Starred Review. 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.

INTRODUCTION IN MR.MORTENSON'S ORBIT

CHAPTER 1 FAILURE

CHAPTER 2 THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER

CHAPTER 3 "PROGRESS AND PERFECTION"

CHAPTER 4 SELF-STORAGE

CHAPTER 5 580 LETTERS, ONE CHECK

CHAPTER 6 RAWALPINDI'S ROOFTOPS AT DUSK

CHAPTER 7 HARD WAY HOME

CHAPTER 8 BEATEN BY THE BRALDU

CHAPTER 9 THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN

CHAPTER 10 BUILDING BRIDGES

CHAPTER 11 Six DAYS

CHAPTER 12 HAJI ALI'S LESSON

CHAPTER 13 "A SMILE SHOULD BE MORE THAN A MEMORY"

CHAPTER 14 EQUILIBRIUM

CHAPTER 15 MORTENSON IN MOTION

CHAPTER 16 RED VELVET BOX

CHAPTER 17 CHERRY TREES IN THE SAND

CHAPTER 18 SHROUDED FIGURE

CHAPTER 19 A VILLAGE CALLED NEW YORK

CHAPTER 20 TEA WITH THE TALIBAN

CHAPTER 21 RUMSFELD'S SHOES

CHAPTER 22 "THE ENEMY Is IGNORANCE"

CHAPTER 23 STONES INTO SCHOOLS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX