The Psychopath Test

3.95 out of 5 (19 ratings)

In stock
Usually despatched within 24 hours
Free delivery to a local independent bookshop

Format:: Paperback
Pages:: 304
Publisher:: Pan Macmillan
Publication Date:: 05 January 2012
Category:: Popular Psychology
ISBN:: 9780330492270

Description

This is an utterly compelling and often unbelievable adventure into the world of madness. Jon Ronson meets everybody from a Broadmoor inmate who swears he faked a mental disorder to get a lighter sentence but is now stuck there to the influential psychologist who developed the industry standard Psychopath Test and who is convinced that many important CEOs and politicians are in fact psychopaths. Combining Jon's trademark humour, charm and investigative incision, The Psychopath Test is a deeply honest book unearthing dangerous truths and asking serious questions about how we define normality in a world where we are increasingly judged by our maddest edges. 'Ronson's new book is provocative and interesting, and you will, I guarantee, zip merrily through it' Observer 'Both screamingly funny and deeply disturbing' Tatler 'Ronson is such a chirpy, inquisitive and funny writer' Mail on Sunday

Reader Reviews

Showing 1-4 out of 20 reviews. Previous | Next

I have to admit I wanted to read this after viewing Mr. Ronson on The Daily Show. This is not a book for serious understanding of mental illness of psychopaths. What it does do is make us laugh and wonder about our own possible diagnoses and Mr Ronson's. I found I didn't want to put it down and stayed up way too late. A kind of David Sedaris meets Bill Bryson if you can imagine that!

5.00 out of 5

marycrear
How many psychopathic traits do you possess? Any one reading this book can't help but to reflect on 1, how they would do on the test & 2, how many of the people they know or encounter everyday would not pass the test. Mr. Ronson's writing style keeps this book moving along with little chance of boredom. I personally loved each interview he had with a certified psychopath. Quite interesting they would be so candid & agreeable to his questioning, even while raising their eyebrows at some. I guess that;s the Gradiose trait???

5.00 out of 5

pdplish
An excellent read that introduces reader into the creepy world of psychopaths and more importantly research into what exactly is a nature of psychopathy. I cannot stress enough how approachable and interesting this book is. For a topic so disturbing, it has a remarkably light and entertaining, even funny tone. I think the author perhaps overindulges into describing his feelings and thoughts but what it looses in concrete it makes up in strength of the message. Yes, there are psychopaths among as and there is preciously little we can do to change them. On the other hand the psychiatry itself comes out as a science filled with traps. Well, the brain is a complicated thing indeed. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a real page turner and the subject is fascinating. Perhaps a little bit light on the content but fantastically well written and moving. I cannot wait to read some more works by Jon Ronson.

5.00 out of 5

yarriofultramar
Intriguing, frightening and uncomfortably hilarious.

5.00 out of 5

clstaff