From the bestselling author of The Dance of Anger and The Dance of Intimacy comes this groundbreaking exploration of the role of truth-telling and pretending in women's lives. According to psychotherapist Harriet G. Lerner, pretending is so inextricably linked with society's notions of feminine behaviour that it is, quite simply, what women are expected to do. Truth-telling, the opposite of this feminine stereotype, is always associated with authenticity, integrity and self-worth. Going beyond conventional distinctions between deception and honesty, between good and bad, Dr Lerner gives a penetrating and humane analysis of what lying represents in a society where women's 'truths' are so often unspoken truths. Exploring the concepts of lying and pretending, of truth-telling and honesty as they are played out both in women's intimate relationships and in society at large, The Dance of Deception offers a convincing and wholly accessible analysis of this unacknowledged part of all our lives.