Born Liars is thought-provoking, anecdotally driven narrative non-fiction at its best. Ian Leslie's intoxicating blend of anthropology, biology, cultural history, philosophy and popular psychology belies a serious central message - that is, that the species of homo sapien has evolved and thrived in large part because of its ability to deceive. Lying is an intrinsic part of our social fabric, but is also a deeply problematic and misunderstood aspect of what makes us human.
Ian Leslie takes us on a fascinating journey which makes us question not only our own relationship to the truth, but also virtually every daily encounter we have. On the way he dissects the history of the lie detector, how parents affect their children's attitude to lying (and vice versa), Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, the philosophical ambiguity of telling the truth, Bill Clinton's presentational prowess, Wonder Woman's lasso of truth, and why we should be wary of anyone with more than 150 Facebook friends.
