Three Cups of Deceit

Three Cups of Deceit

Jon Krakauer2018
Greg Mortenson, the bestselling author of Three Cups of Tea, is a man who has built a global reputation as a selfless humanitarian and children’s crusader, and he’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But, as Jon Krakauer demonstrates in this extensively researched and penetrating book, he is not all that he appears to be. Based on wide-ranging interviews with former employees, board members, and others who have intimate knowledge of Mortenson and his charity, the Central Asia Institute, Three Cups of Deceit uncovers multiple layers of deception behind Mortenson’s public image. Was his crusade really inspired by a desire to repay the kindness of villagers who nursed him back to health when he became lost on his descent down K2? Was he abducted and held for eight days by the Taliban? Has his charity built all of the schools that he has claimed? This book is a passionately argued plea for the truth, and a tragic tale of good intentions gone very wrong. 100% of Jon Krakauer’s proceeds from the sale of Three Cups of Deceit will be donated to the “Stop Girl Trafficking” project at the American Himalayan Foundation (www.himalayan-foundation.org/live/project/stopgirltrafficking).
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Reviews

Photo of Lewis John Fisher
Lewis John Fisher@lewisfishr
5 stars
Dec 13, 2021

what a brilliant piece of investigative journalism by the master himself.

Photo of Danica Holdaway
Danica Holdaway@dholdy
2 stars
Oct 29, 2021

Did not love it. I believe Krakauer to be a bit of a sensationalist and and irresponsible journalist. However, I do believe that Mortensen lied and misused his foundation, which deserves some responsibility. This is definitely not a fun read, or very uplifting, but it does raise some questions about the transparency of philanthropic endeavors.

Photo of Mahasin S Ameen
Mahasin S Ameen@fivefootsmall
4 stars
Sep 14, 2021

Krakauer is a master story teller who does his research, cites sources and quotes. This book is shorter than his usual ones but it's still a worthwhile read, especially for those of you who read Three Cups of Tea, or who like the fact that Krakauer is so petty he'd write an entire book on how a former friend ended up misappropriating non-profit funds and lying about events to sell books.

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Martha F.@marthaq
4 stars
Mar 6, 2024
Photo of Erik Wallace
Erik Wallace@erikwallace
3 stars
Jul 26, 2023
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Alianor Chapman@peachesjuleps
4 stars
Mar 31, 2022
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✨Tyler ✨@timecompactor
3 stars
Mar 17, 2022
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Angelo Zinna@angelozinna
4 stars
Jan 28, 2022
Photo of Dustin Wyse-Fisher
Dustin Wyse-Fisher@dwysefisher
3 stars
Jul 26, 2021