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Who Killed Truth?: A History of Evidence
Many historians and cultural observers argue we live in a post-truth world—but if truth is dead, who killed it? And how did it die? Join celebrated historian Jill Lepore as she cracks the case by examining key moments in the history of truth, doubt, and evidence across the last century.
In Who Killed Truth? acclaimed Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore traces the origins of our current post-truth crisis. In a series of spellbinding stories, Lepore investigates murders, hoaxes, lies and delusions to reckon with the instability of truth and fiction in the twenty-first century. Listeners will follow Lepore through a fascinating, erudite, and antic journey through the thorny problem of how we know what we know, and why it seems sometimes as if we don’t know anything at all anymore.
Revisiting key moments in U.S. history—from the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 to the 1977 National Women’s Convention to the first election predicted by computer, and more—Lepore uncovers the secrets of the past the way a detective might, hot on the trail of the killer of truth.
Runtime: 13 hours, 40 minutes
In Who Killed Truth? acclaimed Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore traces the origins of our current post-truth crisis. In a series of spellbinding stories, Lepore investigates murders, hoaxes, lies and delusions to reckon with the instability of truth and fiction in the twenty-first century. Listeners will follow Lepore through a fascinating, erudite, and antic journey through the thorny problem of how we know what we know, and why it seems sometimes as if we don’t know anything at all anymore.
Revisiting key moments in U.S. history—from the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 to the 1977 National Women’s Convention to the first election predicted by computer, and more—Lepore uncovers the secrets of the past the way a detective might, hot on the trail of the killer of truth.
Runtime: 13 hours, 40 minutes
367 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2023
15 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Jill Lepore
49 books1,499 followersJill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History, Harvard College Professor, and chair of Harvard's History and Literature Program. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker.
Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Award for the best non-fiction book on race, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; The Name of War (Knopf, 1998), winner of the Bancroft Prize, the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, and the Berkshire Prize and a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Award.
A co-founder of the magazine Common-place, Lepore’s essays and reviews have also appeared in the New York Times, the Times Literary Supplement, American Scholar, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, The Daily Beast, the Journal of American History and American Quarterly. Her research has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Pew Foundation, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, the Charles Warren Center, and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. She has served as a consultant for the National Park Service and currently serves on the boards of the National Portrait Gallery and the Society of American Historians.
Jill lives in Cambridge,Massachusetts.
Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Award for the best non-fiction book on race, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; The Name of War (Knopf, 1998), winner of the Bancroft Prize, the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, and the Berkshire Prize and a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Award.
A co-founder of the magazine Common-place, Lepore’s essays and reviews have also appeared in the New York Times, the Times Literary Supplement, American Scholar, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, The Daily Beast, the Journal of American History and American Quarterly. Her research has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Pew Foundation, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, the Charles Warren Center, and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. She has served as a consultant for the National Park Service and currently serves on the boards of the National Portrait Gallery and the Society of American Historians.
Jill lives in Cambridge,Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 9, 2023
This audiobook is a compilation of episodes of Jill Lepore's podcast "The Last Archive". By chance I listened to a couple of episodes a while back, and they are recognizably intact in the book, though I can't say how much overall has been added or omitted in the transition. My guess is that if you listen to the podcast episodes in sequence you will end up in the same place.
And what is that place? It's not exactly straightforward, and some of her digressions drift fairly far afield. The general topic is epistemology. What is true, what is opinion, where does belief come in? And how has that changed over time?
At one time, it was accepted that all knowledge rested in god and was a mystery to humans. (It must be noted that the entire book is Eurocentric in focus, but in fairness that is consistent with her efforts to make sense of what is referred to as the "post-truth" moment in the US today.)
Developments over time, such as a the need for evidence that can be presented in court and the the rise of empirical science, resulted in what we call facts. Eventually the accumulation of related facts became numbers, and those numbers turned into data. But facts are the core of the book. How do we agree on them, and how do we use them?
