Holmes, Peter et. al ( 2013 ) Would I Lie to You? London ,  United Kingdom: Faber & Faber 333 pages.

This little book although imbued with many pages describes 100 lies that encourages social cohesion. For many, when one says that they ” will see you  again.” It is probably a lie. If you say, have a good life, that can be unsettling. The illusion is that there may be another day and that you may never see them again.

So the authors have gathered lies that are more common and a few that will get you out or keep you out    of trouble. They also describe the context in which this lie emerges. When there is a person who wants you to compliment them. What do you do?  Well you  make an open and vague statement. “It’s promising.”  So you may mean it, but probably you don’t feel that way. However, the beauty of the lie is that you could be very wrong compared to others. That much of reality is subjective.

These folks are not academics and their radio program is for laughs. But beneath the laughter, there could be a strong emotion. The world goes on.

The authors by no means are prompting  lying as a virtue. These are supposedly “fibs.” Thus, a chaotic impersonal  world needs statements that are not totally true. The ethics behind this is that words matters and  so  no verbal body language.

However, where lies count in the social system and contracts covers the lie. That is serious and this book is not for those situations. You may have to lie to save your life. What is the context of the lie?

Thus, being truthful  is best in many situations, Unfortunately , there are other times when it physical and spiritually wrong. So this book is filled with lies.

Prof. Joel  Snell

Kirkwood College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa