No one likes to be called a liar, but the truth is, everybody is guilty of telling a fib once in a while. Some of us do it a lot. One study revealed that six out of 10 people lied at least once during a 10-minute conversation.

If, as the saying goes, honesty is the best policy, why do we twist the truth? Kira Vermond – winner of last year’s Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction – explains that people lie to get what they want, to stay safe and avoid punishment, to be nice, and because they feel compelled to do so. Vermond notes that most fibs fall into two categories: selfish lies (told to protect ourselves) and selfless lies (told to protect others).

But what does it mean to lie? Vermond offers the following as the standard definition: “To make a false statement with the intention to deceive.” Using a pithy and engaging tone, the author draws on historical anecdotes, scientific studies, and sociocultural analyses to explore the realm of lying. Types of deception, cultural attitudes about lies and dishonesty, pros and cons of deception, how lies touch our lives in astonishing ways, and human and technological attempts to detect lies are a mere smattering of the topics covered.

Clayton Hanmer’s cartoon-style artwork, rendered in ink and coloured digitally, adds a comic visual element and reinforces the more humorous aspects of the topic. Interesting sidebars, a thoughtfully compiled index and bibliography round out the illuminating, fascinating text.