Also by this author: So You've Been Publicly Shamed
Published by Riverhead Books on May 1, 2012
Genres/Lists: Non-Fiction, Science/Technology/Psychology
Pages: 275
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
While reading this book I learned two things. One is that I am definitely not a psychopath. The second is that I definitely know at least one.
With that said, this book was fascinating! It delves into what it means to be a psychopath on a diagnostic level and also discusses the traits that are used in everyday life. Like the fact that psychopaths have really short-term memories, which is why they can commit horrendous crimes more than once (because they don’t remember what it feels like having done it the first time). Plus, they don’t care or have remorse.
The author interviews people that were highly successful, like Al “The Chainsaw” Dunlap and people that have been committed for being psychopaths that may or may not be (like Tony). The problem is that even though there is a checklist, psychopaths are very adept at faking emotions and empathy, making it extremely difficult for the average person to weed them out. I’m really looking forward to reading Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work by Paul Babiak, Robert D. Hare.
My favorite line in the book basically says, “If you are reading this book and wondering whether you might be a psychopath, rest assured your are not”. So, if you care enough about being labeled as one, you aren’t one. This is comforting because I think that everyone, at some point in their lives, can ascribe at least one of the traits on the Hare’s Checklist to themselves. It’s nice to know a little bit of crazy is normal.