The Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us

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Description

People are accustomed to assuming of sociopaths that they are all violent criminals. But in The Sociopath Next Door, Martha Stout reveals that a shocking 4 percent of ordinary people have an often undetected mental disorder, the chief symptom of which is that the person possesses no conscience. They feel no guilt for anything at all. One of the primary characteristics of this disorder is that the individual has a charisma that makes them more charming than others, and tricky to identify.

Reviews

A fascinating, important book about what makes good people good and bad people bad, and how good people can protect themselves from those others.
Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

The Sociopath Next Door is a chillingly accurate portrayal of evil--the decent persons guide to indecency.
Jonathan Kellerman

A remarkable philosophical examination of the phenomenon of sociopathy and its everyday manifestationsStouts portraits make a striking impact and readers with unpleasant neighbors or colleagues may find themselves paying close attention to her sociopathic-behavior checklist and suggested coping strategies. Deeply thought-provoking and unexpectedly lyrical.
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A chilling portrait of human beings who lack scruples the way someone born blind lacks eyesightStout describes respected professionals who tell outrageous lies simply to confuse colleagues authority figures who deceive, seduce and even murder just to relieve the boredom that is the usual state of the sociopathic mind. A usefulif appallingguide to help you recognize conscienceless individuals.. [and] a heartening affirmation of the empathic mindset that comes naturally to the vast majority of humans.
Martha Beck, O Magazine

The Sociopath Next Door is a chillingly accurate portrayal of evil the decent persons guide to indecency. Martha Stout draws upon sound scientific data and clinical experience and her writing is graceful and compelling.
Jonathan Kellerman, author of Therapy, When the Bough Breaks, and Monster.

[Stout] provides provocative discussion about the role of conscience in the normal world. Highly recommend.
Library Journal (starred review)

One in 25 Americans is a sociopath no conscience, no guilt. It could be your mean boss or your crazy ex. [The Sociopath Next Door] is an easy-to-follow guide for spotting them.
Newsweek

I recommend this book, especially to those who think they may be vulnerable to sociopaths. It contains good stories, useful advice and clinical and scientific nuggets.
Washington Post

Winner of the 2005 Books for a Better Life Award

Author Bio

Martha Stout was trained at the famous McLean Psychiatric Hospital and is currently a clinical psychologist in private practice. For more than 20 years she was a clinical instructor of psychology in the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She lives in Cape Bob, Massachusetts.