The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf |
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:19 AM PDT Questions about the authenticity of the bestselling non-fiction novel Three Cups Of Tea have been swirling since April. This book looks into the issues and saddens our reviewer with its convincing arguments that a man hailed as a humanitarian hero has feet of clay. THREE Cups Of Deceit is an expose of Greg Mortenson, a humanitarian crusader whose work in building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan has brought him international recognition, including praise (and donations) from US President Barack Obama and three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. The organisation that fronts this work is CAI, the Central Asia Institute, a body that has handled many millions of dollars donated by devotees of Mortenson's bestselling, swashbuckling accounts of how he found his mission in life, Three Cups Of Tea and Stones Into Schools. His profile, and funding, have been further raised by his charismatic personal appearances to huge crowds of donating fans. According to Mortenson, this money has been used to build schools in remote areas of Taliban territory in Afghanistan where the alternative to his schools is fundamentalist indoctrination. He sits, he argues, on the frontline of anti-terrorism. But according to Jon Krakauer, Mortenson's books are a disturbing mix of fact and fiction and much of the money donated to CAI has funded Mortenson's lavish lifestyle and directly or indirectly lined his pockets (Cups Of Trouble, Reads, April 24). Even Krakauer concedes that Mortenson has done some good work and it is worth quoting this before the caveats begin. "In all fairness, Greg Mortenson has done much that is admirable since he began working in Baltistan sixteen and half years ago. He's been a tireless advocate for girls' education. "He's established dozens of schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan that have benefited tens of thousands of children, a significant percentage of them girls." Given that this is an accomplishment far greater than most people could ever dream of and considerably more than many charitable organisations manage to achieve, it seems fair to ask what all the fuss is about. Who cares about the inaccuracies in his stories or if he hires too many private jets, the man gets things done! That's a beguiling response but it is, of course, deeply flawed. The problem is, CAI has been built on the image of Mortenson, and if that image is seen to be less than squeaky clean then the work of CAI is inevitably going to be called into question. Krakauer provides compelling evidence that for CAI's mission to continue it will need to part company from the man who initiated it. The charges against Mortenson are threefold. Firstly, his account of how he came to be involved in Pakistan is suspect. He claims that he became separated from his porter on his descent from an unsuccessful attempt on the summit of K2 and stumbled into the village of Korphe. There he met Haji Ali, the village chieftain, who cared for him until he recovered his strength. In return, Mortenson promised him a school. All of this is told in Three Cups Of Tea, a third person narrative in which Mortenson is presented as a Himalayan version of Indiana Jones. It appears that almost none of this is accurate and a number of other events are also in dispute, including his account of being captured by the Taliban and held prisoner at gunpoint. Three Cups Of Tea is a ripping yarn and like most ripping yarns it is economical with the truth. Does that matter? Well, it does if you then repeat this inaccurate version of events in all of your public presentations and raise millions of dollars on the back of it. Krakauer's second and third main charges are arguably two sides of the same coin. In essence, they are that Mortenson sees himself as accountable to no-one and runs CAI as his personal empire. The lack of clear and detailed information about CAI's activities and its finances extends to questioning how many schools have actually been built, where, and to what extent they are operating as schools with proper teachers and pupils. Arguably, these are far more serious charges than the fictionalising and romanticising of his own life story. Krakauer provides convincing evidence of financial irregularities that have since led to lawsuits from American legislators and possible investigations into Mortenson's tax affairs. Specifically, CAI funds have been used to promote his books and pay his excessive travel expenses, both of which amounted to in excess of a million dollars in 2009. Shockingly, there appear to be no records that CAI received any royalty payments from the heavily advertised books or any fees from the speaking engagements. Ultimately, this is a sad book. It is impossible to finish it without believing that something is seriously amiss at CAI and that Mortenson is at the heart of its troubles, just as he was at the heart of its success. Krakauer was a donor to CAI because he believed in its cause. Most readers of Three Cups Of Deceit will also be believers and will share his intense disappointment that work that should have been purely noble and uplifting has once again been besmirched by the ugly side of the human ego. