A history so funny, so true, so scary, it's bound to be called a conspiracy.
"Meticulous in its research, forensic in its reasoning, robust in its argument, and often hilarious in its debunking, "Voodoo Histories" is a highly entertaining rumble with the century's major conspiracy theorists and their theories" (John Lahr).
From Pearl Harbor to 9/11 to the assassination of JFK to the Birther movement, David Aaronvitch probes and explores the major conspiracy theories (and theorists) of our time. This entertaining and enlightening conspiracy theory book-aimed to provide ammunition for those who have found themselves at the wrong end of a conversation about moon landings or the Twin Towers-examines why people believe these conspiracies, and makes an argument for a true skepticism: one based on a thorough knowledge of history and a strong dose of common sense.

How should we respond to the inhumanity that suffused the 20th Century and continues in the present one? Has there been an adequate treatment of this issue by the political left? Questions such as these are treated in this, the first scholarly book to combine academic and blogging approaches to some of the major political issues of the day. It does this by focusing on the work of Norman Geras - Marxist, political philosopher and blogger - and developing the central themes of his work such as crimes against humanity, the Holocaust, Marxism, and the means/ends problem in politics. It contains contributions by famous political philosophers such as Michael Walzer, Hillel Steiner and David McLennan, and bloggers and journalists such as David Aaronovitch, Nick Cohen and Ophelia Benson. The book contains a unique response by Geras in which he draws together the various themes it covers. It will be of interest to all who are concerned with these pressing political issues of our times. The book will be particularly relevant for those with an academic or general interest in politics, philosophy, sociology, genocide studies, applied ethics, international relations, and law. It will also be of interest to bloggers and all those who regard the new technology as having significant implications for public debate on these issues.

**AS FEATURED ON HOAXED PODCAST** This definitive book delves into why so many people are ready to believe in conspiracy theories, and the damage it can cause. Voodoo Histories entertainingly demolishes the absurd and sinister conspiracy theories of the last 100 years, such as:Did Neil Armstrong really set foot on the moon?Was the United States government responsible for the 11 September attacks?Should we doubt the accidental nature of Princess Diana's death?David Aaronovitch reveals not only why people are so ready to believe in these stories but also the dangers of this credulity. 'This book leaves us in no doubt that arriving at the truth is a vital matter - at times a matter of life and death' Financial Times.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY AWARD David Aaronovitch grew up in Communist Great Britain - a Britain hidden from view for most, but for those on the inside it was a life filled with picket lines, militant trade unions, solidarity rallies for foreign Communists, the Red Army Choir, copies of the Daily Worker, all underpinned by a quiet love of the Soviet Union. In this idiosyncratic blend of memoir, history and biography, David Aaronovitch uncovers the story of his family's life by picking through letters, diaries and secret service files, which in turn unleash vivid childhood memories of a lost and idealistic world. Party Animals is about personal life and political life becoming tragically intertwined, and one family's search for meaning in the twentieth century.