“One or Two Lumps, Mr. Mortenson?”
In Three Cups of Deceit, Jon Krakauer alleges that humanitarian Greg Mortenson bent the truth about certain events in his bestselling memoirs Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools and furthermore, that his charity, the Central Asia Institute, is not exactly what it seems. Mortenson, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, has gained global recognition for risking his life to bring education to women in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. His memoirs kept countless middle-class book clubs enthralled while the military made his books required reading.
Watch CBS's 60 Minutes episode that broke the story. Read about the allegations here. Krakauer, who was working on his own investigation, was interviewed by 60 Minutes. The author of Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven, Into the Wild, and Where Men Win Glory is no stranger to controversy – his books deal with difficult topics and with subjects living on the edge.
Read the Daily Mail article which includes Mortenson's response to Krakauer. Mortenson has his defenders: his mountain-climbing friend, Scott Darsney, responds.
Mortenson is also reported to be facing a class action lawsuit. Read the article in the Wall Street Journal on the recent rash of class action suits from readers against authors for 'misleading' them. (Good thing the villagers didn't know they could sue the pants off Copernicus for the innaccuracies in his de revolutionibus orbium coelstium).
In the end, these allegations are a matter for the courts to decide – but in the meantime, both Mortenson and Krakauer make for excellent reading:
5 thoughts on ““One or Two Lumps, Mr. Mortenson?””
Interesting news. Thanks!
Also of interest: Mortenson visited the Toronto Public Library last year. Here is the video recording of his talk at the Appel Salon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxZ7g6X2W0E
I read somewhere that both Krakauer and Mortenson are mountain climbers – and that is how Krakauer initially met Mortenson. Although I doubt they will climbing buddies in the near future…..”Hey, Greg – can you double-check the knot in my line?”) 🙂
Dear me! Was Mortenson ever on Oprah?
He was one of Oprah’s “angels.”
http://oprahsangelnetwork.org/stories/602-laying-a-foundation-for-peace
Remember what she did to James Frey, author of “A Million Little Pieces?”
So much interesting information, packed into such a concise, attractive post. Great links. A fascinating story. Thanks, Viveca!