Lying Audiobook By Sam Harris cover art

Lying

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Lying

By: Sam Harris
Narrated by: Sam Harris
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $6.95

Buy for $6.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

As it was in Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, and Othello, so it is in life. Most forms of private vice and public evil are kindled and sustained by lies. Acts of adultery and other personal betrayals, financial fraud, government corruption - even murder and genocide - generally require an additional moral defect: a willingness to lie.

In Lying, bestselling author and neuroscientist Sam Harris argues that we can radically simplify our lives and improve society by merely telling the truth in situations where others often lie. He focuses on "white" lies - those lies we tell for the purpose of sparing people discomfort - for these are the lies that most often tempt us. And they tend to be the only lies that good people tell while imagining that they are being good in the process.

©2013 Sam Harris (P)2013 Sam Harris Ethics & Morality Philosophy Thought-Provoking Inspiring Funny

Editorial reviews

Editors Select, November 2013 - Like most, I don't believe in lying, but I've never been opposed to the occasional white lie when I felt it was warranted. So I was pretty intrigued when I heard about this essay from Sam Harris, in which he argues that all forms of lying are inherently detrimental to our lives and relationships with others. From false encouragement to omission, Harris dismisses the notion that any kind of lie is truly harmless - often using insightful, true stories as examples. It's a short listen that is definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in psychology, human behavior, or self-improvement. I predict I'll be choosing my words wisely when I open a gift I don't love this holiday season! —Sam, Audible Editor

Critic reviews

"This essay is quite brilliant. (I was hoping it would be, so I wouldn't have to lie.) I honestly loved it from beginning to end. Lying is the most thought-provoking read of the year." (Ricky Gervais)
"Humans have evolved to lie well, and no doubt you've seen the social lubrication at work. In many cases, we might not think of it as a true lie: perhaps a 'white' lie once in a blue moon, the omission of a sensitive detail here and there, false encouragement of others when we see no benefit in dashing someone's hopes, and the list goes on. In Lying, Sam Harris demonstrates how to benefit from being brutally - but pragmatically - honest. It's a compelling little book with a big impact." (Tim Ferriss author of the number-one New York Times best sellers The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Workweek.)
"In this brief but illuminating work, Sam Harris applies his characteristically calm and sensible logic to a subject that affects us all: the human capacity to lie. And by the book's end, Harris has compelled you to lead a better life because the benefits of telling the truth far outweigh the cost of lies - to yourself, to others, and to society." (Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, American Museum of Natural History)
Thought-provoking Content • Practical Ethical Insights • Soothing Voice • Compelling Arguments • Concise Presentation
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I liked the way this book made me feel a bit uncomfortable. You don't hear or read these bluntly honest opinions about the type of lies that we often consider socially acceptable (if you think about it, as the author explains, they are harmful). I did not agree with some of his arguments, but the most important thing was that this book made me re-evaluate my approach to life. I also liked the last 30 minutes where he responded to readers' questions. When there are too many books out there in which the authors stretch and repeat the same points over and over again, this to-the-point style was also refreshing.

Confronting oneself

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one that I knew I would agree with but fail to implement completely. I plan on reading many times in the future to gain the strength to change. Complete honesty in this society is tough. Loved this book.

Insightful - Will Read Again

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

What did you like best about this story?

If you are a fan of Sam Harris, you will love this little audiobook. A ton of great analysis packed into 75 minutes.

Sam Harris has done it again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Harris makes a compelling argument that humans should strive to completely eliminate lying (except in very rare and extreme circumstances, and often not even then). Harris, per usual, is thought-provoking, thoughtful, and thoroughly original. I have never considered lies, especially habitual white lies and lies of commission or omission, to be as potentially harmful to personal relationships and societal trust as Harris argues. But having finished this extended essay, I don't think I will ever look at half-truths and outright lies the same way.

Erudite and thought-provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This audiobook explores the subject of lying, but fails to come full circle and establish the author's argument. I imagine one can find it in there, but I'm accustomed to an argument like this closing with a summation or conclusion and this ends abruptly after he responds to questions from people who wrote to him about it. All in all I'm glad that I listened to it, because it expanded my thinking on the subject, so I would have given it three and a half stars if that option was available to me.

Interesting, if not complete

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This gave me a lot to think about. Keep up the good work Sam Harris.

Worth every second of listening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed listening to the book over a year ago. While I have not reread it, I still think about it every time I fib. :) Great read!

Thought Provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Easy to listen to with great portrayals, and analogies. Very educational and taught me enough to immediately start making changes in my life.

Helpful book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book actually just makes me want to high five it's author. It has actually made me a person. Can't say that about many books.

Also, it's really short so you can read the whole thing in single sitting.

Can't recommend it enough.

Well worth the time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Im not completely sure if the content itself is worth the price of the book in comparison to others. HOWEVER, what you do get is concise and well structured; the author more than deserves the purchase for all the content he provides for free. Was happy to buy if only as a way of giving back for so much priceless knowladge and insight.

Great author, short content.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews