The World's Best Book Summaries
What is the Spy the Lie book about? What can we learn from the CIA about lie detection? In Spy the Lie, a book written by former CIA and NSA professionals, the authors explain their system for asking questions and watching responses in an interrogation. Their system can be used in many contexts, both in an interrogation and in daily life. Continue reading to learn how to spot a lie according to the experts.
Do trees speak? What’s the “wood wide web”? Why do trees produce different smells? According to forester Peter Wohlleben in The Hidden Life of Trees, trees have their own unique form of communication. Trees can warn one another of dangers, ask for help, and may even be able to sense their surroundings through a form of echolocation. Keep reading to learn more about how trees communicate.
How do you know when someone is lying to you? Is there a guaranteed way to know? To tell when someone is lying, note how they respond within the first five seconds of asking them a question. Using this and other strategies can help you determine what is true and what isn’t. Continue reading for more on how this system works and what the best way is to tell if someone is lying.
Does mixing truth with lies make you seem less guilty? How do people cover up lies with partial truths? Mixing truth with lies is a common way people get away with deception. By learning how including partial truths can hide a lie, you can better understand how to see through deception. Keep reading to see how partial truths can hide a lie.
What CIA interrogation techniques can you use to collect the truth? What are the best questions to ask in an interrogation? CIA interrogation techniques are centered on asking the right kinds of questions: short, relevant, and loaded. Learning these techniques can help you separate truth from lies in many contexts. Read on for more about CIA interrogation techniques and sample questions to ask in an interrogation.
What are the most common verbal signs of deception? What does lying look like? The four verbal signs of deception according to the CIA are inappropriate responses, failure to answer, qualifier-heavy answers, and generally suspicious responses like inconsistency and aggression. Noticing these signs can help you determine if someone is lying in an interview or interrogation. Continue reading for more detail on what these verbal signs of deception look like.
What are common body language cues for lying? How can you tell if someone is telling the truth based on their behavior? Body language cues for lying include taking long pauses before answering, anxious fidgeting, and inconsistency between speech and action. Learning these signs can help you spot a lie more effectively. Learn more about what body language cues to look for when trying to spot deception.
Do you have a colleague who’s difficult to work with? Is there a professional and wise way to deal with them? In The Asshole Survival Guide, Robert I. Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds—especially in the workplace. He discusses considerations you should address before deciding if and how to go on the offensive and shares direct and subtle methods of confrontation. Keep reading for Sutton’s advice on how to confront a coworker professionally that can help you keep your sanity and your job.
Are toxic people making your workplace intolerable? Are you afraid that confronting them will make things worse? Just as there’s no one definition of what makes someone toxic, there’s no one way to deal with a toxic person. You must judge for yourself what strategies will be best depending on the situation and the people involved. Keep reading for some practical advice on how to deal with toxic people at work from organizational psychologist Robert I. Sutton.
Why is asking questions important? What are some ways to ask questions without overwhelming your conversation partner? If people never asked questions, we’d likely never make breakthroughs. On a smaller scale, questions open opportunities for further discussion that’ll teach you more about other people. Read more about why asking questions is important, from learning new things to avoiding assumptions.