Lying is an intrinsic part of our social fabric, but it is also a deeply problematic and misunderstood aspect of what makes us human. Ian Leslie takes us on a fascinating journey that makes us question not only our own relationship to the truth, but also virtually every daily encounter we have. On the way he dissects the history of the lie detector, how parents affect their children’s attitude to lying (and vice versa), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the philosophical ambiguity of telling the truth, Bill Clinton’s presentational prowess, Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth, and why we should be wary of anyone with more than 150 Facebook friends.
Born Liars is thought-provoking, anecdotally driven narrative nonfiction at its best. Ian Leslie’s intoxicating blend of anthropology, biology, cultural history, philosophy, and popular psychology belies a serious central message: that humans have evolved and thrived in large part because of their ability to deceive.
Lying is an intrinsic part of our social fabric, but it is also a deeply problematic and misunderstood aspect of what makes us human. Ian Leslie takes us on a fascinating journey that makes us question not only our own relationship to the truth, but also virtually every daily encounter we have. On the way he dissects the history of the lie detector, how parents affect their children’s attitude to lying (and vice versa), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the philosophical ambiguity of telling the truth, Bill Clinton’s presentational prowess, Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth, and why we should be wary of anyone with more than 150 Facebook friends.
Born Liars is thought-provoking, anecdotally driven narrative nonfiction at its best. Ian Leslie’s intoxicating blend of anthropology, biology, cultural history, philosophy, and popular psychology belies a serious central message: that humans have evolved and thrived in large part because of their ability to deceive.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — May 21, 2011 |
| Specifications | 400 pages | 6 in x 9 in |
| Keywords | Science; Psychology; Lying to yourself; my kid is lying; my child is lying; how to tell if someone is lying; emotional leakage; Paul Ingram; how to be honest; placebo effect; human behaviour; behavior; philosophy; self illusion; positive illusions; how we see ourselves; brain; neuroscience; why do people lie; why do politicians lie; |
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Excerpt |
| Written By | Ian Leslie is the critically acclaimed author of Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit, which was a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book. He has written about politics, culture, marketing, and psychology for the Guardian, The Times, Prospect, and the BBC. He lives in London, England. Follow Ian Leslie on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mrianleslie |
| Written By |
| Ian Leslie is the critically acclaimed author of Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit, which was a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book. He has written about politics, culture, marketing, and psychology for the Guardian, The Times, Prospect, and the BBC. He lives in London, England. Follow Ian Leslie on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mrianleslie |
Commended, Globe and Mail Top 100 Book, 2011
“Born Liars is in quite a different league [than other pop psychology books]. It’s erudite yet wears its learning lightly and is full of terrific stories. It will also make you see yourself, and the world around you, in a new light.” —Born Liars
“Ian Leslie uncovers the truth of the matter: Lying of all kinds is woven into our makeup . . . by tying lying into culture, Leslie gets near the core of what it means to be human.” —Chatelaine
“. . . fascinating . . . of interest to everyone . . .” —Independent
“. . . persuasive and wide-ranging . . . [Ian] Leslie brings intelligence and a wealth of thought-provoking research to his topic.” —Globe and Mail
“. . . stuffed full of interesting studies and good writing . . . a fun read . . .” —Wired
“[Born Liars does] a grand job of challenging misguided human conceit about our honesty and its benefits ... convincing ...” —Kitchener Waterloo Record