Travel writing and the recent LP controversy

After reports by Lonely Planet writer Thomas Kohnstamm that he had accepted freebies on his assignments, plagiarized and sometimes made up sections of books, the credibility of travel writers was brought into question. Kohnstamm’s new book, ‘Do travel writers go to hell?” has been the subject of much media attention as stories of sex and drugs became easy fodder for tv and radio.

Since the story gained its momentum in the public eye, other writers have spoken out that many of Kohnstamm’s comments have been taken out of context and sensationalised. One Lonely Planet writer describes a much more arduous experience than the Brazilian sex romps and the drug selling. A more practical pictures emerges when a newly released book doesn’t need to be hyped to get sales off to a running start.

The story of not actually travelling to the country being covered was exaggerated, since much background information and introduction material do not require field work. But good or bad, Kohnstamm will have trouble shaking off his new image, even after his own book is published.

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