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Truth

How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality

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Truth

By: Hector Macdonald
Narrated by: Simon Ludders
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Random House presents the audiobook edition of Truth by Hector Macdonald, read by Simon Ludders.

For fans of Nudge, Black Box Thinking and The Art of Thinking Clearly, a fascinating dive into the many ways in which ‘competing truths’ shape our opinions, behaviours and beliefs.


True or false? It’s rarely that simple.

There is more than one truth about most things. Eating meat is nutritious but it’s also damaging to the environment. The Internet disseminates knowledge but it also spreads hatred. As communicators, we select the truths that are most useful to our agenda.

We can select truths constructively to inspire organisations, encourage children, and drive progressive change. Or we can select truths that give a false impression of reality, misleading people without actually lying. Others can do the same, motivating or deceiving us with the truth. Truths are neutral but can also be highly versatile tools that we can use for good or ill.

Hector Macdonald here explores how truth is used and abused in politics, business, the media and everyday life. Combining great storytelling with practical takeaways and a litany of fascinating, funny and insightful case studies, Truth is a sobering and engaging read about how profoundly our mindsets and actions are influenced by the truths that those around us choose to tell.

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Critic reviews

Macdonald zeros in on the slipperiness of factuality, offering an array of case studies from the worlds of history, commerce and – of course – politics.
The merit of Hector Macdonald’s Truth is precisely that it forces us to remember how few claims can be definitively established as beyond dispute
In a time when truth is under assault, Hector Macdonald is here to defend it. He offers clear-eyed, compelling guidelines for becoming a more accurate consumer and producer of information.
Delightful… beautifully explores the truth that truth can look very different to different people. (Matt Ridley, author of Genome and The Red Queen)
No one can tell the whole truth in all its glory. Hector Macdonald's Truth explores how communicators spin reality, whether in the name of clarity or skullduggery. Macdonald is a deft guide to a topic that could not be more timely. (William Poundstone, author of Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?)
Engrossing (Caroline Sanderson)
As an expert on choice, I’ve long believed that our choices define who we are. This book explores the ways in which the decision to tell the truth is a choice that uniquely shapes who we are. While it’s easy to assume that the act of lying is more complicated one than telling the truth, the choice to tell the truth can be equally, if not far more complex.This book is not simply about telling the truth, but rather a guide to navigate the tough decisions that lead to truth. (Sheena Iyengar, author of The Art of Choosing)
An engaging primer in critical thinking, Truth will enable you to defend yourself against fake news, from bots on Twitter to loudmouths on cable television. Read the book attentively and from then on you'll be carrying the most important concealed weapon of all: an informed mind. (Peter Robinson, former White House speechwriter)
A fascinating look at how such an abstract concept can be shaped to many purposes, the ethics of bending the truth, and what consumers can do to analyze the innumerable truths presented to us.
A useful, commonsensical framework for making reasonable, responsible, and effective decisions.
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A great listen, I had trouble putting it down. Nothing will be seen in the same light again

It will make you question everything.

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Brilliant and very useful and educational. A must read if you don't want to be misled in life

Brilliant and very useful and educational.

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