Is It True?: The facts behind the things we have been told

In this revealing book, Max Cryer explores the truth or otherwise of facts and beliefs we may have always been told are true, but which on closer examination may not be. In a wide-ranging book encompassing social history, language, music, politics, food, sport, the natural world and much more, we discover the truth behind some of our most cherished beliefs. For example: Do St Bernard dogs really carry brandy? Does Santa Claus come from the North Pole? Did Winston Churchill coin the term ''Iron Curtain''? ''OK'' is an American expression, right? Tulips come from Holland, don''t they? Did Sarah Palin say ''I can see Russia from my house?'' Did Alexander Graham Bell invent the telephone? Lady Godiva rode naked through Coventry - didn''t she? Max Cryer is a seasoned author who is incapable of writing a dull word. Always fresh and amusing, he will take you on a journey through your acquired knowledge, testing whether it is really up to scratch. See more