Rolling Stone Criticizes Let's Go

"Negligent."

"Out of touch."

"Impossibly dense."

These are not words that are usually used to describe the world's best selling international travel guides, Harvard's own Let's Go. But they were the sentiments expressed in an article on the organization in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

The article, written by Dan Zevin, will appear on newsstands March 6. It chronicles a week in the life of first-time Let's Go student research-writer (R-W), alias Nathan Green, on the job in Turkey.

But Let's Go editors argue that the article, instead of offering an objective account of Nathan's first week (which they and Zevin both acknowledge is the hardest and most taxing for R-W's), becomes a platform for Harvard-bashing.

They cite examples of the author's condescension, ridicule and inaccuracies, which they say are conveyed in the article's title: "Let's Go or Let's Not and Say We Did." Further down the same page, a graphic contains the elaboration: "Why You Can't Trust the Best-selling Harvard Travel Series."

The article was a "misrepresentation," said Eleni N. Gage '96, a managing editor, who is also an editor of the Crimson. "It seems the journalist wanted to write a negative article from the start. He did not come with an objective point of view, but instead wanted to trash a successful student-run organization."

Zevin could not be reached for comment.

Zevin's lack of objectivity, Gage said, wasexacerbated by the fact that he did not attend anyof the recruiting sessions or information meetingsthe group held, and that his only criteria forwhich country to visit was that it be "someplacecool." Also, she said, his article containednumerous--and significant--inaccuracies.

The article describes Nathan's official accountof his week as hypocritical and full of mistake.It points out destinations gone unvisited,contrasts the luxury hotel Nathan stayed in thefirst night to "cushion his arrival" with thehotel he recommended for users of the guide, anddescribes how, due to exhaustion, he stayed at theplush residence of the parents of Let's GoAssociate Editor Alp Aker '95, who designedNathan's itinerary.

"The itineraries are doable," said PublishingDirector Sean T. Fitzpatrick '95. "The itinerariesare difficult, but the editors are sympathetic tothe R-Ws. That's why we let them know if, forexample, there is family in Turkey to visit. Inaddition, every seventh day is a paid rest day."

"The inaccuracies [in Zevin's account of Let'sGo information-gathering procedures] were thebiggest untruths in the article; every fact ischecked," said Gage, the editor of Nathan's guide,who was not quoted in the article. "The R-Ws do 90percent of the work, and anything they can't checkthe editors call. It was no problem last year."

SoRelle B. Braun '96, editor of Let's Go:France, and a Crimson editor, described thearticle's account of how the guide is put togetheras inaccurate.

"He made it seem like the R-W simply pastes newmaterial into the old book," Braun said, "aneasier job than the actuality of having to have atleast 50 percent new material and pasting oldmaterial into the new guide."

In addition, editors said that Zevin'sportrayal of Nathan was inaccurate. Zevindescribes the R-W as flustered, emotionallyunstable (he shows an exhausted Nathan sending anote to Aker saying, "I hate Alp. I loathe Alp. Idetest Alp.") and something of a flake as well,pointing out numerous times the 'Harvard is hot'T-shirt Nathan wears and emphasizing a few of hisill-phrased quotes.

Let's Go editors refute what they see asZevin's accusation that the R-Ws are poorlychosen.

"We look for travel experience, familiaritywith the country, writing and language ability,the ability to work hard and responsibility," saidFitzpatrick. "Nathan had all those qualities; hewas a Middle-Eastern studies concentrator and wasvery responsible; he would stay at the hotel andwork while Dan would go out and drink. The onlything was that he had never been there [Turkey]before."

Fitzpatrick blamed the article's negative slanton Zevin's disillusionment with the life of aworking travel writer.

"It really seems that the reporter wasfrustrated that he didn't have a better time--heexpected the life of a R-W to be more glamorous,"he said.

"It's not the R-W's job to go on vacation. Thejob is to make sure the [facts are right]," Gagesaid.

Let's Go editors said that the mistakes whichZevin observed actually serve an importantpurpose.

"The people who are using the books areinexperienced like the R-W--they [the R-Ws] makemistakes so that people won't have to," Gage said.

The article also alludes to the stereotype ofthe Harvard student as a snobby rich kid, withreferences to Nathan's mother telling him toretreat to Paris when his travels becamedifficult.

Zevin compared Let's Go to The Berkeley Guides,the self-proclaimed "hipper than thou" competitionwho know what "cheap is all about." He describedLet's Go Publishing Director Peter J. Keith'94-'95 as a freshly scrubbed executive who"presides...from a glass-enclosed, Lou Grant-styleoffice overlooking Harvard Yard."

