Of course, I love the material within the book, however, the book itself literally smelled when it arrived 2 days ago, though it has subsided somewhat. The book smelled INTENSELY like it had been in someone's very musty attic for 10 years, which it probably had. It was pungent! It did look unread (in good condition that way), but the smell was so intense, my eyes were watering slightly and I sneezed off and on. I've been airing it out and it is definitely getting better. Also, I wiped off the book as it had a few greasy spots on it--a little grimy.
I think it is inappropriate for a seller to send a book in that condition.
In a case like this, it seems only fair that the seller air it out FIRST before they put it up for sale!! And give the book a good clean.

This book is extremely helpful and useful, especially if you've had an encounter with a psychopath but were not aware of it at the time. The neighbor who lives behind me is clearly a psychopath and this book helped me to deal with her bizarre antics and most unusual behavior. It answered so many questions I can't thank the author enough. I've learned so much about this subject, I wish everyone would read this book and learn the things they should know before they have a devastating experience of their own.

No other book holds a candle to Dr. Hare's view into "The Disturbing View of Psychopaths Among Us". Hence the 5 stars. However, do understand that this is NOT a guide for escaping a psychopath's capture once you've been caught. The book does not even claim to show you how to get out alive, and more importantly, with your children alive. To the contrary, the book clearly explains that attempts to escape may cost you your life. Hare gives examples of people leaving the country permanently to survive. The only escape I've found is to go underground- cutting off all communication with my family, friends, church, former work ect. This lasted three months, and then I was found again. Now he has my children and threatens never to let me see them again! He is a professionally diagnosed never-caught psychopath whom I've been entangled with for twenty years. I don't know if he will ever let go of his grip on me. I bought this book looking for a way out, but Dr. Hare doesn't even claim to know the way out, nor does the book suggest so. Read it for a fascinating, captivating view of the psychopath, but not for a way to escape.

Dr.Hare's book on identifying Psychopaths was actually a text book in Graduate school when I got my Master's degree in Social Work. It was by far the most captivating, easy to read book I studied that year. And yet, the information is dead on, easy to grasp and easy to remember once you have read it. His identifying factors have proven to be reliable and accurate.

Anyone reading this book can understand the difference between a "run of the mill" criminal mind and a Psychopath. This book should be mandatory reading for teenage girls to prepare them for "red flags" when they start dating.

Very worth the read!

One of the quotes that stuck with me was when Dr.Hare asked a psychopath how long is rap sheet was. He said it was 20-30 pages long. Dr.Hare pointed out that a famous murderer's rap sheet was 5 pages long. The psychopath responded with "Yeah, but he was just a killer".

This review is dedicated to all those women, children and men out there who got hit by the hurricane that is a psychopath and were left wondering if they are crazy, stupid or weak. You are not!As Dr. Hare said: Even highly trained professionals going into a prison to assess a known psychopath get taken in and conned. They are that good.

I guess it's easy-when you are without a conscience.

This book gives insight into a phenomenon that is misunderstood by many in America: psychopathy. Use the word "psychopath" amongst your peers, and the first people they will think of are high profile serial killers. Yet your miscreant son, your untrustworthy stock broker, or your transient, cheating spouse may all be psychopaths. Dr. Hare gives the reader a specific set of characteristics displayed by psychopaths, how their actions effect those around them and society at large, and possible solutions to minimize those effects. The book is a fascinating, well-written, and concise look at this destructive personality disorder. My only major criticism is that Dr. Hare seems content to simplify the language too much, needlessly buffering the reader from the more technical, psychological language. He should have given his readership more credit.

Overall, this was an excellent read. I highly recommend it.

This book explains the problems with identifying and dealing with antisocial personality disorder. It describes the disease in specific terms that are very helpful to the reader desiring an understanding of this challenging mental illness.

This is a great book for the layman from a leading researcher and clinician on the subject of the pyschopathic personality. It is very readable and brings a good deal of clarity to a confusing and very difficult area of human relationships. It was actually a relief to read this book and recognize the "wolves in sheep's clothing" who have upset and victimized friends, family members and myself. I think it should be part of any training program for managers, clergy and anyone responsible for the well-being of a group of people. I wish I had had the information in this book under my belt when I left college and entered the "real world" -- it would have spared me and several loved ones a lot of trouble and grief.

