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Apr-14-2008Lonely Planet rejects author's claim he made up parts of books(topic overview)
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THE Lonely Planet guidebook empire is reeling from claims by one of its authors that he plagiarised and made up large sections of his books and dealt drugs to make up for poor pay. Thomas Kohnstamm also claims in a book that he accepted free travel, in contravention of the Melbourne-based company's policy. His revelations have rocked the travel publisher, which sells more than six million guides a year - guides that generations of tourists have come to rely on. Mr Kohnstamm, whose book is titled Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? said yesterday that he had worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including their titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, South America, Venezuela and Chile. In one case, he said he had not even visited the country he wrote about. "They didn't pay me enough to go Colombia," he said. [1] THE Lonely Planet guidebook empire is reeling after one of its authors claims he plagiarised and made up sections of his books and dealt drugs to make up for poor pay. Thomas Kohnstamm, whose explosive new book Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? is out this month, claims to have also accepted freebies in contravention of the Melbourne-based company's policies forbidding them. Mr Kohnstamm told the Sunday Herald Sun yesterday he had worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including their titles on Brazil, Columbia, the Caribbean, South America, Venezuela and Chile. In one case he said he had not even visited the country he had written about. "They didn't pay me enough to go to Columbia," he said.[2]
The Lonely Planet guidebooks sell more than six million copies a year. The Sunday Telegraph said Kohnstamm also claims in his new book "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?" that he accepted free travel, contravening company policy. He said in one case he had not even visited the country he wrote about. "They didn't pay me enough to go to Colombia.[3]
SYDNEY, April 13 (UPI) -- "Lonely Planet" writer Thomas Kohnstamm has revealed he provided the Australian guidebook group with fictional tales of his travel exploits. The Sunday Telegraph reported Kohnstamm maintains he not only made up significant portions of his "Planet" works but sold drugs to earn extra money while working for the travel publisher. In his book, "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?," Kohnstamm details how he allegedly would fabricate information on travel destinations rather than actually visit them. "They didn't pay me enough to go Colombia," he wrote in the book about one of his allegedly fabricated journeys.[4] Lonely Planet is reviewing the books that author Thomas Kohnstamm contributed to but has so far found nothing inaccurate, said Piers Pickard, Lonely Planets guide book publisher. He said Lonely Planets reputation was built on the integrity of its books and any inaccuracies would be quickly fixed. Australias Herald Sun and Sunday Telegraph newspapers reported Kohnstamms claims that he made up parts of the books he wrote, lifted information from other publications and accepted gifts in contravention of Lonely Planets policies. He also said he did not visit one of the countries he wrote about. "They didnt pay me enough to go to Colombia," Kohnstamm was quoted as saying.[5] Popular guide book giant Lonely Planet has suffered a severe blow to its credibility, with one of its authors admitting to plagiarising and making up huge slabs of his books. Thomas Kohnstamm, who worked on more than a dozen guide books for the publisher, has even admitted that he didn't visit one of the countries he wrote about, saying he worked on the book about Colombia from his U.S. home. "They didn't pay me enough to go (to) Colombia," News Ltd newspapers reported him saying.[6]
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - An author for the Lonely Planet travel guidebook series has claimed that he plagiarized and made up large sections of his books, an Australian newspaper reported on Sunday. Author Thomas Kohnstamm told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper he had worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including their titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, South America, Venezuela and Chile.[3] Lonely Planet guidebook empire is reeling from claims by one of its authors that he plagiarised and made up large sections of his books and dealt drugs to make up for poor pay. Thomas Kohnstamm also claims in a book that he accepted free travel, in contravention of the Melbourne-based company\'s policy. His revelations have rocked the travel publisher, which sells more than six million guides a year - guides that generations of tourists have come to rely on.[1] Guide book giant Lonely Planet has been hit by claims by one of its authors that he made up sections of particular books and plagiarised others, The Sunday Herald Sun reports. Thomas Kohnstamm, who wrote sections in over ten Lonely Planet books including South America, Columbia, Brazil, Venezuela, Chile and the Caribbean, told the paper that he also accepted gifts despite the company's policies against authors receiving complimentary items. Mr Kohnstamm told the paper that he was not paid enough to go to Columbia and instead wrote the book from the U.S. using information from "a chick" he was dating at the time who worked in Columbia.[7] "I got the information from a chick I was dating -- an intern in the Colombian Consulate." The 32-year-old Seattle, Washington, native also claims he accepted free travel, which is a violation of the company's policy. Kohnstamm has worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including its titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Chile and South America.[8] I got the information from a chick I was dating who was an intern in the Colombian consulate." Pickard said Kohnstamm's claim about the book on Colombia were "disingenuous" because he was hired to write about the country's history, not to travel there to review accommodation and restaurants. That work was done by two other authors.[9]
