“Strange and wonderful…. It’s a book for our times, when singular truths seem less certain with each passing day.” -Claire Dederer for the New York Times

"The memoir has the page-turning quality of a thriller, but instead of tracking down culprits and solving mysteries, Viren methodically untangles knotty philosophical tensions in pursuit of what is real." -NPR

“Viren ... has pulled off a magic trick of fantastic proportion. There are elements here of the classic thriller that function like a flock of seductive doves, released to distract the eye. All the while, her other hand is shuffling multiple shells that conceal a critical reading of Plato, an examination of the mechanics of memory, a study of the anatomy of a lie and an analysis of misinformation’s insidious creep” -The Washington Post

“Past and present collide in this propulsive, one-of-a-kind meditation on truth and conspiracy from Viren.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“(T)wo experiences intertwine in To Name the Bigger Lie, and both stories are gripping; they unfurl with a sense of suspenseful foreboding to show how lies can tear apart the fabric of everyday life and our most intimate relationships.” —Booklist, STARRED review

“Set against the backdrop of the Trump presidency, this provocative and philosophical examination of authority and the #metoo movement takes a bold new approach to the genre of memoir.” —The Millions

“Even in the days after I’ve read the book, I’ve found myself haunted by what Viren reveals not just about her life, but all our lives.” -John Warner, Chicago Tribune

“Chances are, a book based on a viral essay is not going to reproduce the same level of tension—more room to spread out isn’t always a net good. But Sarah Viren’s memoir, based on her 2020 essay for the New York Times Magazine about the false Title IX claims made against her wife, is an exception to the rule: I tore through this book greedily, as if I didn’t already know how the story ended…. It’s a book about facts and stories in an age of conspiracies, and a shining example of one of my favorite subgenres: memoirs by journalists.” -Eliza Smith, LitHub

“A compelling and propulsive memoir that interrogates the nature of truth and trust.” -Kirkus

“A poignant musing on the changing nature of truth.” —Library Journal

"A thrilling, labyrinthine and ultimately illuminating reckoning with what it feels like to be caught up in a vortex of post-truth, conspiracy, and lies, Sarah Viren's To Name the Bigger Lie is a fascinating and deeply disturbing account of our contemporary age of weaponized falsehoods."
—Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, author of The Fact of a Body

"This is one of the most astonishing books I’ve ever read — a beacon in these uncertain times."
—Lacy M. Johnson, author of The Reckonings

"You don't expect a book on the nature of truth to be so darn readable. I could not put this down. It's like Schopenhauer meets Gone Girl."
—Lulu Miller, co-host of Radiolab and author of Why Fish Don't Exist

“…one of the most dynamic memoirs I’ve ever read..”
—Mitchell S. Jackson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of Survival Math

“…this book takes on the big questions about truth with in-depth research, empathy and humor.”
—Toni Jensen, author of Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land

“I’ve never read anything like To Name The Bigger Lie. A thriller? A philosophy book? A craft book? A perspective like Sarah Viren’s is what’s been missing from the debates around truths vs conspiracy. Viren has written a masterpiece.”
—Javier Zamora, author of Unaccompanied and Solito