'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 Times A 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* * A Wall Street Journal recommended summer read 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