This is a fascinating book. It's like you get to see inside the minds' of people whose reality is totally different from yours - hopefully! As the author says, their's is a black and white world, devoid of many emotions that normally color a person's life. Scary stuff. But good for realizing some things, like how to look for cues to identify such people, how to spot the techniques they use to con others, and how futile it is to think they will truly change for any reasons whatsoever. The studies, the experts, all say they will NOT. If there is such a thing as demon seed, this book describes it in detail.

It is not often that top level scientists can write a popular introduction to the field and successfully combine insights drawn from decades of clinical experience blended with anecdotal mini-histories that make the concepts come alive. The renowned researcher Dr. Robert D. Hare--the creator of the most widely used tests for analyzing psychopathy around the world--has written just such a book. It is concise, packed with new information, and compellingly written!

Though originally published some 15 years ago, Without Conscience remains a best-seller in its field because no one else has described the inner workings of the psychopath with such clarity and verve while remaining absolutely true to the scientific field he himself helped create.

Let me be clear about what this book "isn't" and doesn't pretend to be: the book is based on the famous PCL-R testing procedure Hare and his colleagues have developed over many years, but it does not show how to use the testing procedure (which requires very substantial training) nor does it provide all of the current footnotes some might want. (Those are easily available elsehwhere--see the recent and technical handbook, The Psychopath, edited by Herve and Yuille with contributions by Hare for current references and refinements in research.)

Who are psychopaths? Hare shows how the key psychological characteristics--glib and superficial, egocentric and grandiose, lacking in remorse, lacking in human empathy, deceiptful and manipulative, and shallow in their emotions--are combined with behavior problems (often problems going back to childhood) to produce a completely unique profile of people who are potentially highly dangerous and lack any internal "brakes" on whatever havoc they create in the lives of others.

They are a dangerous breed and a breed apart. If you're interested in what makes these often charming and normal-acting tricksters work, how and why they camoflage their own deadliness, this remarkable book is the place to start. It will be fascinating for both general readers as well as psychology students and people in both the mental health fields and law enforcement.

It's not a question of WHO I know to be a psychopath, but HOW MANY I know.
This book explains everything about a person I'm dealing with. I'm hoping that many people will understand me better and see that I'M NOT the one at fault. Thank you, Dr. Hare

This book gives a good insight to the mind of a psychopath. My favorite parts of the book was a look at the different cases of Dr. Hare.

This was one of the earliest books I read on psychopaths. I've since read many more on the topic and this is still a classic. In fact, I return to it every so often. Hare's extensive research into psychopathy has resulted in his psychopath's checklist- a useful tool or clinicians and forensic psychologists. In this particular book he doesn't exactly spell it out in a "checklist", but he describes psychopaths behavior by behavior, using cases he has worked with while a prison psychologist. His work is presented in easy to read laymen terms that suggest psychopathy is not the result of poor upbringing, harsh, abusive or even overindulgent childhood, although those things may play a role. Hare's research points to a strong biological, possibly genetic component to this costly (from society's point of view) disorder. He also cites' Hervey Cleckley, an early authority on the topic. I suspect a few people became interested in this particular area of research because of both Ceckley and Hare's work. It was such an easy read that I was done before I knew it. The ease of reading also says a lot about a book, considering that at the end, you've gained a good amount of knowledge about a heavy and often contentious issue.

Hare's book, along with Martha Stout's (The Sociopath Next Door), are probably the most accessible, easy-to-read introductions to the reality of psychopathy. Without Conscience is loaded with entertaining and disturbing accounts of researchers' experiences with psychopaths. You can see almost first-hand the psychopath's strange use of language, his total disregard for the truth, his absolute lack of guilt or conscience.

Hare debunks some of the myths of psychopathy, like the idea that it is the result of poor child rearing, and that it is the same as 'antisocial personality disorder'.

