A very basic primer on logical fallacies. It's not bad, but you could probably find better.

Helpful definitions and examples of argumentative fallacies, which would be a great resource for any philosophy or composition class. The book as a stand-alone isn't too great, as it's mostly a list of vocabulary words and examples, and doesn't have tons of synthesis or overarching connection to make the examples easy to remember or organize mentally. But it would definitely be a great supplement to critical thinking and persuasive writing or speaking activities.

A cute little book on the many different ways an argument can go bad.  

I was disappointed in the illustrations. They are nicely done drawings but usually failed to illustrate the fallacies well.
I particularly disliked the illustration for "Straw man" which says, "The energetic, muscular, and colorful toucan was completely misrepresented by one of the artists. Later on, he showed the audience his painting and criticized how dull and lifeless the toucan had looked."
Who showed whose painting? The toucan or the artist? The antecedents are unclear.

A great starting point for looking at common logic themes

This book was preciously illustrated and a good tool for use with people who really don't want to learn about fallacies the old fashioned way.
bhawk's profile picture

bhawk's review

4.0
informative fast-paced

I teach a university class called "Introduction to Composition and Argumentation". The class has freshmen students work through the rudiment of sound reasoning, critical thinking and eloquent writing. Generally speaking, I find that most students are pretty terrible at all three of these. It is not entirely their fault: our culture and our educational institutions punish those who question and reason from sound positions. I have spent a good part of my working life undoing the intellectual cancer that we call high school. But today I have found a new weapon for my arsenal in Almossawi's charming and witty little book. I think that I will make this mandatory reading for all my students.

This is an incredibly short book which I found mildly interesting. It is an explanation of different forms of arguments. It would make a good primer for certain philosophy or public speaking classes, and for those who are just interested.

This is a fun book. A free online version is available, but I like having a physical copy. The author devotes a page each to the most common types of logical errors and diversion tactics. Each one is accompanied with a cartoon of animal characters depicting humorous examples of the given errors. Newcomers to debate and rhetoric will find this a very clear and entertaining introduction. Experienced readers will also appreciate it for its entertainment value, the esthetic value of the cart, and the clarity with which it illustrates the examples. A glossary is included at the end. A fun quick read.