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5 reasons to be outraged by the Lonely Planet fraud
We reported earlier today on a Lonely Planet writer named Thomas Kohnstamm who admitted to making up large parts of his books, and also said that he had never even been to Colombia, a country he covered for the guidebook series. In case this guy's behavior hasn't already pissed you off, here's five reasons why it should.
5. His sickening sense of entitlement. Kohnstamm's complaint that LP doesn't pay its writers enough might be well-founded. I've certainly never seen any of the guidebook writers I know driving Ferraris or polishing their bling. But to sabotage your employer because you believe you're underpaid is stupid. There are literally thousands of people who would love to write for LP, and I'm sure no one was holding a gun to this guy's head to write these guidebooks. If he didn't like the terms of employment, he should have quit and let LP find somebody else. It wouldn't be hard.
4. His shameless self-promotion. In an amazing coincidence, Kohnstamm is set to release a new book next week called Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?: A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism. The book, from what I can tell, is the story of how Kohnstamm manages to embody every bad stereotype about travelers there is, and he comes off sounding like a complete boor who's just dying to tell the world about his unbelievably cool life. Here's an excerpt:
"The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight. We end up having sex in a chair and then on one of the tables in the back corner. I pen a note in my Moleskine that I will later recount in the guidebook review, saying that the restaurant 'is a pleasant surprise . . . and the table service is friendly.'"
You had sex with a girl? In a foreign country?! Cool!
It's worth mentioning that his shameless self-promotion is working. News outlets like CNN, Reuters, and many others have picked up the story, always including the name of his new book in their articles. And there's a picture of it above. More proof that the most effective kind of self-promotion is the purely shameless variety.
3. He undoubtedly led travelers astray. LP reps say they haven't found any mistakes in Kohnstamm's books yet. Well, keep looking. Kohnstamm claims he made up large parts of his books, so it's likely there are quite a few inaccuracies to be found. Tellingly, the author never appears to consider that people are counting on the schedules and recommendations he's supposed to provide.
Spending the night in a train station because your guidebook messed up the departure times is far from the end of the world. But it also shouldn't be written off as simply "part of the experience," especially if it could be easily avoided.
2. He regards the whole affair as a harmless college prank. In his interview with an Australian newspaper, Kohnstamm makes sure to bash LP, but he never apologizes to his readers. Worse, he seems to view his "questionable ethics" as being a real riot, merely fodder for his next book and nothing more.
1. He gives a bad name to all the other Lonely Planet writers out there. As Matthew Firestone, a Gadling contributor and LP writer, said in the comments of our earlier post, this writer's behavior reflects very poorly on those guidebook writers who tirelessly pound the pavement to check train schedules, review restaurants, and sleep in seedy hostels. If Kohnstamm believes his actions only hurt himself, or his Lonely Planet publisher, he's dead wrong. His unethical behavior will cause travelers to cast suspicious glances at other guidebook writers, almost all of whom work their asses off.
For more, check out Eva Holland's article over on Brave New Traveler.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Colombia, Books, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Eva Apr 13th 2008 3:50PM
God. That excerpt reads like a scene from a bad porno: Travel writer finishes doing random foreign girl, then rolls over and pulls out his Moleskine. Chews on end of pen for a moment. "Hmm... restaurant was... a pleasant surprise." Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Yeesh.
Kay Apr 13th 2008 5:21PM
Thanks for the warning... surely will bypass his bullshit...Oh, I mean his book.
Dick Apr 13th 2008 5:12PM
Sex with an unknown woman in foreign country? Stupid!
Carl Apr 13th 2008 6:39PM
Well, if there is anything he is good at... it's burning bridges in the travel writing industry.
The guy is a wannabe Hunter S. Thompson. His blog even references Thompson, he mentions reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for inspiration while writing this book.
The guy comes across as a frat boy prick to me.
kobus Apr 16th 2008 12:02AM
Just got back from Costa Rica where I used the latest Costa Rica LP- wouldn't be surprised if this guy's friend wrote it. The addresses and prices were all inaccurate- a recommended bar turned out to be a gathering place for old foreign sex tourists, a recommended restaurant was on the other side of town than the listed address said (extra $5 cab ride), and a popular hot springs was THREE TIMES the listed price ($75 not $25).
Even worse is the LP Guatemala- found out that the editor's primary job is selling advertising for Guatemalan tourism companies in his magazine XelaWho- hardly an "independent source" reflecting the perspective of an average traveler. He left out the lots of budget hostels, including the largest in Quetzaltenango and a major trekking company there- from what I hear "because he didn't approve of them".
LP is a mess- don't trust them in Central America. Use the Rough Guide instead.
Felipe Apr 20th 2008 8:34PM
You have a problem with the author of the Guatemala guide not recommending places he doesn't approve of? Isn't that what he is supposed to do? Would it be better for him to recommend them and have you complain later that you didn't like his recommendations?
Tim Patterson Apr 13th 2008 8:10PM
It's always the nice looking boys from liberal arts schools in New England who you have to watch out for...
Matt Apr 13th 2008 10:29PM
I happen to have read an excerpt of the book, and the reviews have missed the entire point of the story. The point of the story is not about plagarizing. It is about the fact that with the impossible deadlines and the impossibly low pay, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any travel writer to visit and review all of the places he must review. He never made stuff up, he just had to depend on phone calls and emails to do reviews that he could not physically do himself. Why don't we all try reading the book before we judge this guy based on a couple stories on the web? He said himself he still travels with a Lonely Planet book whenever he goes anywhere becuase it is still the best book out there.
Raf Apr 14th 2008 4:31AM
I'm sure he does. Just not any LP guide with anything HE wrote.
