'A powerful and punchy explanation of why misinformation is a problem that affects us all.
Timely and very provocative!' - Gillian Tett Editor-at-Large Financial Times 'Not only
brilliantly researched and written but immensely practical' - Andy Haldane former Chief
Economist at the Bank of England'A timely book and despite the nerdy statistical theories is
often quite funny' Harry Wallop The TimesA ground-breaking book that reveals why our human
biases affect the way we receive and interpret information with practical suggestions for how
to think more critically* One of Adam Grant's 8 New Idea Books to Start Spring ** A Financial
Times Book of the Month April 2024** A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book for May 2024*Our
lives are minefields of misinformation. It ripples through our social media feeds our daily
headlines and the pronouncements of politicians business leaders and best-selling authors.
Stories statistics and studies are everywhere allowing people to find evidence to support
whatever position they want. Many of these sources are flawed yet by playing on our emotions
and preying on our biases they can gain widespread acceptance warp our views and distort our
decisions.In this eye-opening book Alex Edmans an economist and professor at London Business
School teaches us how to separate fact from fiction. Using colourful examples - from a
wellness guru's tragic but fabricated backstory to the blunders that led to the Deepwater
Horizon disaster and the diet that ensnared millions yet hastened its founder's death - Edmans
highlights the biases that cause us to mistake statements for facts facts for data data for
evidence and evidence for proof.Armed with the knowledge of what to guard against he then
provides a practical guide to combat this tide of misinformation. Going beyond simply checking
the facts and explaining individual statistics Edmans explores the relationships between
statistics - the science of cause and effect - ultimately training us to think smarter sharper
and more critically. May Contain Lies is an essential read for anyone who wants to make better
sense of the world and take better decisions.'A passionate and dispassionate call to truth -
and how to achieve it - in a world of growing disinformation' - Will Hutton The Guardian
