First published 2009
Homeless climber Greg Mortenson stumbles into a remote Pakistani village, where he makes a promise to build them a school. Over the next decade, Mortenson battles enraged Islamists, skeptical Americans, and his own personal sacrifices to establish dozens of schools, especially for girls, in one of the world's most dangerous regions. His improbable humanitarian campaign becomes a powerful force for change, offering education as an alternative to the Taliban's deadly ideology.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: against-all-odds, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Afghanistan, Pakistan
Period: 1990- ...
349 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books