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How to win
the war on truth

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Made to Stick by Chip Heath meets Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe in this illustrated guide to navigating today’s post-truth landscape, filled with real-world examples of disinformation campaigns.

The average American encounters up to 10,000 media messages a day. It’s no wonder we struggle to separate news from noise and fact from fiction. But in these unprecedented times, it’s essential to democracy that we do. 

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From welfare queens to WMDs, climate change to critical race theory, and the War on Drugs to the War on Christmas, much of what Americans believe is more mistruth than truth—and that’s by design. 

 

How to Win the War on Truth is an illustrated guide to debunking misperceptions, falsehoods, and fake news that cloud the media landscape. It exposes how the powerful use the tools of persuasion to influence public opinion and sell us ideas that enrich themselves at the public’s expense. It examines how these ideas impact our lives, and it argues that understanding this is key to making informed decisions and protecting our democracy.

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Packed with humor and satirical graphics, How to Win the War on Truth is filled with real-world examples to help readers recognize and resist the pull of propaganda, whether in line at the checkout or in the voting booth.

PRESS

“Rich with smart advice together with many useful and informing graphics.”

––David Cay Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of

The Big Cheat and The Making of Donald Trump

“A really smart take.”

––Angie Maxwell, author of The Long Southern Strategy

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“Nicely done…chock full of information.”

––Tavis Smiley, radio host

“an absolutely vital topic broken down in relatable and engaging comics.”

––Tim Smyth, author of Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels

“I recommend the book to everyone.”

––Shepard Fairey, artist and activist

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sample pages

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Written by Samuel C. Spitale

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Art by ALLAN WHINCUP

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resources

Teacher's Guide

Full Bibliography

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​Necessary Trouble Archives: 

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