I found the book to be inspiring. It isn't a book about Mortenson's courage or ingenuity, though both of these things come through. It is more a book about how to go about peace through acts of grace. His ideas about promoting peace through education and other aide strike a deep cord in our modern self centered world. The book is also about a life and what turns it has taken. It is in every sense a "hero's" journey, though I strongly believe Mortenson would disagree with the title. In as much as all of us have choices to make and may either leave a positive mark or vanish without legacy, this book inspires us to take up the journey and face the challenges along the way with persistence and single minded determination.