Циничная и корыстная ложь во все времена осуждалась обществом. А вот остроумный блеф, способность прибегнуть к обману ради благих целей (например, обвести врага вокруг пальца), вызывали симпатию и восторг. С чем связана эта двойственность, каковы механизмы лжи и зачем они понадобились человеку в ходе эволюции - эти вопросы рассматривает известный исследователь Бор Стенвик. В поисках ответов он побывал в НИИ обороны, изучил новейшие образцы камуфляжа, записался на курсы аристократических манер в Лондоне и там же посетил дом-обманку, исследовал поддельные шедевры искусства и стал на время пикапером. Он знакомился с новейшими теориями философов, антропологов и нейропсихологов, беседовал с искусствоведами, полицейскими экспертами и даже с орнитологами. Занимательные истории и научные гипотезы, изложенные в книге, помогут вам разобраться в разных видах лжи и понять, почему большинство людей и животных просто не в состоянии без нее обходиться. Вы также научитесь распознавать чужой обман и меньше обманывать самих себя.

The quote 'The truth is that man is the most deceitful and at the same time the most truthful animal in the world. The search for lies and truth is like the fibers of one rope that we pull through biology, history, and society.' Bor Stenwick About what the book cynical and self-serving lies at all times condemned by society. But the witty bluff, the ability to resort to deception for good purposes (for example, to round the enemy around the finger), aroused sympathy and delight. What is the reason for this duality, what are the mechanisms of lies and why did man need them during evolution? In search of answers, the author of the book visited the Institute of Defense, studied the latest examples of camouflage, enrolled in courses of aristocratic manners in London and there visited the house-deception, researched fake masterpieces of art and became a pickup truck for a while. He got acquainted with the latest theories of philosophers, anthropologists and neuropsychologists, talked with art historians, police experts and even with ornithologists. Why a book is worthy of reading Lies is not always bad, sometimes useful, and sometimes just vital. There are many examples of 'good' deception in human society and wildlife. The whole history of civilization is permeated by deception. Why has this phenomenon taken root in our society? Why does a lie attract us so much that even guilt does not make us give it up? There are answers to these questions in the book. The author tells you what signs you can understand, what you lie to, and by what - that you are deceiving yourself. For whom this book is for a wide audience. Who is the author Bor Stenvik - Norwegian writer, journalist, researcher and popularizer of science. Keywords Lie, deception, bluff, behavioral psychology, mimicry, Bor Stenwick. Reviews to lie, cheat, lie, bluff, embellish - in human nature (although animals are also good at doing it). We are surrounded by deception since childhood, and sometimes we do not mind to add untruths from ourselves - or jokes for the sake of, or to salvation. And what is happening in the news, in social networks - lies there are often much more than the truth. It will be much easier to navigate the lies around us if you carefully study the fun, but at the same time serious research of BorStanik about the nature of this phenomenal phenomenon. Sergey Turko, editor-in-chief of Alpina Publisher, we used to think that lying is bad, but the truth, even unpleasant, is always better. But Bor Stenwick proves that nature is not so categorical, and for this she found good reasons. He has collected some of the most impressive studies and examples from biology, culture and history to understand why and why we are lying. Fascinating reading for those who are interested in the structure of the human brain and the strangeness of behavior! Olga Sevastyanova, Cosmopolitan Boor Stenvik with fanaticism scientist considered the phenomenon of deception as an engine of evolution and progress: camouflage, bluff, mimicry, di