The Sociopath Next Door

By: Martha Stout

Narrated by: Shelly Frasier

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

We are accustomed to think of sociopaths as violent criminals, but in The Sociopath Next Door, Harvard psychologist Martha Stout reveals that a shocking 4 percent of ordinary people, one in 25, has an often undetected mental disorder, the chief symptom of which is that that person possesses no conscience. He or she has no ability whatsoever to feel shame, guilt, or remorse. One in 25 everyday Americans, therefore, is secretly a sociopath. They could be your colleague, your neighbor, even family. And they can do literally anything at all and feel absolutely no guilt.

How do we recognize the remorseless? One of their chief characteristics is a kind of glow or charisma that makes sociopaths more charming or interesting than the other people around them. They're more spontaneous, more intense, more complex, or even sexier than everyone else, making them tricky to identify and leaving us easily seduced. Fundamentally, sociopaths are different because they cannot love. Sociopaths learn early on to show sham emotion, but underneath they are indifferent to others' suffering. They live to dominate and thrill to win.

The fact is, we all almost certainly know at least one or more sociopaths already. Part of the urgency in reading The Sociopath Next Door is the moment when we suddenly recognize that someone we know, someone we worked for, or were involved with, or voted for, is a sociopath. But what do we do with that knowledge? To arm us against the sociopath, Dr. Stout teaches us to question authority, suspect flattery, and beware the pity play. Above all, she writes, when a sociopath is beckoning, do not join the game.

It is the ruthless versus the rest of us, and The Sociopath Next Door will show you how to recognize and defeat the devil you know.

©2005 Martha Stout (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Stout is a good writer and her exploration of sociopaths can be arresting." (Publishers Weekly)
"A remarkable philosophical examination of the phenomenon of sociopathy and its everyday manifestations....Stout's 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)

Fascinating and scary!

What made the experience of listening to The Sociopath Next Door the most enjoyable?

So much interesting information that was completely new to me, such as the fact that, statistically, 4 out of every 100 people are sociopaths, or how difficult is is to spot them, and how, in some cases, society actually rewards the absence of conscience.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

A three-way tie between the fascinating and disturbing facts on this subject, the riveting case studies, and Shelly Frasier's perfect narration.

Which character – as performed by Shelly Frasier – was your favorite?

The case study of the sociopathic mental health professional - chilling!

Any additional comments?

A disturbing and insightful eye-opener! Martha Stout has thoroughly researched her subject and made it accessible and even compelling reading for the non-professional.

loved it.

This book helped me with setting boundaries with sociopaths and accepting that they will never change.

Contemporary Message

Deep exploration of conscience and its lack in some people. Great narration; as relevant on 2016 as in 2005, if not more so.

Wow! A must read.

Loved everything about this. It's an engaging read and the women who narrates is perfect for the book. Sheds a ton of light on sociopaths--you'll be identifying them almost immediately.

Fascinating and Thought-Provoking

What made the experience of listening to The Sociopath Next Door the most enjoyable?

I listened to this immediately after Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl," and they were a perfect pair! It was fascinating to learn about real, clinical sociopathy and its various manifestations. Every day, I came home talking about some new thing I'd learned about sociopathy.

What other book might you compare The Sociopath Next Door to and why?

Definitely read this one either before or after reading Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl." One of the characters (I won't spoil which one), could have been ripped from the pages of Stout's book!

great

loved the writing, the narrator, and the story. very interesting topic to me, two more words.

Read it!

This is a really good book, eye opening... and answers the question we often ask “How can people do things that are so terrible?”

Great book, machine-like performance

It's a great read, but could have been read by the narrator better. It sounds like one of these reading algorithms

Interesting and Valuable Read

This book is a little scary, but only because of how thoroughly it illuminates a side of human nature we would all really rather ignore. It is well-researched and fits in with what other experts in the field have to say, but the stories make it accessible to any audience. There is someone in this book you will recognize in your own life, and for better or worse, it may open your eyes to the behavior of that person in a way that will startle and educate you.

nice book! audible 20 review sweepstakes entry

it was an interesting read, very eye opening and intriguing.

audible 20 review sweepstakes entry