Customer Reviews
Enjoyable, but not for serious students. - By: J.P, 28 Aug 2008 
The author presents several amusing case studies that read like a good drama. Which is actually a nice thing.
However,in typical American fashion, the approach is tailored for sensationalism. The atmosphere of the writing creates a sinister message that basically tells, "Evil people are everywhere! They're out to get us, & there's nothing we can do about it!"
The idea that Socios see themselves as victims & often beg for pity is repeated over & over again, which becomes quite annoying & insulting to the readers' intelligence.
A similar book, more academically focussed & written by a credible "Dr" who actually worked with criminals of the type is "Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us" by Robert Hare.
The difference between the two is obvious, with the latter aiming to discuss & inform rather than gossip.
This MUST be in your "books to read" list - By: bucksman, 05 Jun 2008 
The bad stuff
Martha certainly makes the point about 1in 25, or 4% of the population are without conscience a few times. Over egging the pudding with it at the beginning of the book.
A touch subjectivein certain areas, & some of the statements made could have done with more backup.
Other reviewers are right,in that Robert O'Hare's book covers the subject matterin certain areas much better.
I suppose all of us at some time have operated with a minimised conscience on a past occasion or 2. I had a few pangs of guilt on reading certain parts of the book, & I guess others will also.
It is quite complexin certain areas, but reading the paragraph again usually clears up any misunderstanding.
The good stuff
This book has placed a few people I have come into contact within the past into their true context. Someone I currently know also fits snugly into the sociopath category. Every 3rd or 4th page, I was thinking "there he is again". Now I know what to watch for, & how to deal with it, which is to leave them well alone, & let them bother someone else.
In conjunction with O'Hare's book , 2 books that clear your mindin some areas, moves your thinkingin others, & completely transforms & reverses a few of them. I agree with others, you have to read this book.
BEST READ FOR ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN ISOLATED AND MANIPULATED IN A RELATIONSHIP - By: Mrs. L. W. Baxendale, 29 Apr 2008 Socoppaths 'home in' on good people. I would think that most people have had an experience of being totally blitzed by someone & been deeply hurt by these sweet smiling Svengali's. They could be your partner/ex partner, the mistress, your boss or even your lawyer or doctor. This book shows you the paterns used & the best way to rid yourself & protect yourself against these nasty people.
The book is easily read, with lots of examples. You'll never view people the same again (and think it's you that's going mad)
Mrs B
Opinionated and misleading - By: Swedish reader, 05 Dec 2007 I find it a bit surprising to see this book receiving such high marks. I agree it's easy to read, but it's also shallow, opinionated, biased & even misleading.
Perhaps the reviews here on this book, are quite telling regarding how easy it is to convince someone. If one were tricked into believingin this book & even giving it the highest mark, I can only imagine how tricked one would get if one got into the hands of a real psychopath. Because one could assume that even the slightest suspicion against the author, could perhaps open ones eyes & think "Hey, is it really so?".
And, if basically everyone here writing a review claims to been involved with a sociopath, it may show that sociopaths are common around us, but it also may tell something about they way the book is being written.
The portraitsin the book used to illustrate "sociopathic" personalities... Well, perhaps they say more about the author & her own experiences & views, than about the people being portraited. It seems that she has read a couple of books on the subject, & then starts accusing people of being sociopaths. Why write so much about the woman whoin the morning spent quite a long timein front of the mirror (how does the author even know how much time she spent?), & why on earth does she even mention it? Perhaps the woman she portraited was just insecure, perhaps she had some other personality disorder. How does the author know how the woman felt after leaving the job? How does she know the woman left to another town to probaly continue causing disruption where she went? Perhaps from another perspective than the author's, the womanin question do have a conscience, do have the ability to feel empathy & sadness & so on. Or perhaps she really was a psychopath, but one certainly cannot tell from the portrait.
It is good to be on ones guard against some personality traits. It is good to understand that there are people who have psychpatchic (or "sociopathic") traits, & to know more about how they work, think & behave. It's good to have strategies against them. This may be the best use of the book.
I also agree with the author that our western society seem to sort of encourage, and/or look up to, sociopathic characteristics. (I cannot not comment much upon other cultures.) It appears as if our societyin a way sort of provides the psychopaths with a set table.
I think the key point regarding how one experience the book may be what one is looking for. One can watch a movie based on real events & think "Oh, what a great movie! I had no idea that...". But if one finds out that the movie gave the wrong picture of the events & personsin it, one may feel a bit fooled or even annoyed. Or one may don't really care. In this case, me being quite well-read on the subject of psychopathy (or "sociopathy"), I really don't like the partly irresponsible & misleading way the author deals with the subject. I can only hope that people reading this book, also reads other books & articles about the subject.
This book seems to be based more on the authors imagination, than on facts & knowledge. After a promising start, the book mostly seems sensational & as a way of milking money out of an exciting & popular (tv series, etc.) subject.
I ordered this book some year(s) ago from abroad (I livein Sweden), after reading the first 5-6 pages online. Unfortunately, I regret buying it (and even more regretting at the same time ordering another book by the same author).
There are other much better texts to read on the subject, such as Robert Hare's "Without Counscience" or Cleckleys book "The mask of sanity", not to mention all the material online.
I also recommend taking a look at the american Amazon, to read the reviews there (especially the 1-2 marks), which I believe are mostly very accuratein their criticism.
An informative read - By: M. Morris, 25 Nov 2007 I found this book actually rather liberating as it is chilling. As fantastic as it is to try & imagine someone with out a conscience (it's not an easy concept to get your head around) it was also enlightening. I have turned myself inside out trying to fathom some individuals' behaviour before & the answer is actually very simple. They can behave like that quite easily because they don't care. No longer need I waste my valuable time trying to physco-anaylise people who are back stabbers & trouble makers & I can take steps to protect myself. I can heartily recommend this book.
