• The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

Most people applaud this book as being amazing, as do I. The Kite Runner gives you a brief glimpse at the Russian and Taliban occupation of Afghanistan. (It's not the primary theme of the book, but a significant part of the book). I think it's so important because it shows people that not ever Afghan is pro Taliban, anti-America, etc. Not that I haven't understood that since the beginning, but I can't believe the amount of people out there that don't believe that Afghans are capable of independent thought and that they're all out to get "us." Well, they can think for themselves, and not everyone is pro violence. They've grown up in an era of violence and that's negatively influenced a lot of people, some just failed to cope with it properly.

Anyway, the basic plot is one that a lot of people can understand and I think it's both gut-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time. If you're not up for the read, watch the movie. I hear it's good too. Maybe I'll watch it someday. =)

• Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School At Home - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

I wish everyone would read this book. It was an amazing story that really inspires one to do something for the good of others. Greg Mortenson stays with a Pakistan village after a failed attempt at K2 and realizes that something as simple as a school would make a tremendous difference in their daily lives. He returns to the states and works hard to find money to fund the school he promised. His success leads to the creation of the Central Asia Institute (CAI) and many more schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Greg's story is inspiring and his work has had an amazing effect on the students in these poor villages. Check out his web site or donate a few pennies to Pennies for Peace. If you buy the book on Amazon, some of the money will go to the organization. It's worth it. This is one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.