Mortenson book fabrication claims NEWS
Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea is being 'reviewed' by the book's publisher following claims part of the memoir was fabricated.
US news programme 60 Minutes has said Three Cups of Tea is filled with inaccuracies and challenges its authenticity.
60 Minutes report Mortenson's charitable group Central Asia Institute (CAI) took credit for building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan which do not exist, it also reports that Mortenson uses CAI as his 'private ATM'.
Three Cups of Tea was published by Viking in 2006 and describes how Mortenson got lost while in the northern Pakistan wilderness, only to be helped by residents of a remote village. Mortenson was apparently so overwhelmed by the kindness of those who rescued him that it inspired him to build a school for the villagers.
Viking spokeswoman Carolyn Coleburn said in a statement: '60 Minutes is a serious news organisation and in the wake of their report, Viking plans to carefully review the material with the author.'
Mortenson strongly denies the allegations and said in an interview with the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that he hoped 60 Minutes' makers 'know this could be devastating for tens of thousands of girls' and has accused them of creating the report in order to win awards.
The 60 Minutes report claimed porters who accompanied Mr Motenson have said he did not visit the village until a year later than he said he had.
Mortenson said the porters' claims could be due to Balti people having 'a completely different notion about time.'
The CAI has answered questions raised by the programme in an official statement posted on its website.
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