Secrets & Lies

The Anatomy of a Secret Life: The Psychology of Living a Lie, by Gail Saltz, MD  A book that discusses the drives that lead people to create private lives and the consequences of the lies; it may provide insight into the secret-keepers in our lives.

The Liar in Your Life: The Way to Truthful Relationships, by Robert Feldman  Described as a book for anyone who’s life has been touched by deception, Feldman looks at the psychology of lying.

Lying, by Sam Harris  Neuroscientist Sam Harris discusses humans’ capacity to lie and argues for the personal and social benefits of truth-telling.

Secrets and Lies: Surviving the Truths that Change Our Lives, by Jane Isay  Herself a secret keeper and a secret discoverer, Jane Isay writes perceptively about the corrosiveness of family secrets and lies and offers a hopeful message about the ability to survive the revelation of long and deeply held secrets.

Why We Lie: The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind, by David Livingstone Smith  The author, an evolutionary psychologist and philosopher, explores the role of deception as a means of survival in human evolution. A bit off topic, but it sheds light on humans’ need to lie and helps us better understand human behavior.Family Secrets Podcast with Dani Shapiro  The author of the bestselling “Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love” draws out fascinating stories of family secrets, typically those concerning misattributed parentage. 

Sex, Lies & the Truth  A therapist and a genetic genealogist — Jodi Klugman-Rabb and Christina Byron Fitzgibbons — talk with guests about how they navigate life-changing DNA surprises. 

Six Family Secrets. Six Incredible Stories  “Woman’s Hour” on BBC Radio solicited stories of family secrets from listeners. Its reporters talk with the six individuals with the most shocking stories.