If you enjoyed this book, a more advanced work is James Blair et al.'s The Psychopath: Emotion and the Brain. It gets more into the actual neuroscience, and is more up to date. Also, probably the best book on the importance of the problem of psychopathy on society and culture is Andrew Lobaczewski's Political Ponerology. It is an analysis of the effect of psychopathic individuals on political processes (particularly Nazism and Communism, but equally applicable to modern systems like Neoconservatism).

I consider all of the above books to be essential reading. What you don't know CAN hurt you.

Highly recommended to read. Hare deals with the serious subject of psychopathy in a thorough way and covers all the essentials. Throughout the text the subject matter is illustrated by many examples from real life, which makes it easier to understand.

The disturbing fact is that about 1 out of 25 people is a psychopath and most of them do not end up in jail or mental institutions. On the contrary they climb the corporate ladder, become politicians or just simply con or defraud ordinary people without getting caught.

Best protection is to understand about psychopathy and how psychopaths operates in our midst.

Read it along with these other complimentary books on the subject: "In sheeps clothing", "The sociopath next door", "Political Ponerology" and "The Mask of Sanity".

Lets face it, our society is becoming more and more violent.This is a fact, there is no way around it. Just look at the news or paper day to day to see crime and the nature of such crime. Violence is inherent and pervasive and is becoming more a norm than an an acception.Some blame the water, some the T.V. and cinematic violence. For some it is the eroding family structure and the preponderance of latch key kids and unsupervised,unbridled freedom children now have with free access to violent imagery, sexual content and news reports glorifying horrible criminality so pervasive in our instant access culture that restriction of said images are met with agitation and belligerence from our children and for some, threats of retaliation and violence.What is a parent or person to do?Ultimately the causative factors may remain unknown but what is evident is that more and more we are becoming a society of irrational, highly emotive, violence prone individuals.The capability and inclinational bent toward violence is overwhelming and this all leads to a clinical picture of psychopathology more characterized as psychopathic or the more modern tag of antisocial personality disorder.Hare has given us a good primer to guide us in the recognition of and avoidance of such personalities.His extensive research with known incarcerated psychopaths,analysis of traits,habits, modus operandi as well as skillful recognition of said individuals and tips on how to avoid being ensnared by them are presented in his most popular book.Based on its promotion and his reputation it was obtained and reviewed.I was a little disappointed upon conclusion hoping to gain more insight into this mans life long study but instead came away with some basic guidelines and cautionary rules to follow.As you may surmise, I expected more.However,it is a good starting point for those inexperienced with psychopathy and it outlines cause and effect and recognizing individuals who may possess such traits. For those of us who encounter this type in daily practice it was not the chilling, eye opening book as some reviewers have characterized it. 'Without Conscience' is recommended for the new aquaintance to patients,and others you may meet during life.This book is valid for most of us who need added protection on all levels as society continues to deteriorate into madness, anarchy and survival of the fittest because that is what we are becoming, mark my words.We, as a society need to avail ourselves and prepare for the further inevitable breakdown and increase in violence.This book is only a start and should be read by all along with others this writer will review soon to hopefully prepare us for a most difficult and dangerous future as we deal with the psychopaths among us.

I started to become interest in pathology and personality disorder after I read this book. It is a very interesting and informative book; easy to understand. I enjoy to watch the movies mentioned in this book, which describe various personality disorders and psychopathic people's life in this world. Read the book, watch the movies. A good one.

This book touches on so many facets of those that appear to "fly just below the radar" of the criminal aspect of what an undiagnosed psychopath's destruction can lead to. Those that are left undiagnosed can live within society and appear to some degree as normal within the confines of their home. Author, Robert D. Hare gives us, from page one, the true insight to the destruction that a psychopathic mind can achieve. When said, "Without Conscience" this is the essence of the psychopath. The one who can say, "I love you" and leave you penniless and heart broken. The lies upon lies to the point that even the psychopath themselves begin to believe what they say. The pattern can sometimes be brought on possibly by a parent who enables the already genetically imbalanced psychopath from a very young age by covering up for their misgivings. Eventually to the point that they believe they can do no wrong. Unfortunately, although the author's book delves into many facets of this altered mind, I believe there is a tremendous amount of research to be done. As the books states, their are many walking among us, that it takes a keen eye and a well studied psychologist to identify the symptoms of the psychopath. Because the psychopath either goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, unfortunately proper treatment is often overlooked. The psychopath, those that go through life without conscience can end up harming themselves by shoving everyone they encounter on a personal level eventually out of their lives or attempt to treat themselves through drug addictions. Most of those without conscience have narcissistic tendencies, with over inflated egos. Their behaviors become more and more abnormal. This book touches on most of the topics I suggest within this review. If nothing else, if you have had an encounter with someone that fits this description the book acts as a therapeutic tool as well as educational.

