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Don't You Believe It!: Exposing the Myths Behind Commonly Believed Fallacies
Our cherished culturally shared beliefs stem from a variety of sources, many of which propagate old wives’ tales, myths, self-serving fantasies, innocent fallacies, or sheer nonsense. History is replete with stories of great men and events that either never happened or didn’t happen the way we were told they did. Such items are part of our common knowledge. They are taught in schools. They are passed down to us by our families and friends and have become part of shared cultural knowledge, accepted without question. And they are wrong. Here, Herb Reich explodes 200 myths that you probably accept as fact, including:
Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player in the major leagues. The captain of a ship can perform marriages. Mussolini’s trains ran on time. Charles Lindbergh was the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in 1839. The Mason-Dixon line was drawn to separate the slave South from the free North. Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. Cleopatra was Egyptian. Chicago is called “the windy city” because of the gusts off Lake Michigan. It is a cliché that history is written by the victors. But Don’t You Believe It! will demonstrate that it is also written by teachers, by newsmen, by heirs, by hucksters, and occasionally by someone who has a lousy memory or an axe to grind.
Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player in the major leagues. The captain of a ship can perform marriages. Mussolini’s trains ran on time. Charles Lindbergh was the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in 1839. The Mason-Dixon line was drawn to separate the slave South from the free North. Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. Cleopatra was Egyptian. Chicago is called “the windy city” because of the gusts off Lake Michigan. It is a cliché that history is written by the victors. But Don’t You Believe It! will demonstrate that it is also written by teachers, by newsmen, by heirs, by hucksters, and occasionally by someone who has a lousy memory or an axe to grind.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 10, 2015
RANT WARNING
I bought this book at a Barnes & Noble bargain table. There are many books like this and it has almost become a genre all its own. They have similar titles, like "Everything You Know is Wrong" and probably should all be titled "I know something you don't know" or "I am smarter than all of you."
Yes, I find them irritating. Why? The authors (this one is no exception) dramatically declare we have all been mislead "...and been duped by our friends, teachers, the media, experts and even our parents." (End Note).
Well, don't faint yet from the shock of all that intellectual betrayal. Rather than showing dramatic duping or fraud, this book (as well as many others of its kind) is filled with:
The Picyune: "George Washington was not the first president of the USA." Well, he was the first president under the constitution. "The Battle of Yorktown did not end the revolutionary war." Well, it was the last major battle and 4 months later the English parliament voted to stop offensive operations in America. Many similar nitpicks appear throughout the book. . The author as much as admits the pettiness when discussing the pilgrims, starting his entry with "The above statement is essentially true...."
Hardly the duping he claims.
Assumptions paraded as fraud: No one told me Great Danes came from Denmark or that French Fries came from France. If I so believe, it is only from a false assumption based on the name, not a duping.
Debunking Beliefs Few Hold: Who thinks Dr. Seuss was a real doctor?
Declaring 1 side of a dispute is truth: The author says "Don't you believe" dim light can damage your eyes, but then admits "There are research findings suggesting dim light can aggravate myopia."
Just Plain Wrong: "Don't you believe" Eisnehower had any misgivings about D-Day. How could he not?
WHEW. Glad to get that off my chest.
And having said all that, I did get some enjoyment from reading this book. I would have enjoyed it more if it had just been entitled "Fun facts, trivia and Common Misconceptions" or some other undramatic title, and had a different attitude.
It's an easy read, the subjects covered are interesting and yes, I did learn a thing or two. I especially like the last couple sections concerning quotations attributed to the wrong persons, and those that that were just made up.
I am glad I read it but only because I bought it at the bargain table. And was able to write this rant.
I bought this book at a Barnes & Noble bargain table. There are many books like this and it has almost become a genre all its own. They have similar titles, like "Everything You Know is Wrong" and probably should all be titled "I know something you don't know" or "I am smarter than all of you."
Yes, I find them irritating. Why? The authors (this one is no exception) dramatically declare we have all been mislead "...and been duped by our friends, teachers, the media, experts and even our parents." (End Note).
