"I knew, and know still, that there is good science and bad science, misinformation and reliable information, truth and falsehood, and also much grey in between... But being more adamant, more right, having more facts, was not helping. It was possibly even the problem." Today it seems that conspiracy and rumour spread faster than ever and are increasingly hard to debunk. How do we convincingly explain the difference between good information and misinformation? A Matter of Fact explores the science of communicating and presents innovative ways to talk effectively (and empathetically) about contentious information. It is both an informative guide to constructive communication and a passionate reminder of the importance of finding what matters to all of us.

BWB Texts are short books on big subjects by great New Zealand writers. Commissioned to unlock diverse stories, insights and analysis from the best of our past, present and future New Zealand writing.