Lepore is at pains to have us understand that the US has a long history of preferring sensationalism to reality, facts be damned. True as that may be, I found only weak connections between the early chapters and our current situation until she enters her discussion of the impact of technology, beginning with radio.
Her message stays on track for most of the rest of the book, as she traces technologies and events that led to today’s status quo, where facts are seemingly subjective. One of the strongest sections, actually, is her discussion of how rap sessions, the concept of individuals “owning their truth”, eroded the idea of there may be one single, absolute truth. If everyone’s experience defines their own reality; if their opinions reflect those experiences; and if those opinions contradict the experiences of other people, where does truth lie?
I found the relationship of some chapters to this general theme a little hard to fathom. For instance, a loving tribute to Rachel Carson formed the core of a chapter about the failure of the environmental movement to gain enough meaningful traction with the public or the government in the 1970’s to result in a sustained commitment to changes. I guess the lengthy discussion of bird song and the history of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology were all tied into the significance of the dropping numbers in bird counts. But it was definitely a bit of a ramble. (And this comment comes from someone who has owned multiple copies of the Cornell Lab’s bird identification tapes.)
Another personal aside: In the very strong chapter on the growth of conspiracy theories following the moon landing, Lepore writes at length about how the distrust of government that frequently features in Michael Crichton’s best-selling books fed these fears in the 1970’s. I remember reading a Crichton book (State of Fear) many years later that actually loops this distrust of his into the environmental chapter. The point of that book is that climate change is not real, and as I recall, in it he makes the argument that banning the use of DDT was a disaster for humans, regardless of all the benefits it brought to other animals.
Taken all together, there is plenty of fascinating content in the book, and it was an entertaining read (listen). Just not very hopeful about the possibility of bringing truth back to life.
Caution: I’m not sure that Lepore’s chirpy narration style would be to everyone’s taste.
And what is that place? It's not exactly straightforward, and some of her digressions drift fairly far afield. The general topic is epistemology. What is true, what is opinion, where does belief come in? And how has that changed over time?
At one time, it was accepted that all knowledge rested in god and was a mystery to humans. (It must be noted that the entire book is Eurocentric in focus, but in fairness that is consistent with her efforts to make sense of what is referred to as the "post-truth" moment in the US today.)
Developments over time, such as a the need for evidence that can be presented in court and the the rise of empirical science, resulted in what we call facts. Eventually the accumulation of related facts became numbers, and those numbers turned into data. But facts are the core of the book. How do we agree on them, and how do we use them?
Lepore is at pains to have us understand that the US has a long history of preferring sensationalism to reality, facts be damned. True as that may be, I found only weak connections between the early chapters and our current situation until she enters her discussion of the impact of technology, beginning with radio.
Her message stays on track for most of the rest of the book, as she traces technologies and events that led to today’s status quo, where facts are seemingly subjective. One of the strongest sections, actually, is her discussion of how rap sessions, the concept of individuals “owning their truth”, eroded the idea of there may be one single, absolute truth. If everyone’s experience defines their own reality; if their opinions reflect those experiences; and if those opinions contradict the experiences of other people, where does truth lie?
I found the relationship of some chapters to this general theme a little hard to fathom. For instance, a loving tribute to Rachel Carson formed the core of a chapter about the failure of the environmental movement to gain enough meaningful traction with the public or the government in the 1970’s to result in a sustained commitment to changes. I guess the lengthy discussion of bird song and the history of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology were all tied into the significance of the dropping numbers in bird counts. But it was definitely a bit of a ramble. (And this comment comes from someone who has owned multiple copies of the Cornell Lab’s bird identification tapes.)
Another personal aside: In the very strong chapter on the growth of conspiracy theories following the moon landing, Lepore writes at length about how the distrust of government that frequently features in Michael Crichton’s best-selling books fed these fears in the 1970’s. I remember reading a Crichton book (State of Fear) many years later that actually loops this distrust of his into the environmental chapter. The point of that book is that climate change is not real, and as I recall, in it he makes the argument that banning the use of DDT was a disaster for humans, regardless of all the benefits it brought to other animals.