Julie Apr 14th 2008 1:57PM
In response to Matt's comment that it's impossible to visit every place in a guide book:
While your observation may be technically true, then the guide book writer and his/her employer--whether it's LP or some two bit website--has the obligation to note what places were visited and which weren't when the guide was "updated."
I met a guide book writer in Puerto Rico who wasn't skipping places because it was impossible to visit every place-- but because he CHOSE to use his allotted time in the country in such a way that he got maximum enjoyment out of the experience for himself rather than fulfilling the terms of the contract for which he was paid. He freely and gleefully admitted to me--a perfect stranger--that he was dancing and drinking his time away (and wheedling free meals out of restaurants and plush beds out of luxe hotels) because the mere thought of driving to the west coast or visiting the rainforest one more time ("Nothing could have changed there!" he said)was just too overwhelming for him to bear.
MILLIONS of people around the world are paid peanuts for work that's worth a lot more. That doesn't mean that they should be pardoned for doing a half-assed job. And they certainly shouldn't be glorified for it.
stapaulova Apr 13th 2008 11:02PM
What demographic is this book aimed at? LP Guidebook users? Somehow I doubt they'll be interested in shelling out to read about how the previous books they bought were falsified. And who else would care? Why would anyone pay one cent to read about an average-looking twentysomething's backpacking trips, regardless of how much he earned while doing it?
Matthew Firestone Apr 13th 2008 11:38PM
Thanks for the positive post, and I do appreciate the nod - currently on assignment here in Jordan for Lonely Planet, and I can assure you that fact-checking bus tables and sleeping in fluorescent-lit concrete cubicles isn't nearly as glamourous as it's made out to be!
Raf Apr 14th 2008 5:13AM
As a traveler to relies on such bus tables in planning out my travels, I salute your hard work & honesty. You, unlike Mr Kohnstamm realize that fellow travelers rely on what you write. You do not treat your work as a joke. Thank you for that.
Molly Apr 14th 2008 4:42PM
I am outraged! What I don't get is why on earth would this dude keep up travel guidebook writing for this long if he had such a distaste for it? Like Aaron says, "There are literally thousands of people who would love to write for LP.." It really makes me sick that he didn't just step back and give everyone else a chance. Instead, he is now getting exactly what he wanted: lots and lots of publicity. He is hoping to use his book o' complaints to earn him the money he feels like he never earned while travel writing. Just check out his myspace page, what a cocky dude. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=43567144
The thing is that there are so many careers out there that have a pay unequal to the work required, but people do those jobs because of the passion. I have a friend who has found a cool guide book and website to work for (www.vivatravelguides.com). She spent the last six months in Colombia, not having sex with waiters after restaurants closed.
thomas kohnstamm Apr 15th 2008 2:51AM
Aaron,
you should consider contacting me or reading my book before writing such inflammatory things based off of rumors and second-hand sensational newspaper articles (CNN should consider doing the same).
The journalistic integrity that you espouse should require you to do that sort of real research before slandering someone.
Please email me through my site. I will also send you a book.
Olivia Giovetti Apr 15th 2008 11:36AM
"God. That excerpt reads like a scene from a bad porno: Travel writer finishes doing random foreign girl, then rolls over and pulls out his Moleskine. Chews on end of pen for a moment. "Hmm... restaurant was... a pleasant surprise." Wink wink, nudge nudge."
It sounds like a bad episode of Sex and the City. Except it's a city that the writer never visited.
autotronic Apr 16th 2008 10:49AM
As a travel and automotive photojournalist, and someone who edits my own automotive travel-focused web site, all I can say is that I was appalled three weeks ago when I read a short interview given by Mr. Kohnstamm to Outside magazine in its April issue. It struck me as odd that a respected publication such as Outside would publicize a book written by an admitted plagiarist. But I soon forgot about it. Then as the storm expanded this past weekend with the release of the book now imminent I felt compelled to comment. But rather than just doing it here, where just about everything has been said about Mr. Kohnstamm's activities within the context of our community, I decided to do it on my own web site this morning and hope that anyone reading this will visit automotivetraveler.com and leave your own comments on my "Buyer Beware" blog in the hope that a wider sphere of potential buyers will be warned about this train wreck of a book. The only way that we in the writing community can stop this book from being successful is to warn others about it. For those of us who take our craft seriously, that enjoy travel and sharing our adventures and experiences with others, seeing that Mr. Kohnstamm is not rewarded for his deceit is all that we can do.
Troy Apr 18th 2008 3:30AM
We can get surprised, we can be shocked by such admissions, but it raises some good questions. Are guidebooks so necessary when traveling? It never ceases to amaze me when I come across people actually arguing with hotel owners across the world that the price they are charging to stay is wrong, as it says differently in the LP! The LP itself has a disclaimer in the front of their books along the lines of prices change etc. Drop the guidebooks for awhile and travel deeper rather than further. www.troyshouse.blogspot.com
John Apr 19th 2008 6:45PM
After reading the LP guide for my home town Boston I wouldn't trust them to give me the righ time of day.
Bjørn Clasen Apr 22nd 2008 9:26AM
It is amazing — and scary — that so many people can have such strong opinions on a book they have not even read!
I myself immediately pre-ordered the book (release date today!, at least in Europe) as I would like to try making a living by being a travel writer myself, and as I think Lonely Planet does set the standard for guidebooks (with a few exceptions such as 'Portugal' and 'Iceland, Greenland and Faroe Islands').
So I want to make my own opinion. And this, I can only do by actually reading the book. Not just by judging on the different opinions on websites and in fora like this one.
Besides — Gadling.com got itself quite a few new readers on this whole 'case' too, didn't you!?!