The Truth About Lies: A Taxonomy of Deceit, Hoaxes and Cons

Description

Fibbing, prevaricating, stretching the truth, white lies, of omission, of commission. Lying is so pervasive that we have countless words for it. But have you ever considered why you believed a lie you were told - or why we lie at all? In this witty, whirlwind tour through the annuls of deceit, bestselling author Aja Raden combines psychology, popular science and history to explore everything you've ever wanted to know about manipulation and lying, showing how it evolved and why even the birds and the bees do it. From 'big lies' like the English gent who invented a South American country to pyramid schemes like Bernie Madoff, this is an eye-opening primer that decodes how we behave and function, and reveals how lying shapes our experience of the world around us.

Aja Raden is the New York Times bestselling author of Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World. Raden is an experienced jeweler, trained scientist, and well-read historian, and her expertise sits at the intersection of academic history, industry experience, and scientific perspective. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Read this book! You can trust me, I'm a Vegas magician and a professional liar. The Truth about Lies covers the sociology, the psychology, the techniques and even the wicked fun of lying. You deserve to know the truth. * Penn Jillette, world famous magician and half of Penn and Teller * Hugely interesting and entertaining. * Guardian *