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Only Time Will Tell: Good storytelling Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:16 AM PDT LET me warn you first: if you like novels with tidy endings, this might not be the book for you. It ends with a huge cliffhanger, because Only Time Will Tell is the first in a five-part series, the Clifton Chronicles, about the life and times of one Harry Clifton. While the question of who is Harry's father doesn't matter during his early years, the question of how Arthur dies when Harry is still a baby remains a huge mystery, especially to Harry. Growing up around the Bristol docks, he is all set to follow in his late dad's footsteps as a dock worker, but destiny has other plans for him. In church, he is discovered to have a beautiful singing voice – a gift that enables him to win a choral scholarship to a private boarding school, where he meets his best friend, Giles Barrington, son of Hugo. Hugo, who might have been involved in Arthur's death, puzzles both his own family and Harry with his cold and unreasonably rude treatment of his son's best friend. Then, the question of who fathered Harry comes back to haunt everyone involved when Harry falls in love and wants to get married. The fallout from that secret takes us to the start of WWII, and a dramatic (unresolved!) end to the book. The story is told from the perspective of various people in Harry's life, including Maisie, Hugo, Giles, Harry's mentor and friend Old Jack Tar, and Harry himself. Author Jeffrey Archer alternates between first person accounts and the third person voice, which may sound confusing, but is actually executed in quite a straightforward manner. There's even a change in font to assist readers in differentiating when the story is being told from a character's personal point of view, and when it is being told in the third person. While I don't see how this technique helps to drive the story forward, it doesn't affect the narrative in a negative manner either, so I can live with it. Although the time period of the various characters' narratives overlap a lot, Archer has successfully made each character's story a different part of the narrative of Harry's life, providing a way to explain various factors impacting on Harry that he himself would be unaware of. The supporting characters are well developed and interesting in themselves, particularly the strong and resolute Maisie, who is determined to give Harry the best education possible despite the financial difficulties she faces, and the seemingly eccentric Old Jack Tar, who is much more than meets the eye. While this is the first time Archer has intentionally set out to write a series – most of his novels are standalones, or started out as standalones, at least – the plot is classic Archer. Fans should not be surprised to see familiar elements from other Archer novels in this book. But excepting the possible turn-off factor of predictability, those who enjoy his style of writing should enjoy the book nonetheless. I definitely found it much better than the last novel of his I read, False Impressions, and on par with his earlier novels, which I enjoyed. Recommended for an interesting weekend read, with drama and good storytelling along the way. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:14 AM PDT The Sweetest Thing IN the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she's decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mum ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant than looking after her, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable. But Sheridan is convinced finding her mum will solve all her problems – only her dad's about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed. Dead Rules JANA Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever. But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch. But Jana has no room for Mars. She's sure Michael will rush to her side soon. However, things aren't going according to plan, so Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true – no matter what rules she has to break. Drought RUBY dreams of escaping the Congregation – escaping from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers; escaping from the backbreaking work of gathering Water; escaping from living as if it is still 1812, the year they were all enslaved. When Ruby meets Ford, she longs to run away with him to the modern world, where she can live like a normal teenager. But if Ruby leaves, her community is condemned to certain death. She alone possesses the secret ingredient that makes the Water so special – her blood – and it's the one thing that the Congregation cannot live without. The School For The Insanely Gifted Daphna Whispers is insanely gifted. At age two-and-a-half, she composed her first sonata. At age eight, she completed an opera. And now, at 11 and three-quarters, she is orchestrating a piano rhapsody. With a resume like that, it's no wonder Daphna is a student at the prestigious Blatt School for the Insanely Gifted! But as sixth grade draws to a close, her mind is far from the upcoming "Insanity Cup" competition. She's preoccupied by her mother's disappearance two months ago. Daphna is convinced that her mother knew something and while she hopes to find her, the last thing she expects to uncover is an outrageous secret about the Blatt School. And one insanely shocking secret about herself. Tumford The Terrible TUMFORD isn't really a terrible cat. He just has a way of finding mischief – like tracking dirt into the house and disrupting fancy parties. But even though he feels bad, he has a hard time saying, "I'm sorry". Will his owners' love for him help Tummy say the magic words? The Loud Book JUST like there are lots of "quiets", there are also lots of "louds", and the gang from The Quiet Book is back to share them with you. The Loud Book compiles loud, kid-friendly noises from morning to night, in a way that is sure to make readers CHEER! The World Champion Of Staying Awake IT'S time for Stella to go to bed. But how can she sleep when Thunderbolt the puppet mouse, and Beanbag Frog are wide awake? And Cherry Pig is shouting, "I'm the world champion of staying awake!" Luckily Stella is good at thinking up ways to get her toys to sleep – by taking them on a sailing Pillow Ship, a shoebox Midnight Train, and a toy-basket Starship Balloon. The Boy Who Could Fly A YOUNG boy lives in an orphanage that is completely surrounded by a thick wall. Every day, he wishes he were free. He wishes he had a new life. And then he meets the loblolly boy, who is strange, mysterious and who promises the young boy that he can teach him how to fly – as he himself can, with his green, feathery wings. In teaching the boy how to fly, however, the loblolly boy has made an Exchange – he switches places with the orphan. Now the young boy is free and the loblolly boy is "real". The young boy rejoices in his freedom until he realises the price he has paid and soon sets out to make his own Exchange – but at what cost? Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
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