Taken all together, there is plenty of fascinating content in the book, and it was an entertaining read (listen). Just not very hopeful about the possibility of bringing truth back to life.
Caution: I’m not sure that Lepore’s chirpy narration style would be to everyone’s taste.
January 29, 2025
100% fascinating audiobook, I highly recommend this to anyone interested in American politics, the history of the communication industry, civil rights activism, environmental activism and controversy related to international relations and how it all comes together to identify the main attributes that have contributed to disinformation.
Each chapter is a segment of Jill Lepore's podcast, and covers different topics. My personal favorites were the coverage of Cold War and WW2 radio propaganda, and the coverage of Rush Limbaugh's early establishment of far right-wing radio programming geared toward tunnel-vision and audience participation, indoctrination and how it set the stage for many of the issues we face today with political leaders and media corporations.
Jill Lepore is a fantastic historian, I highly recommend checking out more of her books as well, especially These Truths: A History of the United States.
Each chapter is a segment of Jill Lepore's podcast, and covers different topics. My personal favorites were the coverage of Cold War and WW2 radio propaganda, and the coverage of Rush Limbaugh's early establishment of far right-wing radio programming geared toward tunnel-vision and audience participation, indoctrination and how it set the stage for many of the issues we face today with political leaders and media corporations.
Jill Lepore is a fantastic historian, I highly recommend checking out more of her books as well, especially These Truths: A History of the United States.
December 1, 2023
Jill Lepore says that when she wants to learn about something, she teaches a class about it. Jeez, Jill, I usually just read the Wikipedia entry. I guess that's why I don't teach history at Harvard!
This is a collection of wide-ranging, quirky, well-reported pieces on different aspects of American history, with interviews plus a cast that acts out some of the primary sources. My favorite piece was about the National Women's Conference of 1977, which I had never heard of.
This is a collection of wide-ranging, quirky, well-reported pieces on different aspects of American history, with interviews plus a cast that acts out some of the primary sources. My favorite piece was about the National Women's Conference of 1977, which I had never heard of.
August 11, 2023
Horrible trivialization of an important issue annoyingly narrated by the Author of this waste of time. Avoid this Popcast at all cost. **
October 1, 2023
Fun and interesting
December 23, 2023
I gave in 10.30 (of 13.30) in. What started out to be an interesting and well presented set of scenarios, descended slowly into a polemic, and I am not a fan. Historian? I don't hold out much hope for anyone in the distant future, reading her take on history. Not everything is a conspiracy, and not everything has a simple answer. It might in some delusional world, but in the real world, what should happen, and what is viable, are rarely the same thing.
The book title is the stand out winner in the, "Most Ironic Title" classification.
There are two sides to every argument, she only shows one.
The book title is the stand out winner in the, "Most Ironic Title" classification.
There are two sides to every argument, she only shows one.
October 11, 2023
This is a series of podcasts put out as an audiobook. I highly recommend it, but if you're looking for an answer to the title question (Who killed truth?), you're not going to find it. What you're going to find are a series of fascinating historical vignettes. I was familiar with several of them but still learned new details about them. The subtitle (A History of Evidence) is a more accurate description of the book, but even that oversells it, in my opinion.
My two main criticisms of the book were that the audio files used to illustrate points were sometimes too hard to understand (and there wasn't a synopsis of what was said, which would have cleared up the confusion), and I could have done without the last section of the book, in which the author goes to two New England high schools to determine if high schoolers should be the arbiters of what political ads get posted on social media. It showed that many New England high schoolers are bright and engaged, but I laughed when she said that she was choosing high schools that were on different ends of the spectrum--one in New Hampshire and one in Vermont. If she really wanted diverse high schools to prove her point, she should have taken two that were more diverse, such as a New England high school and a Compton, California, or rural Iowa high school, for example. (I realize that would have posed more difficult production problems, but it would have made the "study" more valid, in my opinion.)
