. Things that make you go, "YYYIIKES!" With all the information we know today in regards to radiation exposure it does seem ludicrous that such reckless testing was done with the H bomb. Harris' interesting memoir chronicles his days spent on the Pacific Proving Ground in 1955 and depicts the stress of those who were stationed on a small island in the Atolls. Like the author, I would've been horrified to hear that a co-workers toenails were glowing in the dark,to swim with three eyed fish, or to stand outside in view of a mushroom cloud. Although I found the "guy" talk a little too coarse for my taste, the story kept me riveted.
It sounds like a great book, Deb. I grew up and lived the last 30 years in the shadow of Los Alamos....I've heard the stories. There are the same ones from Nevada, Utah and New Mexico. I remember from age 4 or 5 mom telling I couldn't go and play in "this" snow. It came from an atomic bomb blast.....yes, it made an impression on this little kid.
Mtn Muse
EEK! I too, am a New Mexican but grew up in the southern part of the state. My dad worked at WSMR for decades. Each year, they would open up Trinity site to the public. When I was in college and majoring in history I really wanted to go see it and asked my dad if he could get me on the tour. We both share a love of history. He adamantly refused and there was no talking him into getting me on that tour. Oddly enough, he had the same sort of visceral blunt response when I asked if he believed in UFOs. He gave me a sharp, "No!" and when I persisted with a ''but.." he again said, "NO!" --case closed.
PjPick -- this thing (tome) is so long that it is a colossal pain to read or listen to (which is what I finally did a year or two ago), but it is a rather fascinating tour de force through that period of history, from baseball to Los Alamo. (1950's - 1990's) I am not sorry to have invested the time, although I probably missed significant parts by falling asleep while listening.
Underworld by Don DeLillo
Thank you, Peppermill!, It is something else when you have lived a lot of it, even in the third person.
Mtn Muse
Ok, I finished it! Don't mean to repeat myself (since I mentioned it before) and I know I might be a few years too late but I liked it soo much I had to write a review so here it is:
"It took me a few years to get to read it but when I finally got to it I wish I read it sooner! Great story with very interesting and complex characters, especially Lisbeth Salander! It's hard to say anything about it without spoiling the reading but I think it's a very well written book that will keep you engaged from the beginning to the end. The plot is more than you might expect in the beginning. The action builds up and gets to its fullest towards the middle of the book but I liked how it kept me wondering from the beginning how is it all going to connect in the end. The story has unexpected turns and it combines mystery and crime with fraud, personal issues, moral dilemmas and even romantic affairs. The same day I finished reading it I started the second one in the series "The Girl who Played with Fire". I highly recommend it!"
A_G_D wrote:
Ok, I finished it!
"It took me a few years to get to read it but when I finally got to it I wish I read it sooner! Great story with very interesting and complex characters, especially Lisbeth Salander! It's hard to say anything about it without spoiling the reading but I think it's a very well written book that will keep you engaged from the beginning to the end. The plot is more than you might expect in the beginning. The action builds up and gets to its fullest towards the middle of the book but I liked how it kept me wondering from the beginning how is it all going to connect in the end. The story has unexpected turns and it combines mystery and crime with fraud, personal issues, moral dilemmas and even romantic affairs. The same day I finished reading it I started the second one in the series "The Girl who Played with Fire". I highly recommend it!"
You'll whip through The Girl who Played with Fire" very quickly. It was better than the first one.
pjpick wrote:
A_G_D wrote:
Ok, I finished it!
"It took me a few years to get to read it but when I finally got to it I wish I read it sooner! Great story with very interesting and complex characters, especially Lisbeth Salander! It's hard to say anything about it without spoiling the reading but I think it's a very well written book that will keep you engaged from the beginning to the end. The plot is more than you might expect in the beginning. The action builds up and gets to its fullest towards the middle of the book but I liked how it kept me wondering from the beginning how is it all going to connect in the end. The story has unexpected turns and it combines mystery and crime with fraud, personal issues, moral dilemmas and even romantic affairs. The same day I finished reading it I started the second one in the series "The Girl who Played with Fire". I highly recommend it!"
You'll whip through The Girl who Played with Fire" very quickly. It was better than the first one.
not only better like pj said Andrea but since you already are used to all the Swedishesque stuff in the first novel it also helps speed the second one along
