Concise Book of Lying Author:Evelin Sullivan Tackles the most pervasive of sins -- lying, using history & mythology, anecdote & analysis, to shed light on our long relationships with deception. Opens with a cross-cultural survey of the important -- & ambiguous -- role that lying plays in a wealth of early texts & stories, from the Bible to myths about the most inventive liars: tricksters. ... more »Sullivan asks what motivates people to lie, what mechanisms are involved in creating an effective lie, & what the costs are once we ve decided to commit one. Society has responded with countermeasures, from the medieval ordeal to the lie detector test, but the fact is that for millennia we have been experts at deceit. Touching on philosophy, lit., history, & psychology, this is a witty & erudite tour of the realm of trickery.« less