In a world built on WhatsApp blue ticks, family WhatsApp groups, and “just five more minutes” promises, truth is often the first casualty of convenience.
Sanjay Shukla’s The Liar’s Guide: How to Lie Effectively and Get Away With It takes a hilariously self-aware look at the lies that lace our daily lives from harmless white lies to the ones that keep relationships, jobs, and reputations intact.
It’s witty, clever, and disarmingly relatable a book that turns the mirror on us, only to make us laugh at the reflection.
Book Details
| Title | The Liar’s Guide: How to Lie Effectively and Get Away With It |
|---|---|
| Author | Sanjay Shukla |
| Genre | Humor / Satire / Cultural Commentary |
| Print Length | 88 pages |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Notion Press |
| Publication Date | 26 June 2025 |
| Buy Now | Amazon Link |
A Nation of Natural Storytellers (and Liars)
Let’s face it — India is a country where being “five minutes away” can mean anything from being in the shower to being stuck 10 km away in traffic. The Liar’s Guide taps into that shared national habit of stretching the truth with good-natured satire and sharp observational humor.
Through a collection of witty anecdotes and tongue-in-cheek “rules,” Sanjay Shukla celebrates the art of social lying the harmless fibs we tell to stay polite, survive pressure, or dodge drama.
A Playful Manual for Modern Survival
This isn’t a self-help book. It’s a survival guide disguised as one.
From Bollywood clichés to nosy aunties, from work-from-home fibs to relationship white lies, The Liar’s Guide catalogues the creative gymnastics we perform daily in the name of convenience and peace.
Shukla outlines the “Five Golden Rules to Lie Like a Pro,” and with biting humor, explains why honesty though noble isn’t always practical in the chaos of urban Indian life.
Every page reads like a comic confession you’d overhear at a café or an office pantry lighthearted, brutally honest, and endlessly entertaining.
Humor with a Hint of Truth
What makes The Liar’s Guide so enjoyable is its balance of humor and self-awareness. Shukla doesn’t glorify dishonesty; instead, he exposes it with empathy and laughter. Readers see themselves in the everyday fibs he describes — that “almost done” project, the unread message marked as “seen,” or the gym membership that’s more symbolic than functional.
Behind the laughter lies a subtle social critique: that truth often bends to convenience in our hyperconnected, image-driven world.
Writing Style and Tone
Shukla’s writing is crisp, conversational, and full of cultural flavor. His humor thrives on rhythm and timing — each joke lands with just the right mix of irony and warmth. The pacing is quick, making this a breezy weekend read, perfect for commuters or coffee-table humor enthusiasts.
His ability to connect with readers through shared Indian experiences — “Bollywood-inspired drama,” “overbearing relatives,” “office fib culture” — makes the book effortlessly relatable.
About the Author
Sanjay Shukla is a seasoned content writer and former journalist with over two decades of experience spanning healthcare, advertising, and lifestyle media. Currently leading content development at the Apollo Hospitals Group, he crafts narratives that educate, engage, and entertain.
Known for his sharp wit and love for storytelling, Shukla’s prose combines professional polish with heartfelt humor. When he isn’t writing, he’s likely sipping filter coffee, plinking his guitar on the terrace, or getting lost in the beauty of Urdu poetry.
The Liar’s Guide showcases his unique ability to turn ordinary observations into extraordinary reflections of modern life.
Conclusion
Funny, insightful, and delightfully uncomfortable at times, The Liar’s Guide is more than a book — it’s a mirror every Indian will laugh into. Sanjay Shukla doesn’t condemn lying; he celebrates its absurdity, turning guilt into giggles and introspection into joy.
A must-read for anyone who’s ever said, “I’m on my way” and wasn’t.
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