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The beginning of the book was rather difficult for me.  The writer's diction is so clumsy, each sentence so awkward, that I was overwhelmingly frustrated at first.  It was not until Greg's arrival in Korphe that I stopped thinking about how much I disliked the writing and started enjoying the story that was being told.

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I think he was sort of born for it. By which I mean his parents were missionaries, and so he'd sort of lived that life since he was a child.In effect, they modeled it for him. Perhaps his nature is a particularly giving one. Certainly he seemed somewhat aimless up to that point, although successfully so, in that he was well-educated, had a good job (when he wanted), had family and friends, and his love of mountain climbing.

But in that moment everything he had been and could be came together, and the vision, the idea, sort of sprang forth, fully grown, like Athena from Zeus' head.

Well, that requires answering the seemingly simply question: what is a self?  Then, does that self have an inherent relationship to any community?  What makes anything, most especially the Self, true and authentic?  Can such words even be applied to a person's existence?  These questions are a life-long personal struggle and also have a wing of academia reserved for their perusal.

There are people in the world like Greg Mortenson whose lives fit a beautiful narrative, whose achievements are profound and remarkable in the large scale.  Yet, certainly, a good mother is great.  An influencial teacher is great, right?

It seems to me quite a waste to harp on wasted potential.  Every person lives the only life they can live.  To speak of unfulfilled potential is to bring in ideas of regret which are not of much use.  When children die before their lives bear fruit - that is the saddest thing, but who are the survivors to guess what could have been?

As for the aimless, who are many, they have every opportunity to find a way in this world of many ways.  It seems, often, people just limit their exposure to these opportunities. 

Unfortunately, I grew up in the "everyone is special" school of those born after 1980.  And I believe this generation to be the most ill-equipped to measure its own potential because all of our teachers and parents told us that we could be anything we imagined and that we deserved praise for doing and earning absolutely nothing.  But that is neither here nor there.

Greg Mortenson was truly well prepared for a great life - one that touched many.  His parents made a fine example.  Climbing and nursing helped him find this amazing path.  His intuition was spot on.  Surely, he wouldn't have had all his personal belongings in storage if he wasn't waiting to be called to his vocation, however unconsciously.  He clearly remained a humble person - something most remarkable.  And there was some luck involved in his journey.

... quite a story.  I still wish it could have been presented by a better writer with an attentive editor, but that would be asking too much.

d

I didn't have any trouble with his style. That kind of bothers me, I guess, but I don't think I'm a very good critic about things like that. Actually, I've read much worse than this. I think of 'ghostwriters' who are, in general, horrid writers. This author was able to get the narrative ball rolling, so to speak, and flesh out Mortenson' story and character. I didn't want it to end, either, Delfina.

Actually, I read in the Sunday paper, that the Taliban are gaining strength in Pakistan, and I'm so worried about the country, the schools, and Korphe.

Hey, Brainiac, are you back in Hungary? Did you enjoy your trip to the Chester meet? I read a few of the posts over the weekend; everyone sounded like they were having a good time.

Hi guys,

Sorry I was out of the conversation this week. I must admit I started reading this book a little late and have been trying to play catch up.

I haven't felt upset by the ghostwriting style, but I do feel it didn't do quite as much justice to the story in some ways because the writing isn't especially fantastic. I keep comparing it to My Heart is Africa by Scott Griffen, which I thought was beautifully written.

However, the story itself is so captivating like delfina I can forgive the ghostwriter all the small faults.

That is a very interesting question.  I haven't yet finished the book, so I don't know how he continues to describe Greg, but I think that by portraying him in the light that he has, it shows that Greg is human just like the rest of us.  I think that one thing the author had to be really careful with this book is giving Greg a super-hero quality.  To the point where his readers might feel like Greg is the perfect man that nobody can emulate and he is so above all of us.  For example, my favorite scene of the "real Greg" was when Marina broke up with him.  The fact that he still gets heartbroken when his girlfriend breaks up with him, shows to me that he is just trying to get through life just like the rest of us.  And that he still makes mistakes--he could have saved that relationship.

Re:  Your comment:

"Unfortunately, I grew up in the "everyone is special" school of those born after 1980.  And I believe this generation to be the most ill-equipped to measure its own potential because all of our teachers and parents told us that we could be anything we imagined and that we deserved praise for doing and earning absolutely nothing."

Well put, and I'm glad you feel that way.  This "everyone is special" stuff sounds lovely, but it creates a cesspool of lethargy.  Why strive to shine? 

In retrospect, the teachers I most appreciate from my years in elementary and high school in the 1960s and 1970s are the older ones - those who were more inclined to be sticklers for perfection when it came to phonics, spelling, grammar, writing style, essay research and footnoting...  Yes, it was more difficult earning their approval than getting a pleasant "good enough, you tried," but it was more satisfying, because it really meant something.