Truth: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality - Softcover

"Macdonald zeros in on the slipperiness of factuality, offering an array of case studies from the worlds of history, commerce and – of course – politics." (New York Times)

"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" (Washington Post)

"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, New York Times bestselling author of ORIGINALS and OPTION B with Sheryl Sandberg)

"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?)

We like to think that there is a clear distinction between true and false. Unfortunately, the reality is far murkier.

Hector Macdonald has spent his entire career exploring the ways that two completely true statements about the same thing can give wildly different impressions to the people listening. For instance, the internet can be described as a place that spreads knowledge or a place that spreads misinformation and hatred. Both statements are true, but they would paint radically different pictures of the internet for person who had never heard of it before.

Now, in Truth: A User's Guide, Macdonald explains how and why these so-called 'competing truths' are used intentionally and unintentionally by businesses, media, politicians, advertisers and even regular people having regular conversations. He shows how understanding competing truths makes us better at navigating the 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, attitudes and actions are influenced by the truths that those around us choose to tell.