The Lying Ape: An Honest Guide to a World of Deception

We tell an average of six lies a day, psychologists believe. So the next time you speak to someone, the chances are that you will be lied to. Or that you will lie.

We are all natural born liars, and in this witty and engaging book Brian King unravels the full extent of the deceit that surrounds us, from the deceptions of obvious candidates such as politicians, ad-men, journalists and second-hand car salesmen to the subtler falsehoods of our partners and children, and the lies we tell ourselves to preserve our precious self-esteem.

He looks at some of the great liars of history, reveals how scientists can observe the brain as it suppresses the awkward truth in favour of the convenient lie, and advises on the best techniques for spotting a lie through body language and verbal slips.

Remember - it’s only a short step from lying about raiding the biscuit jar as a child to lying about weapons of mass destruction when you get to be Prime Minister.