Everybody lies. We lie to protect ourselves, to protect others, to prevent hurt feelings, to get what we want, to stay out of trouble. We lie for reasons both selfish and selfless. There are big lies and little lies, and statements that are lies to some but truths to others.

A Brief History of Lies examines the culture of lying, focusing on not only how pervasive lying is, but how it has become a fundamental part of human interaction. There are catalogues of different kinds of lies and liars, all in an attempt to understand the importance of lying. This is reinforced by a quotation on every page (some of which become rather repetitive as the book progresses).While the book has some funny moments, I’d have to say the facetious tone of the subtitle is misleading; overall, Navavati’s work is profoundly bleak. Because money, relationships, and countries are social constructs, they are lies. I find this unnecessarily pessimistic. A few jokes and lighthearted jabs here and there can’t mitigate that sort of oppressive tone.

As a scholarly treatise, A Brief History of Lies succeeds admirably, but it could do with a bit more heart.

Reviewed by Glenn Dallas