On April 17, CBS’s 60 Minutes broke a story that shook the public’s trust in a literary story of hope and its awe-inspiring hero. Greg Mortenson, social activist and author of “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time,” was revealed to have exaggerated and fabricated some of the details and accounts within his best-selling memoir.

Within the novel, Mortenson recounts the warm welcome that he received from a Pakistani village after failing to finish his climb of the mountain K2 and becoming disoriented. After being nursed back to health by the people of the village, he vowed to return and build them a school as repayment, which he eventually did, according to the book.

He also writes of getting kidnapped by the Taliban and subsequently building more than 100 schools like those he made in Pakistan after raising thousands of dollars for the cause. You can find the remarkable story in the non-fiction section of your local bookstore. Or the almost-non-fiction section, if you can find that.

Jon Krakauer, an author who wrote the exposé about Mortenson, said that classifying the memoir as non-fiction would be a mistake. Krakauer claimed that many of the details of the memoir are not quite real, including Mortenson arriving in the Pakistani village and being kidnapped by the Taliban. He also revealed that a significant portion of the money that Mortenson raised in order to build more schools went directly to funding Mortenson’s speaking tour instead.

There really is nothing more to feel about the supposed hero and his story than disappointment. He still deserves respect for some of what he has done but, perhaps, not the same level of respect that he had previously received.
It is similar to the feeling of believing in something with all you have because you think it is the best in the world when, in reality, it is just good. Not great or the best, just good. And the disappointment sets in.

To all the contributors who donated to Mortenson’s charity, Central Asia Institute: Your intentions were good. Even though the majority of that money went towards Mortenson’s book tours instead of building schools, and all revenue from the book tour went directly into Mortenson’s shockingly deep pockets, the thought is what counts, right?

Those contributors may be angry and upset that their donations have been misused but, at the root of it, is an utter, irrevocable disappointment that can only be traced back to the conceivably fame-hungry Mortenson. And disappointment almost has the potential to be worse than anger as Mortenson is likely already realizing.

Those who directly funded the CAI are not the only ones feeling the backlash of the lies. “Three Cups of Tea,” which has been featured as a New York Times Bestseller, has a heavy readership, as well, the bulk of which has already echoed the disappointment of hearing that the book that inspired, motivated and spoke to many is based on false, yet admittedly creative details.

To play Devil’s Advocate, I do feel a little bit sorry for Mortenson. Granted, this “little bit” is insanely miniscule, but it does exist. Mortenson was scheduled for heart surgery the week that he was exposed for his lies. The man is obviously not in the greatest health, and, while this is not an excuse for the deception, the critic must be conscious of his circumstances.

Also, Mortenson did do some good with the money he raised. It was not of the scale described but any good act is a worthwhile act, right?

We are not angry. Well, maybe a little angry, but mostly just disappointed. Sometimes, that disappointment can be worse.