I’m a critical thinker, so this book was right up my alley.
The author illustrates how people, especially women, are most likely to get involved in such theories.
Science says there’s a intrinsic need to solve mysteries, and share stories. We tend to don’t believe what we see, we question it and search for truths.
Yet we encounter many lies, conspiracy theories, and feel powerless.
These are sophisticated lies which affect our lives on many levels. The question the author asks if we can handle this.
People seem to be more susceptible now because we feel lost, scared, powerless and meaningless.
These feelings have become more present during the Covid pandemic, finding fertile ground for these lies in many homes.

I enjoyed the author’s narrative style, I’m a nonfiction writer and I recognized the same storytelling as if you were talking to a friend.
It makes you feel part of the story, captures your attention and curiosity.

This book is a must for anyone who has lost hours of their lives when they just popped onto google to just look up one tiny thing and, several hours later, emerge after experiencing a wealth of secrets, lies, disinformation, and shocking repercussions of all of the above... And started to believe them...
It's like chinese whispers (although having thought about it, maybe I shouldn't be using this description anymore in this over-sensitive world we now occupy) on steroids. And with very harmful outcomes on occasion...
If you want a current example for instance, go check out the Bunny sanctuary place on twitter...
But, that said, herein you will find a plethora of similar examples of "internet gone bad" of bandwagon jumping, of hive mind, of feeding the beast.
It's terrifying.
It's also, as you would expect from the author, also very funny...
If I have one wee wish, it'd be that he went into depth a bit more on occasion, however I also get that doing so might have made it all a bit serious and it's not that book...
Anyway... I'm off to sanitise my twitter timeline... see you on the other side... send help (and cake) if I'm not back in half an hour...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The book is the author's dive into What's Wrong With This World, specifically through the lens of conspiracy theory and other bad ideas. It has the vibe of a standup routine. The book mixes interview with anecdote, occasionally joined up as one, as the author talks to various people in the disinformation space: creators, opponents, researchers, and victims. It has something of a frame narrative relating to communications between the author's late father and a purported chance encounter in China that sends the author into his own pitfall of conspiratorial thinking.

There is great material here, but the juice is not worth the squeeze. I almost bailed on the book after one too many cold takes and comments that reflected a surface level understanding of a situation. But there are great turns here. In particular, the author investigates the grifter economy of the rightward shift of various personalities, and does provide some novelty on the loneliness problem, its causes and effects. There are also a few great interviews, often anonymous, that are impressive gets and contain neat perspectives. And the framing device closes out. Maybe not well, but it does close out.

The writing is fine. The comedy is welcome, but feels nominal at points. I think it could have done better with a narrower range of topics, but the neat bits there are neat.

My thanks to the author, Danny Wallace, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Globe Pequot, for making the ARC available to me.

I’ve always enjoyed Danny Wallace’s books and this was overall a good read, but the subject is so big and so serious that it’s didn’t quite fit with his (usually humorous) style – it felt that perhaps he went into it expecting to write a lighter book but found there was a lot on the subject that isn’t that funny and has very real consequences. Many of the people he interviewed had very interesting stories to tell and points to make, though, and it’s a good overview of the subject.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book deals with a fascinating subject, and I think one that’s been on the minds of most people for a while now. We are living in the information age, to the point that we are oversaturated by it. There’s such a sense of overwhelm in every thing that is done online. I think this book goes to the heart of why and how, particularly with a conspiracy theory lens.

The author has a wonderful narrative voice for this book, with jokes interspersed through what is a very serious topic. He doesn’t shy away from a bit of black humour, and is very honest with his readers, which I appreciated. He’s also clearly put in the yards to research this well, and I enjoyed how it was all put together.

There are aspects of this book that scared me. The concept of AI chatbots who don’t really like it when you ‘mention the war’ (so to speak) making men fall in love with them is jarring. The fact that troll farms are a state-sanctioned propaganda machine is terrifying. The way that all of this insidious misinformation and disinformation infiltrates our lives is alarming. There’s a lot in this book to be learnt, and a lot to be concerned about.

My one improvement that I could have suggested for this book is that I wanted more. There could have been a bit more love given to some of the sections, and there was so much more to explore. That said, it is an interesting introduction to the topic of disinformation and the world of conspiracy, and well worth the read.