Well, don't faint yet from the shock of all that intellectual betrayal. Rather than showing dramatic duping or fraud, this book (as well as many others of its kind) is filled with:
The Picyune: "George Washington was not the first president of the USA." Well, he was the first president under the constitution. "The Battle of Yorktown did not end the revolutionary war." Well, it was the last major battle and 4 months later the English parliament voted to stop offensive operations in America. Many similar nitpicks appear throughout the book. . The author as much as admits the pettiness when discussing the pilgrims, starting his entry with "The above statement is essentially true...."
Hardly the duping he claims.
Assumptions paraded as fraud: No one told me Great Danes came from Denmark or that French Fries came from France. If I so believe, it is only from a false assumption based on the name, not a duping.
Debunking Beliefs Few Hold: Who thinks Dr. Seuss was a real doctor?
Declaring 1 side of a dispute is truth: The author says "Don't you believe" dim light can damage your eyes, but then admits "There are research findings suggesting dim light can aggravate myopia."
Just Plain Wrong: "Don't you believe" Eisnehower had any misgivings about D-Day. How could he not?
WHEW. Glad to get that off my chest.
And having said all that, I did get some enjoyment from reading this book. I would have enjoyed it more if it had just been entitled "Fun facts, trivia and Common Misconceptions" or some other undramatic title, and had a different attitude.
It's an easy read, the subjects covered are interesting and yes, I did learn a thing or two. I especially like the last couple sections concerning quotations attributed to the wrong persons, and those that that were just made up.
I am glad I read it but only because I bought it at the bargain table. And was able to write this rant.
July 15, 2020
Maybe it's just me.
I spent the last 30 years finding out that what was taught in schools was wrong. In fact every holiday I was taught is packed with bulls#!t. Maybe Flag Day, but even the Betsy Ross part has turned out to be made up crap. No Santa, No Easter Bunny, St Valentines Day has almost nothing to do with love, St Patrick was not a drinker, and I'm not even out of March.
Right, we were talking about a book - this book is one of those that lovingly remarks every BS story we were taught in school and almost mocks the reader a little for thinking any of it is true. The revelations are not that stunning anyway - if they are for you, well bravo. I found it weak with obvious low hanging fruit.
I think a better book in the zip code of this story set would be LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME by James W Loewen. This book covers many of the facts that were mistaught and discusses the problem and what to do about it. DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT! leaves hanging any indictment of why our education is so packed with creation myths and outright slants and lies. I begs a reader to blame teachers and not the culprit, the politicization of making books and curricula for public schools.
If you ran out of books to put in the bathroom, this will do. I happen to think many others are better. Suggest INTERIOR DESECRATIONS, a stunning review of decorating in the 60s and 70s by James Lileks.
I spent the last 30 years finding out that what was taught in schools was wrong. In fact every holiday I was taught is packed with bulls#!t. Maybe Flag Day, but even the Betsy Ross part has turned out to be made up crap. No Santa, No Easter Bunny, St Valentines Day has almost nothing to do with love, St Patrick was not a drinker, and I'm not even out of March.
Right, we were talking about a book - this book is one of those that lovingly remarks every BS story we were taught in school and almost mocks the reader a little for thinking any of it is true. The revelations are not that stunning anyway - if they are for you, well bravo. I found it weak with obvious low hanging fruit.
I think a better book in the zip code of this story set would be LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME by James W Loewen. This book covers many of the facts that were mistaught and discusses the problem and what to do about it. DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT! leaves hanging any indictment of why our education is so packed with creation myths and outright slants and lies. I begs a reader to blame teachers and not the culprit, the politicization of making books and curricula for public schools.
If you ran out of books to put in the bathroom, this will do. I happen to think many others are better. Suggest INTERIOR DESECRATIONS, a stunning review of decorating in the 60s and 70s by James Lileks.
