Adventures in Reading: "Stones into Schools" by Greg Mortenson

"Stones into Schools" is the second published installment in the adventures of Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea". Greg's journey building schools throughout Pakistan is expanded to include Afghanistan and other areas of central Asia. Along with the challenges inherently present in this kind of endeavor, Greg also faces the personal challenges of fame after the success of "Three Cups of Tea".

"Three Cups of Tea" is an amazing story. And "Stones into Schools" does not disappoint as a sequel. This chapter of the story is told directly by Greg, in the first person, making it a more intimate narrative. It gives us an extremely personal look into some of Greg's greatest triumphs, and some of his biggest fears and challenges.

"Stones into Schools" is a story of humanity. It's the story of how one human can literally change the world. It's the story of personal sacrifice, overcoming opposition, and of humility. It's a story well worth reading. And hopefully, it will inspire you to create some change of your own.

Adventures in Reading: "The Catcher in the Rye" by JD Salinger

I had managed to avoid reading "The Catcher in the Rye" since high school. I can't really give a reason for doing so, but I had an aversion to it for one reason or another...until I read "Franny and Zooey". The finally push came when a friend insisted that I read his "number one desert island book".

And I was not disappointed. The modern reader may not understand the importance of Salinger's most famous work because it seems so similar to many other coming-of-age stories. The thing is, Salinger did it first. A large portion of these kinds of stories that have come out since "Catcher" was published have been an attempt to capture the same genuine expression of the teenage experience that Salinger managed to encapsulate. He was raw and uncensored, and caught a lot of flack for it. However, I believe it was his refusal to mold Holden Caulfield into a moral character that has caused this book to be loved by so many. Salinger didn't attempt to craft Holden's narrative into a story about right or wrong, and in doing so, told a story that was more true than if he had.

I would most definitely recommend this one, even if only as another example of Salinger's masterful characterization. And deeper than that, it's an extremely good example of the effect a truly sincere character can have on a reader. If you'd like a more in depth critique, Google it ;)