Another silly lawsuit against Greg Mortenson over 'Three Cups of Tea'

Greg Mortenson wrote two books about his efforts to build schools in remote parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Many people read the books, both bestsellers; some were moved by them. Were these people duped?

That's what a Chicago judge will have to decide.

On Wednesday, personal injury lawyers filed suit, described by the Daily Beast: it "names Mortenson, his coauthor, David Oliver Relin, and Penguin, publisher of the book. The suit claims that Mortenson 'captured the hearts and minds of Plaintiff and book lovers nationwide, duping them into buying 'Three Cups of Tea.'"

This is not the first lawsuit over Mortenson's books to surface since revelations were made in April about elements of his story.

It all started when "60 Minutes" broadcast a show that raised questions about Mortenson's charity, the Central Asia Institute, in which one expert said it spent less money building international schools than to promotional efforts for Mortenson and his books. That was immediately followed by a long expose by writer John Krakauer, "Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way," which included interviews with people who knew Mortenson and who said his written accounts were inaccurate. 

Without a doubt, the questions raised by these investigations are significant. Mortenson has been a very successful philanthropist, raising money for his work abroad; questions about how that money has been spent are serious.

But when it comes to reading, the claims seem, well, silly. Enticing readers to purchase a book is something all publishers do all the time. Book covers make all kinds of titillating pronouncements, such as "Immensely powerful, beautiful, addictive, and yes, incredibly thrilling..." ("The Wave" by Susan Casey"); "If publishers could figure out a way to turn crack into a book, it'd read a lot like this" ("Anthropology of an American Girl" by Hilary Thayer Hamann). Did the readers of these books file lawsuits if they were not addicted to Casey's book, or find themselves drawn to Hamann's like crack fiends?

Of course not.

Valid questions about Mortenson's charitable work should not be conflated with personal injury lawsuits. Readers who were disappointed in "Three Cups of Tea" will likely find themselves like any other disappointed reader -- learning that you can't judge a book by its cover.

RELATED:

Investigation throws "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson's charity work into doubt

Greg Mortenson responds to "60 Minutes" questions about his "Three Cups of Tea" story

The latest in the Greg Mortenson contoversy: his climbing partner responds

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Comments

[zygion]

"The suit claims that Mortenson 'captured the hearts and minds of Plaintiff and book lovers nationwide, duping them into buying 'Three Cups of Tea.'"

This is outrageous. The sense of entitlement in this country is shocking.

[Susan Hale Whitmore]

Throughout this melee, I have pined for sanity amongst the populace, as in:

>innocent until proven guilty (by the law, not the commenters),
>let's keep things in perspective,
>wait until the Montana AG's report is out,
>wait until Mr. Mortenson has recovered from his surgery, and
>let's all listen first, then decide how it affects each of us individually.

THANK YOU for helping to fulfill my dream!!

AND for starting a drum roll against these personal-injury scroungers.

[Stranger]

It's not the fact that Mortenson was able to get people to read and buy his books... it's the fact that these books were supposed to be factual and that the work he has claimed to do in the books has turned out to not be the actual work of his organization.

[sam carpenter]

OK. I get it: Anyone can misrepresent facts without consequence as long as it's done in a book and it's by a philanthropist. Classic left-wing logic.

[A writer]

Of course books are hyped as are most of what is offered to consumers: food, drugs, entertainment, real estate, politicians, etc. But when it comes to books I believe a line is crossed when a book is offered as "nonfiction" when it is loaded with made-up significant events. That, to my way os resoning, is consumer fraud. Many memoirs, I have discovered, ought to have been marketed as "Fictional Memoir." Entertaining reading but honest.

[Dilip]

Well, if manufacturers can be forced to recall cars, prescription drugs and other consumer goods, there is no reason why Penguin, publisher of Mortenson books, should not do the same. I, for one, bought multiple copies of the book (to read and to gift) because I thought my money was going to a worthy cause. I do feel duped.