Books not bombs

Following on from the huge success of Three cups of tea, ex-mountaineer Greg Mortenson has written Stones into schools; promoting peace with books, not bombs in Afghanisatan and Pakistan in which he charts the progress of his charitable organisation to establish schools, especially schools for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. His philosophy is that "if you educate a girl, you educate a community". The work of his 'dirty dozen' to reach such inaccessible areas and the speed with which schools have been constructed is amazing in areas that are war-torn and earthquake damaged.

The importance of education to national reconstruction and development is Mortenson's driving factor but both books are written with compassion and humility about the people involved, about cultural relationships that are built on respect and trust, about girls' individual successes and both offer hope for the future.