I wrote the book in San Francisco California. I got the information from a chick I was dating - an intern in the Colombian Consulate," he said. The company now says it is undertaking investigations into Mr Kohnstamm's writing, and will check it's accuracy.[10]
I got the information from a chick I was dating -- an intern at the Colombian consulate," the newspaper quoted Kohnstamm as saying.[3]
I got the information from a chick I was dating - an intern in the Colombian Consulate. "They don't pay enough for what they expect the authors to do." He also claimed to have accepted free travel, breaking the publisher's policy aimed at maintaining the independence of its authors.[6] How did Kohnstamm write the Colombia guidebook without visiting the country first? "I got the information from a chick I was dating-- an intern at the Colombian consulate," says Kohnstamm. "They didn't pay me enough to go to Colombia.[11]
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. 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.[12] Most people who have taken guidebooks on the road realize that they're bound to contain a few inaccuracies. An Australian newspaper reported this weekend that a Lonely Planet guidebook writer named Thomas Kohnstamm has admitted to fabricating large parts of his books. The writer even copped to not having actually visited Colombia, a country he covered for the well-known guidebook publisher.[11]
Lonely Planet is reeling from the news one of it's writers made up and plagiarised a number of his reviews for the company. The travel book publisher says it is now undertaking a review into the writers contributions to check their accuracy. Thomas Kohnstamm told News Limited newspapers at the weekend that he often did not travel to intended destinations because the pay wasn't high enough - adding that he often supplemented this with drug dealing.[10] Modern guide books like to portray themselves as the definitive source of information on how holidaymakers can enjoy themselves in far-flung corners of the globe without damaging the environment or upsetting local people. In a warts-and-all account of how he came to write Lonely Planet's guide to Brazil, the American writer Thomas Kohnstamm has revealed a world where good reviews may be exchanged for sex or a free room for the night, and decisions on which restaurants to include are dependent on the whims of a hard-up author without time to check the details. In Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?, Mr Kohnstamm, 32, discloses that there was nothing lonely about his three years travelling through Latin America, working on a dozen different titles. "The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight," he writes.[13] Lonely Planet bosses are not amused. Last week, the company's chief executive, Judy Slatyer, sent an email to her writers condemning Mr Kohnstamm. Her greatest concern is his assertion that his advance payment was "barely enough to cover the air fare" and that many guide book writers do not check their facts in a bid to finish before they "run up credit card debt" and "burn out". Miss Slatyer dismissed Mr Kohnstamm's "somewhat self-indulgent experience working on the previous edition of our Brazil guide".She added: "We are now urgently reviewing all current books Thomas contributed to, using authors on the ground and others.[13] Mr Kohnstamm was the principle writer on the Lonely Planet guide to Brazil and was a coordinating author on the Lonely Planet titles on Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, the Caribbean and Latin America. He has won support from fellow writers. One email reads: "A number of us have been talking about writing a book like this, but you are the first to have the balls to do it."[13]
Ms Oliver, an experienced travel writer - having written for Lonely Planet on eastern Europe, France, Germany and Greece - admitted to sending the email but did not wish to comment further. Other writers believe some of the practices described in the book are widespread. Lonely Planet's rules forbid their authors from accepting gifts or discounts. Another email, sent in the name of Lonely Planet chief Janet Slater, states that Mr Kohnstamm's books were all being urgently reviewed.[1] Oliver, an experienced travel writer - having written for Lonely Planet on Eastern Europe, France, Germany and Greece - admitted to sending the email yesterday but did not wish to comment further. Other writers believe that some of the practices claimed by Kohnstamm are widespread. One claimed to know of authors who admitted planning whole research visits around complimentary trips and admitted they couldn't - and wouldn't - do it any other way. Lonely Planet's rules forbid their authors from accepting gifts or discounts.[14]