My two main criticisms of the book were that the audio files used to illustrate points were sometimes too hard to understand (and there wasn't a synopsis of what was said, which would have cleared up the confusion), and I could have done without the last section of the book, in which the author goes to two New England high schools to determine if high schoolers should be the arbiters of what political ads get posted on social media. It showed that many New England high schoolers are bright and engaged, but I laughed when she said that she was choosing high schools that were on different ends of the spectrum--one in New Hampshire and one in Vermont. If she really wanted diverse high schools to prove her point, she should have taken two that were more diverse, such as a New England high school and a Compton, California, or rural Iowa high school, for example. (I realize that would have posed more difficult production problems, but it would have made the "study" more valid, in my opinion.)
October 12, 2024
Jill Lepore is one of those historians who, like in years past, were considered public intellectuals who actually have a public. This book is only available in audio format, but that allows for some interesting things. Lepore's overall point is trying to discover how it is that for many people truth no longer exists, or at least it's next to impossible to have a clearly objective truth that all can agree on. Using various stories, such as the Scopes Monkey Trial as well as the current electoral miasma, Lepore comes up with what is likely a disappointing conclusion, which I will not divulge. The last chapter was probably the strongest.
December 17, 2023
Jill Lepore curates a collection of her well-produced podcasts presented as excursions into often obscure byways of American History. Roughly chronological and mostly focused on the 20th century, these chapters examine how truth is determined, challenged, or undermined by evolving technology. Radio recordings (both early and more contemporary), actor reconstructions, and recorded interviews are woven into the narrative, and these devices enhance the audiobook experience.
December 29, 2024
I’m hardly ever a fan of non-fiction writing: I find it’s often too dry and repetitive. In this case the author tried to make the history captivating by using reenactments, but it just seemed corny. While there were some interesting nuggets in this audiobook, I often struggled to understand the point the author was trying to make within each story. It could have gotten straight to the point and been a quarter of the length. The entertainment attempts were just lost on me.
February 13, 2024
Would have been 5 stars if it didn’t include the both boring and bizarre bird stuff and some other things that almost put me asleep driving and into a ditch. Ending a bit brief too - might have been more poetic and tried to come up with something to tie it all together. Like this, it’s just a series of cool stories. Overall, enjoyable.
August 17, 2024
Great to listen to -- the nod to radio shows and their audio dramatizations and especially the primary source material really add to the experience. I love Jill Lepore's sleuting and problem-solving drive. It was a great "read" through a swath of American history.
April 18, 2025
I am becoming a major Jill Lepore fan. I loved the audio book of this with Lepore herself reading most of it and others acting out parts as a radio drama. This is well written history about how BS has entered and refuses to leave our body politic.
August 28, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up, because I really like Lepore's style and the way she connects her examples. Engaging and I (of course) appreciate all the low-key love for archives, information literacy, and libraries :)
September 29, 2024
Great book. With Jill Lepore reading the nook, it was like a podcast. I highly recommend it.
June 28, 2025
Written and produced during the COVID pandemic, this audiobook is more an engaging podcast than traditional book. Still, it’s quintessential Lepore: insightful, humane, humorous, hopeful, measured, and profound. It offers a clear and accessible overview of 20th-century American history. The final chapter stands out as a fascinating and ultimately optimistic experiment in fact-checking political ads using two teams of high school students. I liked Lepore’s voice and perspective before listening to this; I like it even more now.
The chapter on the history of conservative talk radio is particularly insightful.
The chapter on the history of conservative talk radio is particularly insightful.
March 27, 2024
I absolutely loved this book… for about 3/4ths of it. The later part of the book showed her bias (and lack of truth seeking), but I can understand that. She definitely does not like Trump, and I can understand that and she did a decent job at targeting both sides. The problem I had most with this book is that it never address the major underlying problem, the cancer causing all of the symptoms, the philosophical underpinnings: postmodernism. While I understand that the author probably had not intention to dive into the topic that deep, I believe that a book talking about what and who killed truth must talk about the murder, not just the bullets that killed the victim.
November 22, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, as I do with everything Jill Lepore writes.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews