Numbers Don't Lie

71 Things You Need to Know About the World

By: Vaclav Smil

Narrated by: Stephen Perring

Brought to you by Penguin.

Is flying dangerous? How much do the world's cows weigh? And what makes people happy?

From earth's nations and inhabitants, through the fuels and foods that energize them, to the transportation and inventions of our modern world - and how all of this affects the planet itself - in Numbers Don't Lie, Professor Vaclav Smil takes us on a fact-finding adventure, using surprising statistics and illuminating graphs to challenge lazy thinking.

Packed with 'Well-I-never-knew-that' information and with fascinating and unusual examples throughout, we find out how many people it took to build the Great Pyramid, that vaccination yields the best return on investment, and why electric cars aren't as great as we think (yet). There's a wonderful mix of science, history and wit, all in bite-sized chapters on a broad range of topics.

Urgent and essential, Numbers Don't Lie inspires readers to interrogate what they take to be true in these significant times. Smil is on a mission to make facts matter, because after all, numbers may not lie, but which truth do they convey?

'There is no author whose books I look forward to more than Vaclav Smil' Bill Gates

'The best book to read to better understand our world. Once in a while a book comes along that helps us see our planet more clearly. By showing us numbers about science, health, green technology and more, Smil's book does just that. It should be on every bookshelf!' Linda Yueh, author of The Great Economists

'He is rigorously numeric, using data to illuminate every topic he writes about. The word "polymath" was invented to describe people like him' Bill Gates

'Important' Mark Zuckerberg, on Energy

'One of the world's foremost thinkers on development history and a master of statistical analysis . . . The nerd's nerd' Guardian

'There is perhaps no other academic who paints pictures with numbers like Smil' Guardian

'In a world of specialized intellectuals, Smil is an ambitious and astonishing polymath who swings for fences . . . They're among the most data-heavy books you'll find, with a remarkable way of framing basic facts' Wired

'He's a slayer of bullshit' David Keith, Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics & Professor of Public Policy, Harvard University

© Vaclav Smil 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Critic reviews

The human mind soaks up the images and narratives conveyed by the press, but they are a highly nonrandom sample of reality: the lurid, the sudden, the photogenic. Smil's title says it all: to understand the world, you need to follow the trendlines, not the headlines. This is a compelling, fascinating, and most important, realistic portrait of the world and where it's going (Steven Pinker)

The best book to read to better understand our world. Once in a while a book comes along that helps us see our planet more clearly. By showing us numbers about science, health, green technology and more, Smil's book does just that. It should be on every bookshelf! (Linda Yueh, author of The Great Economists)

Important (Mark Zuckerberg, on Energy)

One of the world's foremost thinkers on development history and a master of statistical analysis . . . The nerd's nerd

A book for anyone confused by statistics or dubious of data in a world where numbers seem to mean everything and nothing. Vaclav Smil's new book reveals why diesel isn't as bad as you think, how much food is really being wasted, what actually makes people happy, and much more.

Outstanding perspectives on the world we live in providing context on mankind's challenges ranging from demographics through globalization, innovation and the environment (Sarah Riopelle, Senior portfolio manager at RBC Global Asset Management)

A collection of fun facts superficially researched

Surprised of the recommendation by Bill Gates about this book. Is a collection of interesting facts that seems to me like a book to read to make conversation in dinner parties. Nothing really special about it, returning it.

Bite size chapters with fascinating information

Smil links supposedly unrelated statistical information into an interesting narative. Each chapter is short, with just enough information on a specific subject to trigger your toughts and fill your understanding.

Great book, but recorded too quietly

Great book, but recorded too quietly, so it is hard to hear it when running outdooor near the road.

Such an intense book is sadly not suited for audio listening!

This book is brilliant, do yourself a favour, go out and purchase a print or kindle edition as of yesterday and read it, annotate it and refer back it. It is a distillation of Dr Smil’s books and expertise. However as an audible product, the concept density per spoken line is very high and that you keep hitting rewind on audible, makes it frustrating. This book is not for casual reading, let alone listening on audible. Dr Smil is my absolute favourite thought leader. I love this book and ended up rereading, the kindle version this time.

Must read for Greta Thunberg

This book, as we are used to Vaclav Smil, points out the reality of the world and the environmental protections and what is possible and what plausible. Absolutely eye opening and refreshingly objective. Yes, numbers do not lie and the reader is well advised to understand orders of magnitudes and ISO units.