This is the month of Mountain View Reads Together, an annual event that encourages city residents to read the same book and participate in various free events centered around it.
This year, MV Reads has chosen “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. The book chronicles Mortenson’s journey as a mountain climber-turned-humanitarian, who stumbled into an impoverished Pakistani village after a failed climbing attempt. The villagers nursed him back to health, and in return, he promised to build them a school.
“It’s a very meaningful book about someone who made a difference in his community — the power of one person,” said Mountain View librarian Candace Bowers.
Mortenson wrote more than 580 letters to wealthy celebrities asking for help. He received one response — a $100 check from Tom Brokaw — and ended up selling all of his possessions and living in his car for months. Since then, he has established more than 78 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“There are so many points throughout the book where it seems pointless, but he still puts his heart into everything he does,” said MV Reads coordinator Sharlene Gee. “He continually makes progress.’
Members of the Mountain View Reads committee were unanimous in their choice of “Three Cups of Tea” this year. Bowers cited its themes of community, education and culture as reasons for its selection.
This month will feature a total of 14 free events designed to promote discussion and interaction based on the themes of the novel. Events are located all over the city, from book discussions at Red Rock Cafe to film screenings at the Community School of Music and Arts. Attendance ranges from a group of five to a crowd of 150, depending on the venue.
“It’s not just a book club, it’s a community-building event,” said Gee.
Gee, a volunteer mediator since 1999, has experience in bringing people together. “A lot of times we discover that we don’t know each other,” she said. By giving residents something in common with the Mountain View Reads project, she hopes that they will be able to learn from each other in the process.
Gee recalled a discussion in the East West Bookstore earlier this month: “People were lingering, talking about the book,” she said. “It’s fun to put together things that build communities through the arts. You’re interpreting things that really matter.”
As for “Three Cups of Tea,” a New York Times bestseller, “It shows how one person can make a difference,” said Bowers. “Everyone has something to give, and you need to find what you’re passionate about.”
For information on events, visit www.mvreads.org.
E-mail Kelly Truong at ktruong@mv-voice.com
