Book # 1

Here it is family. Just what you have been waiting for . . . "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Morenson and David Oliver Relin. It's a NY Times/Amazon/etc. best seller. Usually, I wouldn't pick a best-seller, but my good friend Tom Brokaw convinced me with the following review:

Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world .

Sounds pretty good, right? Well I hope we enjoy. Below is a brief Plot Summary.

Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers' hearts. (amazon)

For more information check out the website @ http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

Runner up for the pick of the month: The Maverick CEO

Why a Book Club?

Merry Christmahanukkwanza Family,

I have been impressed the past few years in our family's unspoken goal to push the envelope and do something a little bit ... shall we say ... outside the box.

I could probably write a novel about how father has walked to the beat of a different, "better" drum; and while his actions are often subtle and not as recognized as they should be (he is a specialist in humility after all), I am certain that they are appreciated by those who benefit from them.

Mother has given her time to help those kids that so often get left behind in our school system, and shown them that someone cares and wants to help them. It is a shame that the school's budget committee does not feel as strongly.

"Oh Mandy" introduced a detailed plan of progressiveness to the school system only to have it approved, then disapproved. While the plan did not turn out as ideally as hoped, she challenged the system and was nearly part of pilot program. Plus, she gets to hang out more with the kids. What could be better?

Dave took on a new role this year in the Attendance Office. I think a lot of kids fear going into that office, because they have generally done something “wrong” to be there. However, I think they probably find Dave as someone who is actually listening to them, understanding their problems, and trying to help them as best he can . . . not just someone strictly enforcing policies. As a coach, I am sure he fills similar roles in the daily lives of kids.

Aaroneous weathered a family counseling program far longer than most would dare. And, though you were frequently seen as an outsider who couldn’t possibly understand their lives, they surely knew that you cared.

At some point . . . somewhere between giving Toms Shoes, sacrificing your gifts to give money to a charity honoring a friend, forgoing wedding presents for charity, etc . . . the notion of giving "different, creative gifts" trickled down to the holidays, most notably Christmas. We certainly aren’t perfect and probably don’t give as much as we could, but I thank mom and dad for instilling those values in us at a young age (I will always remember giving to family’s during the holidays at Church).

Continuing on this avenue, I decided to come up with a unique gift that gives back (intellectually and socially to us as family) the whole year. At this point, you have probably guessed/noticed that I have created the Sawyer Family Book Club (SFBC).

I know what you are thinking . . . Dave probably thinks this is cheesy and so beautifully Sawyerish (isn’t it though) . . . Mandy loves it . . . Aaron is wondering how he will fit it in between reading Herman Ebbinghaus and pondering whether Tinbergen should have had five questions instead of four . . . Mother thinks I tried hard, but the SFBC will never rival Oprah’s (James Taylor was for you) . . . and father is already wondering if I will be giving him an award for most frequent blogger.

However, I don't want this just to be a forum just to comment about books. I want this to be a social space for us. If you find an interesting article online, post it to the site. If you post new pics on the Kodak site, let everyone know. If something funny happened, give us a laugh. You get the idea. I know this may be a bit forced at first, but if we get some good buy in this could be a great space for our family. May be we could even get Grandpa in on it. Enjoy the gift.

With love,

Bubby