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Don’t You Believe It! Professor's new book reveals truth behind popular myths

Friday 20 April 2007

If you thought that King Alfred burnt the cakes, we only use 10% of our brains, Jesus had a beard, sandwiches were invented by the Earl of Sandwich and professors are absent-minded... you might be in for a few surprises.

Don’t You Believe It! Some things everybody knows that actually ain’t so, a new book by John Radford, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of East London (UEL), entertainingly debunks over 50 popular cultural myths and uncovers the fascinating facts behind the legends.

Don’t You Believe It! reveals exactly why Queen Victoria was not not amused, just how Stonehenge wasn’t built by the druids and the stories behind half a hundred more misconceptions, misunderstandings, muddles or monstrosities.

Illustrated by designer and cartoonist Donald Rooum and published with all proceeds going to Amnesty International and the National Secular Society, 

Professor Radford has published widely on psychology and education, with a score of books variously translated into a dozen languages, and many academic and popular papers, and has also written on such topics as science fiction and Sherlock Holmes.

Professor Radford founded the School of Psychology at the University of East London, which has since grown to become the London’s largest centre for undergraduate and postgraduate psychology education with a global reputation for research. 

On Sunday 22 April, he will be signing copies of the book at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square London WC1 4RL, at 4.30 pm following a talk by Donald Rooum at 3 pm. Professor Radford will give a Public Lecture at UEL’s Stratford campus early in June.

Don’t You Believe It! will shortly be available online from www.amnestyshop.org.uk and www.secularism.org.uk.

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For details and pictures contact Patrick Wilson: 020 8223 2061 or 07951 797 975

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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