Aja Raden: The Truth about Lies: A Taxonomy of Deceit, Hoaxes and Cons

Abstract

The American historian Aja Raden, in the book “The Truth about Lies: A Taxonomy of Deceit, Hoaxes and Cons” (London, Atlantic Books 2021), explains the illusion of honesty and the evolution of deception. It combines psychology, philosophy, and history to explore not only how lies work, but also why they work and why lying is so successfully promoted in society. When we examine forgeries, hoaxes, propaganda, the truth of the lie enriches us with new knowledge of how deception shapes the world.