Travel writer admits to fabricating work
Travel writer admits to fabricating work
A travel writer for a leading guidebook series admits that he fabricated large sections of one of his works. The Times reveals how Thomas Kohnstamm, who has penned more than a dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks, has come clean in a new (non guide)book.
Kohnstamm has hit out at the Lonely Planet group in a new publication, admitting lifting information from other sources and blaming poor pay for driving him to such resorts. He claims that in the case of one guidebook, he did not even set foot in the relevant country: "They didn’t pay me enough to go to Columbia. I wrote the book in San Francisco." Kohnstamm went on to say that he sourced his information from an acquaintance working in the Columbian Consulate.
Worried holidaymakers about to embark on their travels needn't worry unnecessarily; Piers Pickard, Lonely Planet’s publisher, put the record straight, reassuring the books’ users that Kohnstamm's claims "are not an accurate reflection of how our authors work", adding that any inaccuracies would soon be corrected. Lonely Planet has also claimed that it was only intended that, in Columbia's case, Kohnstamm only write about the country's history and not actually review the destination.
Kohnstamm's alleged conduct has come to light as he promotes his new book, in which he recounts his experiences as a penniless, corner-cutting travel-guide writer short on time.
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11 June 2008
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