“The first tip-off that Greg Mortenson’s memoir Three Cups of Tea has some credibility issues comes in the book’s introduction. Co-author David Oliver Relin writes that as Mortenson is flying over Pakistan, the helicopter pilot marvels to Mortenson, ‘I’ve been flying in northern Pakistan for 40 years. How is it you know the terrain better than me?’
The pilot also confides, ‘Flying with President Musharraf, I’ve become acquainted with many world leaders, many outstanding gentlemen and ladies. But I think Greg Mortenson is the most remarkable person I’ve ever met.’
People don’t talk like that. Books don’t lead with that level of self-aggrandizement. Unless they want to induct you into a cult.” Read this review by Debra J. Saunders here.
Greg Mortenson (ELCA Lutheran) has been the subject of recent exposes by CBS 60 Minutes (here) and by Jon Krakauer, former benefactor and author of Three Cups of Deceit.
We wrote “Greg Mortenson’s Own Cup of Tea” in 2008. This article is posted at this website under Major Theological Issues and then under Islam.