Someone lent me this book, after reading it, I HAD to have a copy of my own. This is a must read for therapists, substance abuse counselors, probation officers and anyone working with criminal populations. I have already been recommending it to my friends.

Reviews the characteristics of some of the more intense psychopaths in our countries history. Psychologists establish a psychopathic checklist of behaviors. Deepen your understanding of one of the most serious problems in America. Along with "The Sociopath Nextdoor" a must read for those of us needing to understand the behaviour of people with no conscience, guilt or shame. (The people 'missing a chip'. ) Every policeman and law enforcement worker should read these two books. (Helps to tell the bad guys from the good guys and explains why it is so difficult)

Robert Hare is the leader in the field and the checklist in the book which has the list of characteristics of a sociopath to be more helpful than anecdotes would be in understanding what a sociopath is.

This book give a ghoulish view of psychopaths also called sociopaths.

A more realistic view point will help you recognize them, when they come into your life. For this reason I recommend the 'Sociopath Next Door'.

They are 4% of the population, and you might encounter them and not realize it. When you include all personality disorders you have a much larger population.

Very interesting. Reading it as a selection in a book group I belong to.

I'm a hopeful person, and I sometimes tend to think anyone can be redeemed if you just reason with them. I've been burned by this fallacy a couple times in my life so while I'm still hopeful, I know there are times when someone is going to be a jerk (or much much worse) and there is nothing to be done, even if they present the most sincere apology.

This book helped me realize that. It also helped explain the behavior of a person I work with. Using the psychopathy checklist, she matches almost all the behaviors. No, I'm not a professional, but I now can react to her more appropriately and keep her at arm's length.

A great book. As society learns more about mental health issues, this is a good place to start your own self-education.

Larry Nocella
[...]

Too many books on sociopaths are written in such a way that they lead you to believe that anyone you don't like (primarily bosses, coworkers and your ex (s)) could be described as one. Dr. Hare, one of the world's leading experts on antisocial behavior has written a short, concise and informative book on what a sociopath is and, just as important, what they are not. It's not enough to say "mean people are bad...and EVIL!" Dr. Hare takes the important step of distinguishing the ordinary bad things that people do to each other out of ignorance and thoughtlessness from the mindful, directed, calculating predatory qualities that distinguish the true sociopath. It would be nice if the book gave more of a survey of the field beyond his own research, but you can't blame the guy since he's actually done so much good research himself. This is probably the best non-academic book on the topic you can buy.

For Anyone of us who have ever said to yourself...that person is truly odd and just different...
To those of us who consider ourselves just average but know that there are those other folks among us...
To the woman who continues in a relation ship just for the sake of a companion....
THIS BOOK IS CALLING YOU... Please read this one...it tells of the true nature of people you know...people we all know.
I knew this person for over 15 years and always knew something was wrong and after reading the characters in this book....that person is a 100% PSYCHOPATH. He passed the clinical test with a score of 40. I NEVER knew the words to explain him to my friends or myself. I could never find the words to describe the character he presented to me. Now I have all the exact words....It is crystal clear to me and No he is no longer in my life. Turns out he is a Sexual Predator and is a PORN KING...OUCH!

There are ample reviews already outlining the subject of the book so I won't cover well trod ground. I'll simply say I found the subject fascinating and the author's ideas intriuging. However, the book has a number of flaws. The author plays up how glib, persuasive and successful psychopaths are, almost glamorizing them into supervillains. The typical psychopath is a loser, not Hannibal Lecter. He is careful to criticize another psychiatrist for making casual diagnoses of psychopathy, but after this warning proceeds to make his own parlor diagnoses (the assessment of Amy Fisher has aged badly.) He also with no evidence expresses concern that psychopathic behavior is becoming more common due to psychopaths outbreeding the rest of us. In addition, while his measure of psychopathy is based on a scale, he treats psychopaths as distinct types. Some discussion of the meaning of various degrees of psychopathy would be helpful. Good, but overly dramatic and could have been better.