Let's Go executives say Zevin's article wasdoomed from the start by the fact that "it is notinteresting to write in Rolling Stonemagazine how great Let's Go is. He [Zevin] didn'tfind much dirt at all because we areprofessional," Fitzpatrick said.

Instead, executives cited the words, whichZevin himself described, of one student fromSeattle conveyed "over a cheap dinner of Turkishdelectables."

"Let's Go is my Bible. Don't take it away fromme.!

Zevin could not be reached for comment.

Zevin's lack of objectivity, Gage said, wasexacerbated by the fact that he did not attend anyof the recruiting sessions or information meetingsthe group held, and that his only criteria forwhich country to visit was that it be "someplacecool." Also, she said, his article containednumerous--and significant--inaccuracies.

The article describes Nathan's official accountof his week as hypocritical and full of mistake.It points out destinations gone unvisited,contrasts the luxury hotel Nathan stayed in thefirst night to "cushion his arrival" with thehotel he recommended for users of the guide, anddescribes how, due to exhaustion, he stayed at theplush residence of the parents of Let's GoAssociate Editor Alp Aker '95, who designedNathan's itinerary.

"The itineraries are doable," said PublishingDirector Sean T. Fitzpatrick '95. "The itinerariesare difficult, but the editors are sympathetic tothe R-Ws. That's why we let them know if, forexample, there is family in Turkey to visit. Inaddition, every seventh day is a paid rest day."

"The inaccuracies [in Zevin's account of Let'sGo information-gathering procedures] were thebiggest untruths in the article; every fact ischecked," said Gage, the editor of Nathan's guide,who was not quoted in the article. "The R-Ws do 90percent of the work, and anything they can't checkthe editors call. It was no problem last year."

SoRelle B. Braun '96, editor of Let's Go:France, and a Crimson editor, described thearticle's account of how the guide is put togetheras inaccurate.

"He made it seem like the R-W simply pastes newmaterial into the old book," Braun said, "aneasier job than the actuality of having to have atleast 50 percent new material and pasting oldmaterial into the new guide."

In addition, editors said that Zevin'sportrayal of Nathan was inaccurate. Zevindescribes the R-W as flustered, emotionallyunstable (he shows an exhausted Nathan sending anote to Aker saying, "I hate Alp. I loathe Alp. Idetest Alp.") and something of a flake as well,pointing out numerous times the 'Harvard is hot'T-shirt Nathan wears and emphasizing a few of hisill-phrased quotes.

Let's Go editors refute what they see asZevin's accusation that the R-Ws are poorlychosen.

"We look for travel experience, familiaritywith the country, writing and language ability,the ability to work hard and responsibility," saidFitzpatrick. "Nathan had all those qualities; hewas a Middle-Eastern studies concentrator and wasvery responsible; he would stay at the hotel andwork while Dan would go out and drink. The onlything was that he had never been there [Turkey]before."

Fitzpatrick blamed the article's negative slanton Zevin's disillusionment with the life of aworking travel writer.

"It really seems that the reporter wasfrustrated that he didn't have a better time--heexpected the life of a R-W to be more glamorous,"he said.

"It's not the R-W's job to go on vacation. Thejob is to make sure the [facts are right]," Gagesaid.

Let's Go editors said that the mistakes whichZevin observed actually serve an importantpurpose.

"The people who are using the books areinexperienced like the R-W--they [the R-Ws] makemistakes so that people won't have to," Gage said.

The article also alludes to the stereotype ofthe Harvard student as a snobby rich kid, withreferences to Nathan's mother telling him toretreat to Paris when his travels becamedifficult.

Zevin compared Let's Go to The Berkeley Guides,the self-proclaimed "hipper than thou" competitionwho know what "cheap is all about." He describedLet's Go Publishing Director Peter J. Keith'94-'95 as a freshly scrubbed executive who"presides...from a glass-enclosed, Lou Grant-styleoffice overlooking Harvard Yard."

Let's Go executives say Zevin's article wasdoomed from the start by the fact that "it is notinteresting to write in Rolling Stonemagazine how great Let's Go is. He [Zevin] didn'tfind much dirt at all because we areprofessional," Fitzpatrick said.

Instead, executives cited the words, whichZevin himself described, of one student fromSeattle conveyed "over a cheap dinner of Turkishdelectables."

"Let's Go is my Bible. Don't take it away fromme.!