July 30, 2020
1.5 stars
There was way too much political and sport stuff in this book to make it very interesting to me. I don't care about either of these subjects, and for them to be constantly brought up just bored me. I found myself nodding off a few times.
I know this sounds stupid, but how do I know that their facts are actually the right ones when instead there is a lot more evidence for the things they're saying are false?
Don't forget there is some weird stuff in here.
Content:
Language--one use of damn, in someone's quote
Other stuff--Quick mention about eunuchs, talking about a movie with a homosexual relationship, "incestuous brothersister marriages," Harvey Milk is gay, quick mention of woman's sexual desire, and an unnatural sexual encounter with a horse.
Due to the content and lack of very much interesting stuff in it anyway, I don't recommend this to anyone. It was pretty boring, unfortunately.
There was way too much political and sport stuff in this book to make it very interesting to me. I don't care about either of these subjects, and for them to be constantly brought up just bored me. I found myself nodding off a few times.
I know this sounds stupid, but how do I know that their facts are actually the right ones when instead there is a lot more evidence for the things they're saying are false?
Don't forget there is some weird stuff in here.
Content:
Language--one use of damn, in someone's quote
Other stuff--Quick mention about eunuchs, talking about a movie with a homosexual relationship, "incestuous brothersister marriages," Harvey Milk is gay, quick mention of woman's sexual desire, and an unnatural sexual encounter with a horse.
Due to the content and lack of very much interesting stuff in it anyway, I don't recommend this to anyone. It was pretty boring, unfortunately.
May 27, 2025
This book features one short chapter after another denouncing commonly held "facts", myths, and other fallacies that we've all come to believe over the years. Chapters range in topics from "Is Johnny Appleseed a fictitious character? to "the common cold". Just enough information to debunk the myth is given which prevents it from being boring. This would be a great book to read on a trip, whether it's in audio or print.
August 9, 2021
This is a trivia book which is totally what the title says. It's about things most people believe that simply aren't true. or are partially true. Like paul revere being the one who sent out the warning that the british were coming. or betsy ross made the first flag. In small doses this stuff is kinda interesting, but put into a whole book, it becomes tedious and not so interesting anymore.
February 15, 2024
Info, info, info from nowhere else in the world. Interesting, amusing and always informative.
This book captured my attention from the first page. I liked the authors tongue in cheek revelations. I really could have appreciated another 100 pages or so.
This book captured my attention from the first page. I liked the authors tongue in cheek revelations. I really could have appreciated another 100 pages or so.
November 20, 2023
Very average
February 10, 2024
Interesting, but some of the stories don't tell us where the myth came from, or what the actual original story was and how it morphed into the common belief.
August 7, 2015
The book was mostly interesting. Some of the facts aren't entirely new, and there are actually a few things that I don't believe were accurate. If you're looking for a nice, short book to read, this is a good one.
The organization system felt a bit tired after the first few entries, but it's an okay book overall.
The organization system felt a bit tired after the first few entries, but it's an okay book overall.
October 12, 2011
Fairly entertaining book. Knew alot of the fallacies & some of the facts. It was nice to read the total summation of a "lie" & why it is around & the real story. Also liked the experts proved wrong section. As a serious doubter it is nice to feel validated.
January 2, 2013
An amusing collection of trivia and factoids. The irony is when the author states a particular fact is true or false all we have is his assertion. An alternate title for the book might be: Citation Needed.
November 21, 2010
I read this is a car in North Carolina. Good for toilet reading. That's not a bad thing. Although I do have a tendency to forget all the facts you learn from these things...
March 22, 2011
Good book to read in the bathroom where you can read, put it down. Come back later and read again. Each page is a complete essay about a popular belief or myth.
August 10, 2012
Full of interesting useless trivia. And everything is bite sized so it's easy to pick it up for 5 minutes at a time.
June 7, 2013
have your sticky pad ready because you will be marking almost every page to share with others
Read
September 24, 2013so much stuff i didn't know-wow!! very informative.
no errors.
no errors.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews