Synopses & Reviews
Are you afraid you might succumb to bird flu? Worried that a life of poverty awaits you in old age? Concerned that you might not be having as much sex as the French? Anxious that our planet is under threat from climate change or a collision with an asteroid? If any, or all, of these things worry you, you're not alone. Anxiety is a part of modern life. But why? We're living longer, safer, and healthier lives than at any time in human history. So what is there to worry about?
In this witty and revealing book, Simon Briscoe and Hugh Aldersey-Williams strip away the hysteria that surrounds over forty of today's most common scare stories, from overpopulation and murder rates to fish shortages and obesity levels, and show the extraordinary extent to which statistics are manipulated or misrepresented by vested interests and the media, eager to exploit our fears. And most importantly they offer a toolkit for skepticismways of helping readers sort out what really is worth panicking about from the stuff that really isn't.
Review
"Briscoe and Aldersey-Williams demystify a huge list of tricky subject matter with precision and humor." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
In the spirit of Freakonomics, a smart, "pop" guide for determining the real level of danger behind many media-hyped threats.
Synopsis
“Combines statistics from news sources and government reports with their own analysis to take a rational look at many of today’s fears.”—USA Today
Synopsis
Are you worried that a life of poverty awaits you in old age? Anxious that our planet is under threat from climate change? You’re not alone. But should you really be worried? This revealing book strips away the hysteria that surrounds over forty of today’s most common scare stories, from overpopulation and murder rates to fish shortages and obesity levels.
About the Author
Hugh Aldersey-Williams studied natural sciences at St. John"s College, Cambridge. He is a writer and curator and is the author of numerous books on architecture, design, and science. He lives in Norfolk, England.
Simon Briscoeholds a degree is social sciences and has worked in the civil service, investment banking, and has been the statistics editor at The Financial Timesin the UK since 1999. He lives in London.