Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

.....as meticulous as Jon Krakauer is in detailing where Greg Mortenson's account of his work in Afghanistan and Pakistan is shot full of holes, it's still best to read THREE CUPS OF DECEIT in tandem with Mortenson's own response to Krakauer's charges (which is in an interview with OUTSIDE magazine) and the response to Krakauer by Scott Darnsey, Mortenson's climbing partner back in the '90s when this all began (also in an interview with OUTSIDE). I suggest reading those as well NOT because they counteract the charge that Mortenson's story has problems---they don't really---but to have their perspective in addition to Krakauer's to then decide for yourself whether this was indeed a hustle by a shrewd con-man or a series of blunders made by a well-intentioned and dedicated man that ultimately undercut his achievements. I tend to be more convinced by Krakauer's reporting precisely because he does what Mortenson does not, namely SPECIFICALLY citing his sources. But even with the bloom off Mortenson's rose, I am not totally convinced that this was intended to be a hustle. Or, more accurately I suppose, I'd hate to have to come to that conclusion, though ultimately I may. There is a cautionary moral to be drawn from all this, though: If you're going to go high-profile in promoting an agenda, you'd BETTER be prepared to be scrutinized and accountable for all that you do---especially when using other people's money.