Book
Big lies : from Socrates to social media / Mark Kurlansky ; illustrated by Eric Zelz.
Big lies are told by governments, politicians, and corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent, win elections, disguise intent, create chaos, and gain power and wealth. Big lies are as old as civilization; they corrupt public understanding and discourse, turn science upside down, and reinvent history. The future stewards of our world require a how-to manual for seeing through big lies and thinking critically, because big lies require believers, and democracy depends on independent thought.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780884489122
- ISBN: 0884489124
- Physical Description: 309 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 24 cm
- Publisher: Thomaston, Maine : Tilbury House Publishers, [2022]
- Copyright: ©2022
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographic references (pages 305-309) and index. |
| Formatted Contents Note: | Entreaty -- Masked revelers in a carnival of lies -- The Enlightenment and the unenlightened -- Denial: the short way around science -- Favorite lies about women -- A snowball in France: the blame game -- Soviet mathematics: 2 + 2 = 5 -- The truth about American truth -- Big dictators and big lies -- Photographic lies -- Saving children: a best-loved lie -- The golden lasso of truth. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Truthfulness and falsehood. Critical thinking. Corruption. Misinformation. Disinformation. Propaganda > History. |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Kenton County.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erlanger Branch | 177.3 K96b 2022 (Text) | 33126025243258 | YA Nonfiction | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
"Mark Kurlansky's bestselling works of nonfiction view the history of the world through unexpected lenses, including cod, salt, and paper. In this new book for young readers his lens is the art of the big lie. Big lies are told by governments, politicians, and corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent, win elections, disguise intent, create chaos, and gain power and wealth. Big lies are as old as civilization. They corrupt public understanding and discourse, turn science upside down, and reinvent history. As with his book World Without Fish, Kurlansky has written A History of Big Lies for young readers, the future stewards of our world. It is not only a history but a how-to manual for seeing through big lies and thinking critically"-- - WW Norton
Mark Kurlanskyâs bestselling works of nonfiction view the history of the world through unexpected lenses, including cod, salt, and paper. In this new book for young readers his lens is the art of the big lie. Big lies are told by governments, politicians, and corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent, win elections, disguise intent, create chaos, and gain power and wealth. Big lies are as old as civilization. They corrupt public understanding and discourse, turn science upside down, and reinvent history. They prevent humanity from addressing critical challenges. They perpetuate injustices. They destabilize the world. World Without FishA History of Big LiesA History of Big LiesThe modern age has provided ever-more-effective ways of spreading lies, but it has also given us the scientific method, which is the most effective tool for finding what is true. In the bookâs final chapter, Kurlansky reveals ways to deconstruct an allegation. Is there credible, testable evidence to support it? If not, suspect a lie. A scientific theory has to be testable, and so does an allegation. Who is the source? Who benefits? Is there a money trail? Especially in the age of social media, critical thinking counters lies and chaos. âBelief is a choice,â Kurlansky writes, âand honesty begins in each of us. A lack of caring what is true or false is the undoing of democracy. The alternative to truth is a corrupt state in which the loudest voices and most seductive lies confer power and wealth on grifters and oligarchs. We cannot achieve a healthy planet for all the worldâs people if we do not keep asking what is true.â - WW Norton
Big Lies: From Socrates to Social Media