Conspiracies Declassified is an excellent introduction to skepticism with regard to conspiracy theories. It goes over virtually every conspiracy theory I can think of and it does it in an entertaining, easy to read way. I haven't been able to put it down.
That said, while the book is great, it's important to know what you're getting. First, you're not going to get a really in-depth analysis of any given conspiracy theory. Conspiracies Declassified, due to the huge number of conspiracies covered, is focused on getting the most important facts and arguments analyzed in only 3-4 pages per "theory." For most people, that's more than enough, but if you were looking for an in-depth breakdown of major theories, this isn't the book for it.
The other aspect I wanted to address is that this book has an overarching pro-evidence and pro-logic perspective which will frustrate some readers sympathetic to conspiracy theories. Those looking to have their preexisting beliefs about conspiracy theories reinforced have many books to choose from, but this isn't one of them.
What I'd like to see in the future from Dunning is a book that picks perhaps the top ten conspiracy theories and goes into them in much greater detail in each, something that's just not possible when you're covering the huge number of topics that this book does.
I think there are two ways to use this book, and two reasons you might want it. The first is entertainment. If you're a skeptic then I think you'll find it very enjoyable, and the writing is easy to follow in what very well might have been a dense chore from an inferior author. The second reason you may want to pick this up is as a quick reference to any given conspiracy theory you are likely to encounter.
For myself, I read it for pleasure, and also as a good refresher course on some of the more obscure conspiracy theories I'd long ago forgotten about.
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Entertainingly Succinct and Useful Information
Dunning has a knack for condensing truths into easy-to-digest chunks, while always respecting the reader’s intelligence. In Conspiracies Declassified he takes several rampant pop conspiracies and, with references to source material intact, explains the origins, failings and sometimes the nuggets of truth to each.If you have ever tired of the repeated tropes of oversensationalized “documentaries” touting misconceptions about secret aliens, Youtubers claiming claiming secret knowledge about government plots, cabals and cover-ups, or your drunk uncle’s ravings about mysterious plane crashes, here is the antidote. There’s even a chapter with conspiracy theories that turned out to be true.The author also runs a non-profit that provides educators with materials to assist in helping students make sense of misinformation vs knowledge. I have used information from Dunning’s books to assist college science students in assessing their exposure to such misinformation and to help them strengthen their critical thinking skills in a world that bombards them with single-to-no-sourced clickbait. His books make great quick-reference material, and it is good to know that there’s more where this came from.
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
A good primer on critical thinking!
Reviewed in Canada on March 10, 2020
Nigel Bax
Conspiracies in the cold light of day
Reviewed in Spain on March 25, 2020Joel Mazo
Perfeito para quem valoriza o pensamento crítico e um bom método científico
Reviewed in Brazil on July 6, 2018
kuiper_belt_transport
Logical explanations to ridiculous stories.
Reviewed in Australia on March 17, 2020