Three Cups of Tea and Malaysia & Singapore
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Penguin, £8.99 in UK
In 1993, after a failed attempt to climb K2, Greg Mortenson got lost in its foothills. He ended up in the village of Korphe, in Pakistan. After being taking in by villagers and restored to health, he promised to help build a school for the tiny, precarious community. It became a life's work, and Mortenson is now responsible for building 55 schools, as well as centres for women, in one of the world's most conflict-ridden regions, the unforgiving landscape where Pakistan meets Afghanistan.
This is the extraordinary story of his astonishingly naive but effective attempts to help educate the poor and sow peace along the route. It also cracks open a cultural window into often-misunderstood people and societies. Mortenson placates and persuades wealthy industrialists, tradition-bound villagers, religious fundamentalists and even the Taliban to help his cause. This beautifully written work is a rare insight into an area that few will ever have the pleasure of travelling to, shot through with the spice of adventure, drama and nearby danger.
Malaysia & Singapore
DK Eyewitness Travel
£15.99 in UK
Pakistan might be a path too far for most travellers, so to give yourself a more gentle and accessible introduction to Asia, try Malaysia and Singapore, a potent combination. The rolling landscapes and breathtaking diving of the islands of Malaysia contrast with the soaring urban centres of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. This guide is a colourful introduction to the region, and its piles of pictures and reams of maps will have you rummaging for the passport.