This volume ranges widely over literary works of many centuries and diverse cultures. It discusses: why the topic has seemed so important to so many authors and readers; how the terms "truth" and "lies" have been diversely defined; how (if at all) literature can contribute to serious exploration of this important moral issue; and how and why the theme continues to remain so relevant. Some important thinkers have seen literature as a key means of apprehending and propagating truth; others (such as Plato) have associated literature itself with inveterate lying. This volume explores how creative writers have dealt with this controversy in different ways.