Book Review Mondays

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unSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation
by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson

Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD.

"Without a doubt, this is one of the most valuable books of our day because 'we live in a world of spin'" (the first line of the book). In just under 200 pages, the authors offer readers the warning signs of spin, hype, and bogus news (e.g., "if it's scary, be wary," "a story that's too good," "the dangling comparative," "the superlatives swindle," "the 'pay you Tuesday' con," "the blame game," and "glittering generalities"), common tricks used to deceive us (e.g., "misnomers," "weasel words," "eye candy," "the 'average bear," "the baseline bluff," "the literally true falsehood," and "the implied falsehood"), how to find the best evidence, and nine rules that help answer the question, "How do we know?" (e.g., "you can't be completely certain," "you can be certain enough," "look for general agreement among experts," "check primary sources," "know what counts," "know who's talking," "seeing shouldn't necessarily be believing," "cross-check everything that matters," and "be skeptical, but not cynical") What their book boils down to (supported with excellent, captivating examples) is stated forthrightly on page 149: "When confronted with a claim, keep an open mind, ask questions, cross-check, look for the best information, and then weigh the evidence." If you read just one book in the next year, this would be a good choice. It is excellent and well written.

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Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorks website.