Truth, Hector Macdonald
Truth, Hector Macdonald
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
Club: $13.99

Truth
How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality

Author: Hector Macdonald

Narrator: Robert Fass

Unabridged: 9 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/06/2018

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

"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."-Adam Grant, author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

For fans of Nudge, Sway, and The Art of Thinking Clearly, a fascinating dive into the many ways in which "competing truths" shape our opinions, behaviors, and beliefs.

True or false? It's rarely that simple.

There is more than one truth about most things. The Internet disseminates knowledge but it also spreads hatred. Eating meat is nutritious but it's also damaging to the environment. When we communicate we naturally select the truths that are most helpful to our agenda.

We can select truths constructively to inspire organizations, 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 highly versatile tools that we can use for good or ill.

In Truth: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality, Hector Macdonald explores how truth is used and abused in politics, business, the media and everyday life. He shows how a clearer understanding of truth's many faces renders us better able to navigate our world and more influential within it. 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.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Zak on July 24, 2018

The author makes the case that for almost any issue, there is not just the one "TRUTH" but in fact, many competing truths. More so in the current digital age where we are often faced with a deluge of "information" from various sources (most of which are dubious), it is imperative that we be able to......more

Goodreads review by Nicholas on July 12, 2018

Macdonald is a good writer and there is definitely food for thought here, but this had what I felt was a lot of irrelevant padding, and it seemed to be structured for a corporate audience (Macdonald is a corporate consultant). When he stuck to the topic at hand--how can we tell a truth from a lie, s......more

Goodreads review by Michael on December 11, 2018

In Truth: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality, Hector MacDonald has provided an incisive view of how language and belief interact to determine everything that people think, feel and do. His story is based on the psychological insight that everything that one understands comprises a w......more

Goodreads review by Kent on March 08, 2018

Is this a true review? 4 stars? Well yes and no. And Hector would agree with me. It is also a 1, 2, 3 and 5 star book -- sort of a pentagon of reviews are available, depending on the reader. Subjective truth is a form of truth and perhaps the most dangerous when the believer acts on their truth. I'm......more

Goodreads review by June on August 10, 2021

As I grow older, I leaned that the world is not simply black or white, yes or no, true or false. It is 50 shades of grey ( not the Mr. Gray in the so titled book, although his personality complexity makes it an expression that I find quite fitting). I find this book helpful as it articulated an impo......more


Quotes

"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."—Adam Grant, author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

"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

"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 Head in the Cloud

"Delightful. Beautifully explores the truth that truth can look very different to different people."—Matt Ridley, author of Genome and The Red Queen

"Truth is 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."—Booklist

"An interesting and entertaining excursus that, in this post-truth era, may prove of use in helping unpack a specious claim or two."—Kirkus

"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 and author of How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life