"Thomas claims are not an accurate reflection of how our authors work," Pickard told The Associated Press. Kohnstamm declined to comment to The Associated Press and an e-mail to his publicist wasnt returned by late Sunday. His Web site says he holds a masters degree in Latin American studies and has written more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet and contributed to other travel sections.[5] Spending the night in a train station because your guidebook messed up the departure times is far from the end of the world. It also shouldn't be written off as simply "part of the experience," especially if it could be easily avoided. 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. He seems to view his "questionable ethics" as being a real riot, merely fodder for his next book and nothing more. 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.[12] Lonely Planet's Guidebook publisher Piers Pickard said a review of Mr Kohnstamm's guidebooks had failed to find any inaccuracies. "This book is not an accurate reflection of Lonely Planet," he said. "We always send our authors on the road," he said.[2] The Melbourne office referred The Sunday Mail to Lonely Planet's guidebook publisher Piers Pickard. Mr Pickard said a company review of Kohnstamm's guidebooks had failed to find any inaccuracies in them. "This book is not an accurate reflection of Lonely Planet," he said.[14] The email said: "If we find that the content has been compromised, we'll take urgent steps to fix it. Once we've got things right for travellers as quickly as we can, we'll look at what we do and how we do it to ensure, as best we can, that this type of thing never happens again." Lonely Planet's publisher Piers Pickard told The Sunday Telegraph that the company's review of Mr Kohnstamm's guidebooks had failed to find any inaccuracies in them.[1]
I've done a little travel writing (in addition to blogging) but not the kind a Lonely Planet contributor named Thomas Kohnstamm has been doing. Kohnstamm, who is promoting a tell-all book about the seamy underside of travel writing, told the Australian newspaper the Sunday Telegraph that he plagiarized material, wrote about places he never visited, took freebies in exchange for good reviews and even sold drugs to help pay his expenses.[15] Thomas Kohnstamm, who has seen several books with his name on it published by Lonely Planet, told The Sunday Telegraph that a lot of the travel books he wrote or contributed to weren'''t exactly as represented. He said in one case he had not even visited the country he wrote about. '''They didn't pay me enough to go to Colombia.[16]
Thomas Kohnstamm, who has written a book on his misadventures, also said he didn't travel to Colombia to write the guidebook on the country because "they didn't pay me enough," The Daily Telegraph reported. "I wrote the book in San Francisco," he is quoted as saying in the Telegraph.[8]
I wrote the book in San Francisco." Kohnstamm also confesses that he plagiarized large parts of the guidebooks, and accepted free meals and lodging on the road, a clear violation of LP policy. The author covered a number of countries for Lonely Planet, including Brazil, Venezuela, Chile, the Caribbean, and Colombia.[11] The Lonely Planet tourist guide has suffered a severe blow. The tourist guide which has been a boon to travellers throughout the world is now having its credibility questioned. One of the Lonely Planet authors, Thomas Kohnstamm, has admitting to plagiarising his writings. Kohnstamm has said he didn'''t even visit some of the countries he wrote about. He has also claimed to have accepted free travel, breaking the publisher's policy of maintaining the independence of the publication.[17]
Lonely Planet guides sell around six million copies a year. Chief executive Judy Slatyer has emailed all her writers condemning Mr Kohnstamm. "We are now urgently reviewing all current books Thomas contributed to," she said. Mr Kohnstamm, 32, claims in his biography that he was so short of money at one point he shared an apartment with a Brazilian prostitute called Inara. On another occasion he sold drugs to buy food after claiming that the advance he was paid barely covered the cost of his flight.[18] Mr Kohnstamm's confession is a severe blow to Lonely Planet, considered a bible to travellers all over the world. More than six million of its country guides are sold each year. Lonely Planet has conducted a review of all Mr Kohnstamm's guide books, but says it has failed to find any inaccuracies in them.[6]
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.[12] I think Aaron Hotfelder at Gadling has it just right. The really sickening thing is that Kohnstamm doesn't seem the least bit concerned about his responsibility to the travelers who bought those books and trusted his guidance. Kohnstamm's excuse, that Lonely Planet didn't pay enough to cover his expenses, is pathetic. Maybe Lonely Planet should pay its writers more. That's not the point.[15]
Lonely Planet author Jeanne Oliver has told the company on an intranet forum that Mr Kohnstamm's book was a disaster waiting to happen, the paper reports.[7] An email to management posted on the company's internal authors' forum describes Kohnstamm's book as "a car crash waiting to happen". The email claims the book is "the culmination of seven years' wrong-headed policies and those who put them in place". "Why did you (management) not understand that when you hire a constant stream of new, unvetted people, pay them poorly and set them loose, that someone, somehow was going to screw you?" author Jeanne Oliver wrote.[14]
On the Lonely Planet web group, Jeanne Oliver, who wrote the guides to France and Croatia, said: "You know you are not paying enough money to authors to do the work you expect. You are begging authors to cut corners or to help finance the book out of their own pocket."[13] SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Lonely Planet said Monday it stands by the accuracy of its travel guides following an author's claims that he plagiarized and invented sections of the books.[9] Lonely Planet publishes more than 500 titles, mostly travel guides, selling more than 6.5 million books a year.[5] The Lonely Planet series publishes 500 titles, updated every two to four years, and employs 300 authors, according to the company's Web site. It sells more than 6 million guides a year, the newspaper reported.[8]
An e-mail from Lonely Planet said Kohnstamm's book were being reviewed, the newspaper reported.[8]
Lonely Planet said it had reviewed Kohnstamm's guidebooks but had not found any inaccuracies in them, the Sunday Telegraph said.[3] Well, maybe not Colombia. The big-wigs over at Lonely Planet say they're scrutinizing everything Kohnstamm has written for them, but have not yet found any mistakes.[11]
A writer for the Lonely Planet guidebook series has admitted he either copied or made up large sections of his books.[18] The image of the conscientious travel writer has been dealt a blow by a tell-all memoir by a Lonely Planet author, who discloses that he spent more time chasing women and selling drugs than checking train timetables.[13]
Lonely Planet guide books have been going down hill for a while now. This confirms my suspicions which are held by everyone else I know that has used them.[1] "We take our accuracy extremely seriously." He denied Lonely Planet did "desk updates". "Our point of differentiation is that we always send our authors on the road," he said.[14]
Pickard said Kohnstamms claim about the book on Colombia were "disingenuous" because he was hired to write about the countrys history, not to travel there to review accommodation and restaurants. That work was done by two other authors. [5] The book's publisher, Piers Pickard, told the paper that an "urgent" review of Kohnstamm's books did not reveal any inaccuracies.[8] Publisher Piers Pickard said a review of Mr Kohnstamm's guidebooks did not turn up any discrepancies.[7]
An e-mail in the name of "Planet" chief Janet Slater said the guidebook company, which sells more than 6 million books annually, would be investigating Kohnstamm's allegations thoroughly. [4] 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. His shameless self-promotion. 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. "The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight.[12] More proof that the most effective kind of self-promotion is the purely shameless variety. He undoubtedly led travelers astray. LP reps say they haven't found any mistakes in Kohnstamm's books yet.[12] 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.[12]
It'''s an idiotic premise. A '''writer''' with dodgy morals signs a contract to deliver a book, then cuts corners and compromises himself in every imaginable way, then has the temerity to blame his publisher. The Telegraph reported that Kohnstamm has earned the support of his fellow writers.[16] The now BBC owned business provides hundreds of book titles each year, with independent reviews of many countries throughout the world. The publishers claim the key to it's success is it's independence, and non-reliance on commercial donations for travel and accommodation.[10]
Thomas Kohnstamm worked on more than a dozen guides, including the titles on Brazil, Colombia, South America, the Caribbean, Venezuela and Chile. In one case he said he had not even visited the country he was writing about. "They didn't pay me enough to go to Colombia. [18] Remember Kohnstamm not all LP authors are corrupt, shame on you for saying you'll do a job and cheating.[14] New places can pop up and ones recorded suddenly close or disappear. Over all LP have done an amazing job and opened up the door for economic travel for those who prefer to do it alone at their own pace and not get ripped off by travel agents. I would still recommend them and I have met hundreds of backpakers who would never venture without a copy (travellers bible) and 99% will tell you they have had a wonderful time thanks to all the info in the LP. LP takes all the hard work out of planning and knowing where to go and what to do.[14]
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.'" 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. [12]
We also need to remember the age of the author may differ considerably than our own and what a 20/30 year old may consider an easy treke could be Horrendous to a 60+ year old. Individuals judgement of things varies according to age, nationality, basic expectations etc. One should also check out locally the facts in the LP books and see if they match.[14]
I got the information from a chick I was dating who was an intern in the Colombian Consulate." [14]
SOURCES
1. Lonely Planet reeling after author's fraud | NEWS.com.au
2. Author's off the Planet | Herald Sun
3. Lonely Planet writer says he made up part of books | U.S. | Reuters
4. 'Planet' author makes damaging claims - UPI.com
5. Lonely Planet rejects authors claim he made up parts of books - International Herald Tribune
6. Lonely Planet plagiarism scandal - New Zealand's source for travel news on Stuff.co.nz
7. Business Spectator - Lonely Planet hit by fraud scandal
8. Travel writer tells newspaper he plagiarized, dealt drugs - CNN.com
9. The Associated Press: Lonely Planet Rejects Fabrication Claim
10. Scopical - News Business & Finance, Sport, Politics, Tech/Media, and Entertainment
11. Lonely Planet writer admits he never visited country he wrote about - Gadling
12. 5 reasons to be outraged by the Lonely Planet fraud - Gadling
13. A travel writer on a not so lonely planet - Telegraph
14. Lonely Planet rocked by claims of free trips, plagiarism | The Courier-Mail
15. Travel Writer Raises Scandal For Lonely Planet - Jeanne Leblanc | Coach Class
16. January Magazine: Travel Writer Lied
17. Lonely Planet guide loses credibility
18. Lonely Planet guidebook writer admits 'I made it all up' | the Daily Mail
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