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Fake

A Startling True Story of Love in a World of Liars, Cheats, Narcissists, Fantasists and Phonies
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( 3,103 ratings, 361 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Fake by Stephanie Wood, the author explores her personal journey through a web of deception after discovering that the man she loved wasn't who she thought he was. The memoir delves into themes of desire, trust, and the impact of betrayal while providing a broader commentary on the art of deception in the digital age. It is both a personal narrative and an insightful examination of the societal context in which such duplicity thrives.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this intriguing exploration of personal experience if you are fascinated by the complexities of modern relationships and the sometimes deceptive facades people present. This memoir delivers both a gripping narrative and insightful reflections on identity, trust, and the pursuit of truth in love.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Aren't we all just a little bit afraid that we, or someone we care about, will be duped in love or friendship?

A powerful, richly layered investigative story for our times, drawing on the personal stories of the author and other women who have been drawn into relationships based on duplicity and false hope.

When Stephanie Wood meets a former architect turned farmer, she embarks on an exhilarating romance with him. He seems compassionate, loving, truthful. They talk about the future. She falls in love. She also becomes increasingly beset by anxiety at his frequent cancellations, no-shows, and bizarre excuses. She starts to wonder, who is this man?

When she ends the relationship, Stephanie reboots her journalism skills and embarks on a romantic investigation. She discovers a story of mind-boggling duplicity and manipulation. She learns that the man she thought she was in love with doesn't exist. She also finds she is not alone; the world is full of smart people who have suffered at the hands of liars, cheats, narcissists, fantasists, and phonies, people enormously skilled in the art of deception.

In this brilliantly acute and broad-ranging book, Fake, Wood, an award-winning writer and journalist, has written a riveting, important account of contemporary love, and the resilience of those who have witnessed its darkest sides.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Fake by Stephanie Wood has been generally well-received for its exploration of the author's personal experiences with deception and emotional manipulation. The memoir details her relationship with a man who turned out to be living a life of lies. Many reviewers praise Wood's candidness and skillful storytelling, highlighting the book's blend of investigative journalism with personal narrative. It's noted for its insights into the psychology of deceit and its impact on relationships.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760899110

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 January 2021

Country: Australia

Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Stephanie Wood is an award-winning long-form features writer, known for her rare ability to tell substantial, compelling stories across a range of subjects. She is a former senior staff writer at Fairfax Media's Good Weekend magazine (released with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers each Saturday). Her Good Weekend story recounting the events on the night of Melbourne's thunderstorm asthma incident received the Jim Oram Award for Outstanding Feature Writing in the NRMA Kennedy Awards, while her article on the prescription opioid epidemic won the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Media Award. She has investigated corrupt Australians working in the NGO sector in Cambodia, and explored the radical changes hitting the inner-city Sydney suburb of Redfern. Her interest in telling stories about people who struggle on the edges of society has been reflected in articles about the life of a Kings Cross heroin addict; the travails of a troubled, mentally ill young man who was a victim of the NSW foster-care system; and the alarming increase in elderly abuse. Stephanie is an accomplished profile writer and has told the stories of some of Australia's most interesting characters- for stories, she has visited Richard Di Natale's Victorian farm; struggled to understand Australian-born genius mathematician Terry Tao in his Los Angeles lounge-room; shared a couch with Molly Meldrum; trailed former Premier Mike Baird; and lunched with radio celebrity Kyle Sandilands. She is a former editor of The Age Good Food Guide and an experienced food writer and restaurant reviewer, loves writing about the history of Australian cities and society, and her powerful personal essays on subjects including loneliness, childlessness and her brush with a romantic conman have drawn huge audiences and touched the lives of many readers.

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