A humorous and insightful look into the growth of misinformation. It was fascinating to read the different stories of people who "fell down the rabbit holes" of various conspiracy theories.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed Danny Wallace's work and this is no exception but it didn't flow as well for me as past books. Each section was very distinct and almost felt like a collection of thoughts and relevant examples. It didn't feel as cohesive as it could have been. However it does have it's funny moments and definitely stopped me in it's tracks with the viewpoints of some of those discussed. Particularly in how these conspiracy theorists get to such outlandish ideas. From the outside it can be jarring when a person goes from what is deemed as normal behaviour and thinking to odd conspiracies a few weeks or months later. Seeing some accounts of this type of change was fascinating. Definitely food for thought.

I suspect I am one of the people this book was written for. Or at least, that the author would see me that way. There are few things I love more than digging deep into a conspiracy. I do read across a spectrum of viewpoints. From unhinged rants about flying saucers (which are purely entertainment to me) to meticulous true crime investigations that have national security implications. Some are vanilla histories written by authors who are friendly with the very intelligence agencies they report on.

“Somebody Told Me” is a social exploration of conspiracy theorist insanity. Danny Wallace frames it with his own personal brush with the secret world. His father, a world traveling Professor, had been receiving friendly emails from a Chinese man who may or may not be a spy. These emails seemed to be documenting an attempt by Chinese spies to gather information and influence. Curiosity pulls him in, and he meets a cast of real life characters who have also fallen into that world.

Wallace finds the funny in these odd tales. He pokes fun at himself too. He spends the bulk of the book sitting down for a friendly pub conversation with people who have started to lose their grip thanks to the flood of disinformation we all wade through every day. There are valuable insights here to be noted. Not just how to think about the effect disinformation is designed to have, but how to react to it. Also, that we need to be able to laugh at ourselves. We need to be able to sit down and talk with people who have different viewpoints. This book promotes that connection.

There are ludicrous ideas that get deservedly skewered, but they’re all the lowest hanging fruit. Jewish space lasers, hollow earth theories, Qanon idiots, David Icke, and Alex Jones. At times though Wallace is rolling his eyes so hard he can’t see he’s throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Wallace’s case for common sense goes so far though that it becomes a full throated, unambiguous defense of “the real media.” Didn’t the CIA affectionately refer to the infiltrated American media as “The Mighty Wurlitzer” which they play to influence public opinion?

This isn’t that book. I recognize that. Amazon has it categorized under Travel Writing.

For some time now I have been irked that the only thing a person seems to need in order to be spotlighted as an authority on conspiracies is to simply quip that people use them as a psychological crutch in uncertain times. And the most irritating part is that it isn’t wrong. It just isn’t the whole story. It’s an observation that slickly takes our curiosities and redirects them back at ourselves.

The author’s wanderings culminate in an invitation from the Deputy US Ambassador to the American Embassy for “an informal gathering of people and a free exchange of ideas” on the topic of disinformation. Who was there? What did they say? Wallace confesses that he can’t tell us. It’s a secret. We have to trust that these officials are “the adults in the room.” An elite social circle that he accidentally fell into. Good for him.

There is a concept called the laughter curtain. It means that serious inquiry can be avoided if you can make people laugh. “Somebody Told Me” is an enjoyable up-close look at only one side of that curtain. But at least we are laughing. It needs a sequel where Wallace takes us to the other side.

★★★½ out of 5 stars

Danny Wallace’s Somebody Told Me is packed with his usual blend of curiosity and humor, and there’s plenty here to spark your imagination. I was especially intrigued by his “Love Bots” section—the idea that we might one day turn to AI companions for emotional support feels both unsettling and oddly compelling. Equally thought-provoking was his examination of loneliness and conspiracy theories: Wallace argues that the more isolated we feel, the more susceptible we become to elaborate false narratives. That connection really stayed with me.

Unfortunately, the book does suffer from some pacing issues. Certain anecdotes and insights get repeated several times—Wallace circles back to the same points so often that the momentum stalls. If you’re looking for a lean, tightly edited read, you might find yourself eager to speed ahead past familiar territory.

Still, when Wallace is on form—sharing personal stories peppered with sharp social commentary—his voice is impossible to resist. Somebody Told Me is definitely worth picking up if you’re fascinated by how technology and psychology intersect with our need for connection. Just brace yourself for a few detours down redundant rabbit holes before reaching the final chapter.

**Listened to the audio version**

I really did not like this!
The title of the book is so misleading to what is actually inside. I thought the emphasis would be on internet trolls and conspiracies - it does look at this, but only from the viewpoint of the 'spy' (won't say more as don't want to give 'spoiler')
I just couldn't get into this book at all!