Most people have heard the terms sociopath or psychopath. To many it creates conitations of people who commit crimes without conscience. While psychpaths certainly are an identified criminal group, many being well known, a read through this book will broaden your thoughts on psychopaths, who they are and what they can do. Many live among us and certainly are not charged with or convicted of crimes but can still cause havoc and heartache for their victims.
I had little trouble identifying a number of people I have encounted who fit the criteria.
Certainly the author continuously 'pushes' a tool he developed to identify how likely an individual is to be classified as a psychopath, but he appears quite respected in his work as I have read many references to him in many other texts. He certainly comes over as passionate on the subject.
So who should take a look at this book. I feel it would have wide audience appeal, as most people who pick it up tend to read on. Anyone wanting to get a good 'starting knowledge' of psychiopaths and the alarming frequency with which they 'float' through or around most people's lives should definitely read the book. Psychopaths have the potential to wreck havoc in the lives of their victims. They have an inbuilt 'radar' for the most vunerable. This book lists the warning signs and what(and who) to avoid. Considering the reasonable price and being an 'easy read' I would have to put it on a should read list.

This was a present to my husband. The service was great-arrived in plenty of time. The book he says is informational, so much so, my brother-in=law asked to borrow it.

I never went looking for this type of book but it came to me after a very traumatic time in my life, a time when I was at odds with everything and everyone.I actually found this book at a second hand store without its cover.I saw the words "WITHOUT A CONSCIENCE" and new who it was about.

I was married to an extreme psychopath, he is actually in prison for raping and stabbing a strange woman with a screwdriver six times.Who knows what else he may have done, but got away with?

This man was a tirant in my life , he broke me mentally , emotonally, and spiritually.The problem is getting away from these people once they "OWN" you, because thats exactly how they feel about you.They don't let thier possesions go easily!I have to admit I got off easily, if he hadnt been incarcerated who knows where I would be today, or even if I would be at all?

I found this book helped me get through the post tramatic problems I was having, and to learn to trust again.This book will help you to understand the way these people think.I certaintly know now how to avoid ever being in a situation like that again.It also was intriguing in a way of just getting into the head of a psychopath. knoledge is always the best defence!

A person like this ruined my life, my nephew's life and my child. I ended up seeing a psychiatrist as part of my recovery after the incident and she recommended this book. I wish I had read it before I met the psychopath and I would never have been drawn into his manipulations and deceptions. These people are out there among us and you probably already know at least one. The only way to protect yourself from them is to know what to look for. My psychiatrist promised me that once I read this book, I would never again fall victim to these people. She was right; I have since been able to identify them and avoid them. I recently lent this book to my neighbor whose teenage daughter was deceived by a teenage psychopath and who was beeing ruthlessly lied to, manipulated, stalked and harassed by him. Read this book and share it with everyone in your family. It has been a blessing to me and mine.

Like many people, I have a person in my social circle who manifests most, if not all, of the symptoms described in this book. Deceitful and manipulative, lack of empathy, irresponsible, impulsive, need for excitement, etc. Dr. Hare says that there is no evidence that there is a cause/effect relationship between early childhood experiences and psychopathy. However, it concerns me that he frequently equates good parenting with a stable, professional household. Abuse can and does occur in well-to-do homes. Poor families can and do provide loving homes. I have known my syptomatic person since birth. She was unwanted, unloved, emotionally abused, and probably also physically abused (thought I never witnessed the latter). The feedback she got from her mother was not related to her behavior. Once I asked her why she lies habitually. She said that she thought it was probably due to the fact that from the time she was a small child, she never knew what would throw her mother into a rage, so she never told the truth until she could drop a few lies to get clues as to what might be acceptable. The sad thing is that she has a new baby, is living in a room at a stinking flophouse at the beach, looking for a man to hook up with. Watch out, guys!!

