I found this subject very interesting and the concepts eerily relevant to today’s world.

I liked understanding what the word ‘psychopath’ actually means. It is thrown around a lot. The idea that it is something that just IS and that it is not a parent’s fault or a wife’s fault or husband’s fault is very interesting. I would love to know what modern neuroscience has to say about this topic or what has happened in the fields of criminal justice and therapy since the writing of this book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A Societal Warning (review + anecdote below!)

My fascination-turned research on Psychpathy came about as a result of personal experience. I am only 32, but I have met 3 individuals who (I believe) meet this criteria.

To discover someone pretended to be human and fabricated every aspect you ever liked about them....is horrifying and mind-blowing. Their masks are practiced. Their ability to sense your vulnerabilities makes them dangerous, especially if you are an empath, successful, or popular. If you have anything they envy or want to destroy. To realize you were duped, and that you dismissed your intuition, warning signs, and suspicion after the fact is eye-opening.

To summarize my review, Dr. Hare is the world's leading expert on a subject that has been largely denied for centuries. If people do not wake up out if denial and stop thinking that these people are treatable or capable of any rehabilitation, people will continue to be hurt when it is preventable. No one wants to accept that social predators exist, especially among children and likeable people, but we need to be educated about how to spot them, avoid them, and cope with their actions.

***If you would like to read about one of my personal experiences, keep reading***

Anecdote: The unlikely psychopathic female you would never suspect

These individuals are in every facet of society and could even be the 23 year old girl at your College who helps disabled children in her spare time and runs fundraisers for Autism Awareness. A girl who will get her diploma in Social Work and go on to "help" vulnerable individuals. To anyone who meets her, she is full of "kindness", compassion, charm, intellect, and charisma. She is pretty and desired by men. She is happy all the time, enthusiastic about everything and everyone, and happy to go out of her way to "support" you if you are down. She is very popular and has lots of friends, especially within her clique. If someone had told me this girl was dangerous I would have taken it as a joke without a secnd thought.....If you only knew what this girl did to my life and my sanity...I never even saw it coming....

She deliberately and maliciously tried to sabotage and destroy my relationship with my partner, my school placement, my relations with professors and peers, and my sanity altogether. All for no reason other than her own amusement. When I felt something was off and discovered my new "friend" was crossing serious lines and infecting areas of my life while getting close to me....She changed from who I thought she was into something vicious and wicked seemingly within seconds after I confronted her. She *literally* laughed at my hurt, my pain, my tears, my suffering, mocked me for being hurt, and called me pathetic. All while denying all of it and patronizing me, claiming she didnt like "drama" (accusing ME of causing conflict!?!) Even above abusive men, she is the most talented gaslighter I have ever met. She claimed SHE was the victim, that I "used"her as an excuse to make her a scapegoat for all of my "failures" and numerous "personal issues". She kept repeating that she "didnt allow drama into her life because she was too busy enjoying it", accusing me of lacking maturity. She baited me into getting angry so that I would lash out, making ME look and feel crazy so I would doubt myself. Let me tell you....this was mind-blowing. After I confronted her and ended the conversation I didnt even understand what just happened. It took me a while to wrap my head around what did happen. I felt shocked, confused, betrayed, hurt, outraged, frustrated, and *creeped right out*. It was eerie how she was the polar opposite of the persona she had constructed. That was who (or what) was behind the mask. Adding to my frustration, I felt no one would ever believe me if I told them...

**My message** Be careful of anyone you sense to be glib, supeficial, and fake (too good to be true, too perfect). NO ONE is that happy all the time. I was suspect of her sincerity and selflessness very early on. It wasnt natural. She wasn't Jesus.

I did outsmart her in the end though (without her ever knowing) by anticipating her next moves and baiting her to take off her mask where she would be exposed as the creature she was...I told the right people that I was afraid she intended to cause me harm (a professor and supervisor). I expected her to make the mistake of taking my bait when I confronted her again. She did. It backfired. I feel satisified she is being watched now and that her mask slipped in front of the wrong people. This was the best I could ever do aside from avoid her. Advice: NEVER challenge them openly. They WILL win every time. I knew better, thankfully.


This book is an educational tool written by someone who has authority to speak on the subject, and is my hero for his work.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

excellent

scientifically grounded while presenting many cases and case studies. authoritative and highly informative. very interesting.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Despite being 20+ yrs old

Despite being 20+ yrs old, this book stuck me as still relevant. I've always been fascinated with the psychology of sociopaths. This book did not disappoint.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!