This book pulled me in from the first page. It’s unsettling, eye-opening, and strangely gripping. I liked how it didn’t just skim the surface—it really dives into the mindset behind conspiracy thinking without mocking or simplifying it. The personal angle made it feel human and relatable, even when the subject matter was dark or bizarre. It made me feel both uneasy and fascinated, like watching someone slowly get pulled into a world you recognize but don’t quite understand. I came away thinking harder about the online world and how easy it is for a person to lose their grip on reality.

Wallace is as courteous guide as ever to people and ideas any sensible person finds morally and intellectually repugnant. Also good on the conditions under which mental fungi thrive.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book opens with Wallace connecting with an Internet penpal of his Father's, who may or may not be a Chinese spy. I honestly could have read a whole book just based on discovering the answer to this mystery.

It is a bit of a light touch on some of the conspiracy theories covered and left me wanting just a little bit more but overall an enjoyable, funny and informative read!

A surprisingly funny book about the threat of misinformation in today’s world and the horrible outcomes it has. a dark, sad and upsetting topic but the author made me laugh out multiple times. They have a gift.

An insightful look into the growth of propaganda and misinformation in the internet age. The UK-based author gives a perspective that is exceptionally useful to American readers.

Danny Wallace is back with a new book all about the dangers of conspiracy theories and social media. As a huge fan of Danny's work going back to Yes Man, I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint - Danny weaves a path through how rumours begin to spread, and how social media amplifies them. I did decide to give it four stars though, as at times he does unintentionally veer towards new conspiracy theories of his own!

I've read most of Danny Wallace's book previously, and enjoyed Join Me and Yes Man in particular - I was expecting more of the same daft but funny content in 'Somebody Told Me...', but found something very different and more mature. This is a thoughtful insight into the online world, and the dangers on two counts - firstly the actual dangers posed by malicious actors online, but also the dangers of seeing problems that aren't there.

It does lack a little narrative voice and structure to bring it all together, but overall I found it an interesting (and slightly scary at times!) read.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This was a fascinating read - beginning and ending with the mystery of an elderly Chinese man who may or may not be a spy.

Following the death of his father, an academic specialising in the former East German , Danny Wallace stumbles on his innocent- sounding correspondence with said elderly Chinese man, and promptly falls down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, internet trolls and AI bots.

It's an alarming journey through the world of Q-Anon, Covid conspiracies, Russian troll farms and more as Danny talks to people on all sides. Much is clearly absurd (the man from Thetford who believes he's going to be banned from ever venturing out of Thetford - why?!) but the book explores how people get drawn into and then entrenched in certain unlikely beliefs, convinced they're the few who are clear sighted enough to see "the truth", unlike the rest of us poor sheep. Sometimes harmless and sometimes incredibly damaging, like claiming that disasters didn't happen and that the grieving and traumatised are actors. Or that Covid never existed and vaccines are a dangerous conspiracy.

It's also terrifying to consider the degree to which we can be influenced en masse by shadowy figures with ill intent, entering a world where facts are subjective and you can't necessarily believe anything you see, hear or read. The huge expansion of AI has its positives but also brings dangers which are very hard for national governments to keep up with or legislate for.

An interesting read which never fails to entertain, inform, and provide much food for thought.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I’ve been a fan of Danny Wallace’s books for about 20 years, since reading Are You Dave Gorman? And then the wonderful Yes Man, which are two of my favourite books of all time. I was thrilled to get stuck into his new book.

Now this book is already available in the UK, but I believe this is the US release and there is a short extra intro, some unnecessary changes of -ise to -ize and mum to mom, but otherwise I’m assuming all is the same!

This was a bit different to Danny’s comedy books in that it was equal parts alarming, scary, and amusing. Danny’s trademark humour is definitely in there, but it’s more focused on interviews, research and discussion about the fascinating world of disinformation. From conspiracy theories to QAnon, Truthers, AI and Crisis Actors, it was so fascinating and terrifying that I now just don’t know what to believe and fear that we are all doomed!

There’s some great interviews in here from academics, BBC fact checkers, scientists – as well as some truthers themselves and people who have suffered as a result of disinformation. The writing is great – it was nice to have bits of Danny’s wit woven in there to lighten some of the heavy topics; and he does a great job of explaining some complex subjects and concepts.

I really think this is essential reading as there was so much I had no idea about!