The Concise Book of Lying

With lively wit and breezy sophistication, novelist Evelin Sullivan tackles the most pervasive of human sins, using history and mythology, anecdote and analysis to discover the truth about lying. Beginning with the nature and characterization of deception in ancient texts from the Bible to Greek myth, Sullivan examines why people lie, what makes an effective lie, what are its consequences; and how society has tried to counteract human deception. Touching on philosophy, literature, history, and psychology, The Concise Book of Lying is a stylish and erudite tour of the twilight realm of trickery.