BIG LIES

Starred review from July 18, 2022
In this noteworthy guide to media literacy, Kurlansky (Bugs in Danger) details events occurring over the past 300 years to break down the “big lies” that permeate global history and explore how they affect the current U.S. media landscape. Positing that the “explosion of social media seems to have ushered us into a new age of lying,” the author explains that though current technology makes it easier and faster to spread misinformation, it’s not wholly responsible for the rise of false ideas, and that “most of the lies themselves aren’t new.” Using examples throughout history, such as the Salem witch trials, Stalin’s and Hitler’s antisemitic rhetoric, and the Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide, Kurlansky breaks down how politicians have repeatedly used propaganda and misinformation to control public perception, and offers a checklist for differentiating fact from fiction. Zelz’s (My Monster Moofy) emotive, full-color art depicts humorous caricature portraits of historic thinkers, including Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, and distills ideas presented throughout the narrative via comics spreads at chapters’ end. Employing conversational prose, cohesive timelines, and digestible examples, the creators encourage readers to think critically, citing that a “lack of caring what is true or false is the undoing of democracy.” Ages 13–up. (Sept.)■

September 15, 2022
Grades 8-12 This well-researched book offers examples of philosophers and religious leaders commenting on lying as well as politicians and advertisers manipulating others for personal gain. Kurlansky writes persuasively about the danger of big, outrageous lies that can have horrific consequences. He points out that those lies have become more common and more easily spread since the advent of social media, but the lies themselves have changed little through the centuries. The text is detailed, well organized, and relevant to our times. Though occasionally the writing seems rather densely informative, between chapters, Zelz's short comics lighten the book's tone while staying on topic. Kurlansky does a particularly fine job of placing disturbing recent trends within a historical context. Many books advise young people on recognizing propaganda techniques, but this one offers a particularly broad view of how and why political leaders, hucksters, and others with personal or political agendas lie, how technological changes have magnified the lies' effectiveness, and how critical thinking skills enable people to recognize the big lies that can threaten a free society.

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December 1, 2022

Gr 7 Up-Kurlansky outlines the history of lying in this informative and compelling introduction to the topic, specifically focusing on the lies of governments, politicians, and corporations with a political agenda. He opens with a general introduction to lying: personal and public, intentional or not, as well as various reasons for lying and its acceptability. Particularly interesting is the discussion of the principles of the Enlightenment, how they influenced the U.S. Constitution, and how the aristocracy and state-supported religions made anti-Enlightenment arguments to remain in power. Subsequent chapters cover a wide variety of history including science denial, lies against women and religious groups, the Soviet Union's extreme use of lying, and lies of the U.S. government. Later chapters cover topics such as the manipulation of photographs. In all of these chapters, historical as well as modern examples are covered demonstrating that lying is nothing new, just the methods and speed of spreading them change. The final chapter gives readers techniques for detecting lies and ways to check the veracity of online statements. The engaging text will keep pages turning quickly along with breaks that highlight important statements using an extra-large eye-catching font, related pictures, humorous comic strips, and sidebars with interesting stories. The work is well-documented with extensive sources and an index. VERDICT Kurlansky advises readers "It would not be acceptable to call everyone a liar, but it is wise to question everything you are told." Libraries would be equally wise to purchase and recommend to middle and high school students.-Karen T. Bilton

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Starred review from August 1, 2022
A book about public lies, the kind that "can destabilize the world." Deceit, says noted nonfiction writer Kurlansky, is practiced throughout the living world, often conferring evolutionary advantages, and certainly many social ones--consider the white lie. Three hundred years ago, the rise of the Enlightenment ushered in both a new era of scientific reason and a corresponding rise in lies and conspiracy theories promulgated by power-hungry individuals attempting to dupe the masses. Today's social media makes this ever more prevalent but also gives those who pay attention tools they can use to broadcast the truth. From murderous clowns to lizard people in government, burning women as witches to persistent scapegoating of Jews, Kurlansky covers the types, tools, targets, tactics, and motives of liars as well as arms readers with defensive techniques such as searching for sources and the classic advice to "follow the money." Supplemental stories are told in sidebars set off in orange type. Blocks of larger, colorful type break up the pages, as do occasional illustrations and photographs. Short comic-strip segments enliven the ends of each chapter, illustrating Soviet spies sowing anti-vaccine disinformation and showing a dishonest, bankrupt real estate investor denying climate change. This book takes on a dense and complicated subject; Kurlansky's genius is to embrace the complexity and urge readers to question everything they read, including this book. Impassioned, thorough, and brilliant: describes the struggle for truth that "keeps the world from descending into chaos." (photo credits, author's note, sources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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