Book Signing at Book Beat
January 25th from 1-4 PM

Three Cups of Tea

Book Beat hosts New York Times Bestselling author Greg Mortenson, subject and coauthor of Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace. . . One School at a Time, in his only Detroit area appearance at the Berkley High School Auditorium (2325 Catalpa Drive) on Sunday, January 25th from 1-4 PM. Mr. Mortenson will give a one hour presentation followed by a two-hour book signing.

The Book Beat/ Three Cups of Tea event is part of a limited seven city tour, to announce the publication of two new Greg Mortenson books about his experience in the Middle-East, adaptations aimed to promote concepts of peace and the understanding of different cultures for younger children. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World… One Child at a Time (Paperback) is a young adult adaptation (for ages 8 and up) that brings his remarkable story of humanitarianism up-to-date. It includes brand-new photos, maps, and illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg’s twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children. Release date: January 22nd, advanced orders encouraged.

The picture book, while close in content to the longer books, is written in the voice of Korphe’s children rather than providing Mortenson’s view, making it easier for American kids to enter the story. Roth (Leon’s Story) pairs the words with her signature mixed-media collage work, this time using scraps of cloth along with a variety of papers. Her work has a welcoming, tactile dimension-readers would want to touch the fabric headscarves, for example. A detailed scrapbook featuring photos from Three Cups of Tea and an artist’s note firmly ground the book in fact. (for ages 5-8 years) Release date: January 22nd, advanced orders encouraged.

California State University chose Three Cups Of Tea as Book in Common

“Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse’s unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world’s second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town’s first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson’s efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers’ hearts. — Publishers Weekly “Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world .’ -Tom Brokaw

Greg Mortenson

Greg Mortenson is cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Central Asia Institute and founder of Pennies for Peace, Mortenson has dedicated his life to promoting community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In 1993, Mortenson climbed Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. After his climb, while recovering in a local village, Mortenson met a group of children writing with sticks in the sand. He made a promise to help them build a school.

From that grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign. Mortenson has established more than 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan that provide education to more than 25,000 children, including 14,000 girls, for whom few education opportunities existed before.

On August 14th, 2008, Pakistan’s government announced on its Independence Day, that Greg Mortenson will receive Pakistan’ highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan (“Star of Pakistan”) for his courage and humanitarian effort to promote education, and literacy in rural areas for the last fifteen years. Pakistan’s President will confer the award on March 23rd, 2009, in a official ceremony in Islamabad.

The event is free and open to the public, however due to space availability, publisher and time restrictions, all books to be signed are required to be purchased through the Book Beat, where a special proof-of-purchase ticket will be given. A portion of all book sales for this event will be donated to Mortenson’s Pennies for Peace project. Two new children’s books by Greg Mortenson will be released on January 22nd. Advanced orders are encouraged and can be accepted before that date. Books will also be available for purchase at the event.

For more information please call Book Beat at 248-968-1190.