Christa's Necklace
The Most Influential Piece of Amber since Jurassic ParkThis small necklace of amber beads belonged to Mortenson's sister, Christa. She develops a severe case of meningitis, which eventually takes h...
Wahhabi Madrassa
Killer BeesThe Wahhabi madrassas emerge late in the book to serve as a contrast to the schools Mortenson is building. Even though the mindset is usually education = good, in this case, the educatio...
Gas Station
Feeling GassyA gas station pops up three pivotal times on Mortenson's journey. When you think about it, we're surprised he didn't have more than three fateful encounters at a gas station—he's tra...