Book Reviews
"In an era where we constantly fear being swindled, a book that delves into the psychology of deception and offers guidance on steering clear of fraud becomes essential reading."
Nobody's Fool named as a new and notable book by Stephen Hupp: "The same team who wrote The Invisible Gorilla ... share more about deception in their latest book."
Andrew Robinson chose "Nobody's Fool" as one of five best science picks for the Books Iin Brief section.
"Affable and fleet-footed ... fascinating examples ... even if we can’t be nobody’s fool, we may become a bit less foolish"
"In their fascinating new book, they weave outrageous examples of art frauds and scholarly work with meticulously researched insight into why we fall for these deceivers, how we can avoid becoming patsies and why we shouldn’t take it personally when someone tried to dupe us."
"The authors present a delightful parade of fakery in which scammers compete with equally dishonest entrepreneurs, scientists, journalists, and politicians, with special attention to the psychologists ... Simons and Chabris prescribe easy, common-sense rules, not-so-easy-to-implement but excellent advice on researching dubious claims, and repeated warnings to question our deeply held beliefs and distrust gut feelings. An outstanding guide to nonsense for critical readers."
"Replete with fascinating examples...this entry provides smart, succinct analyses based in solid cognitive science principles. The gullible and skeptical alike will find plenty to chew on."
"'How do we get fooled and how can we avoid getting fooled in the future?' is a worthy topic for a book, and Simons and Chabris did an excellent job."
"Andrew Sellon's pleasing performance makes the authors' conversational writing and fascinating insights a treat to hear ...Two psychologists unpack the habits of mind and perceptual biases that make us believe something merely because it seems familiar. They spell out the myriad reasons we resist questioning new information, especially in social settings, by looking for flaws in an idea or presentation. It's a wonderful lesson for the Information Age. Delivered with natural-sounding enthusiasm, these insights and pointed advice will help listeners be less vulnerable to today's scams and polarizing misinformation."
Other Praise
Notable Books of 2023
Top 50 Psychology Book of 2023
Nobody's Fool was listed among the 100 candidates for the Non-Obvious Book of the year award for 2023 at Inc.com.
Nobody's Fool was NPR's "Book of the Day" on 26 July 2023. The link includes our interview on Weekend Edition with Sacha Pfeiffer.
July must-read book
Leadership Books for July
Summer Reading List
Psychology books to read this summer
Rarely do you find such practical advice combined with such delicious entertainment. In an age of con artists, charlatans, and conspiracy peddlers, Nobody's Fool is an essential survival guide for investors, consumers, and citizens. I wondered if the authors could possibly top The Invisible Gorilla, a classic in its field. They have – and we're all better armed against fraud as a result.
Diana B. Henriques - author of the New York Times bestseller The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust
Through captivating storytelling and insightful analysis, Nobody's Fool provides a fascinating exploration of the human mind's vulnerability to deception, and offers practical tools to help us become more rational decision-makers.
Annie Duke - author of Thinking in Bets and Quit
This book is worth vastly more than its purchase price. It shows, in rich detail, that con-artists around the world use strikingly similar tactics to ensnare their victims. Simons and Chabris offer an engaging master class in how to foil purveyors of false promises.
Philip E. Tetlock - author of Superforecasting
Whether you are wondering how frauds like Enron, Theranos, and FTX managed to fool so many people for so much of the time, or just want to know how to protect yourself from The Next Big Fleece, Simons and Chabris have got you covered, in this tour of how con artists, hoaxers, and troll farms prey on human cognitive weaknesses.
Gary Marcus - author of Guitar Zero, Kluge, and Rebooting AI
In an era when more information is available to us than ever before, when claims of “fake news” might themselves be fake news, Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris offer a vital tool to not only inoculate ourselves against getting infected by misinformation but to prevent us from spreading it to others.
David McRaney - author of How Minds Change
Nobody's Fool is a fascinating and fun read that explores the limits of the human mind and teaches you how to avoid being hoodwinked. Simons and Chabris are outstanding storytellers and scientists who’ve written just the book we all need in a world where misinformation, scams and everyday duplicity put us at increasing risk.
Katy Milkman - author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller How to Change
To know if you have been deceived, you must question what you believe — but we can’t always question everything. In Nobody’s Fool, Simons and Chabris address the more difficult and intriguing question: “When should you question what you believe?”
Apollo Robbins - theatrical thief and deception expert
Nobody's Fool is science writing at its best. A must-read for anybody who loves reading about fascinating social science studies and compelling stories—or just wants to get tricked less
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz - New York Times bestselling author of Everybody Lies and Don't Trust Your Gut
The vast menagerie of scams detailed in Nobody's Fool makes for entertaining — albeit frightening—reading. Thankfully, Simons and Chabris excavate the inner workings of con-artistry and explain in great detail why we fall for it, again and again, and how we can stop. This book is an inoculation for your brain.
David Epstein - author of the New York Times bestseller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
Nobody's Fool is a must-buy for all investors who want to improve their decision-making.
Guy Spier - Managing Partner, Aquamarine Capital and author of the The Education of a Value Investor
It's hard enough to think well in everyday life, much less when someone is trying to swindle you. Nobody's Fool is well written, has lots of great stories, and guides you to think twice appropriately.
Michael J. Mauboussin - author of Think Twice and The Education of a Value Investor
I’ve been duped! But thanks to this wonderful book by Simons and Chabris, I won’t get fooled again (at least not as much). Amusing, shocking, and full of practical ways to guard against BS and disinformation.
Bill Sullivan - author of Pleased To Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces that Make Us Who We Are
Nobody's Fool provides invaluable tools to help all of us (including scientists) protect ourselves from being duped by shysters, con artists, and frauds. It's full of so many brilliant insights and great stories. I loved it!!
Don Moore - author of Perfectly Confident: How to Calibrate Your Decisions Wisely