After reading this book made me realize what I suspected for a long time. A close family member appears to be a psychopath. After many years of struggling with this person, this book has opened my eyes to see that by adulthood, many psychpaths do not change. Thanks to this book I have taken a drastic decision to walk away from my situation/ relationship with the suspected psychopath. The checklist matched line per line with this individual. Even some quotes in the book rang very similarly to what my family member has said in the past. Chilling but very liberating facts. I highly recommend this book to any one because in our lifetime we all have encountered a psychopath. With varying degrees of the condition. Not necessarily a serial killer, but maybe somenoe who manupulates, lies, cheats, steals, and is abusive. All for personal gain and "Without Conscience".

Dr. Robert D. Hare, PhD, is celebrated as a world expert on psychopaths and creator of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, the widely used clinical diagnostic tool used to diagnose who is a psychopath and who is not. In Without Conscience, Hare cuts through common misnomers and misinformation about psychopaths to paint a very accurate and no less terrifying view of psychopaths. Hare's many academic works are fascinating, but this 1993 book remains the definitive book on the subject for the layperson. Highly recommended.

Without Conscience has a lot of information that will help someone distinguish an everyday Psychopath from the rest of the population. Yes it speaks of famous cases, it speaks of prison inmates, but it also covers the ground that most of us walk on every single day. Grocery stores, work, church, school, etc.

Not all Psychopaths are criminals, nor do all of them turn physically violent. In truth most of them are our neighbors, friends, family members, spouses, and even our own children. Most Psychopaths stay so low key that it's hard (next to impossible) to pick up on what is happening until it's too late. By then you are in over your head, financially and emotionally devastated. I know, because I was a target of one of these people.

If I had known what a Psychopath was, and had already read this book, I would have known to avoid the individual at all cost. This book covers every thing to help us make an intelligent decision about the type of person we may be dealing with. If you have doubt of any person in your life, read this book. Better safe than sorry. Believe me, the Psychopath won't care about what he or she does to you. You have to protect yourself from them.

This book will put you on the right path. Always remember 1 out of every 25 people have this mental disorder, so your chances of meeting or already knowing one are very high. Take precautions now before it's too late.

Another good reason to NEVER judge a book by its cover or camoflauge ... don't spook yourself too much .... but be equipped with the "tools" to catch a predator in your midst. Hare is one of the world's experts on psychopaths and he admits that even he can get fooled. There are no guarantees but preventing entanglements with such individuals is always a good thing.

A few psychopaths are serial killers but most of them are roaming free in society. It's estimated there are 2 millions psychopaths in North America, and they are not all locked up in prison (yet). Maybe you have already encountered one. As for me I know I have!

This book is really useful in debunking certain misconceptions that most of us have about psychopaths, thanks to Hollywood movies. Not all psychopaths commit murder, not all of them are men, they are not all going to end up in prison and a certain number of them are well-educated, successful white-collar individuals.

Dr. Hare is carefully going through his "Psychopath Checklist" to show us for our own protection the sure signs of these sick minds. With his own personal clinical anecdotes and more famous cases, it makes for a lively read. However, he is quite short on the hard scientific facts. For example, he talks about how the brain of a psychopath differs from that of a normal person but spends very little time discussing the specifics of that. I would have liked to know more about the developments in research on psychopaths.

It's still makes for an enlightening, but not too heavy read by a international specialist on psychopathy. By reading it, you raise your level of awareness to the potential psychopaths around you. You will be less of a fool when one tries to scam or attack you.

Some reviews have complained that Hare's book doesn't provide much in the way of science or give access to items on the Psychopathy Check List-Revised (PCL-R).
This book wasn't written for an audience well versed (or interested in) research methodology, normative groups, alpha levels, etc. So while it is weak on the research aspect, he does highlight and give a broad description of some of the current research in the field. He also gives names, so the more scientifically minded reader can hunt down the articles these researchers are writting.
Also, access to forensic instruments like the PCL-R is mostly restricted to qualified professionals. If the PCL-R were widely available, the bad guys would get their hands on it and learn to beat it.
That said, Robert Hare is the name in psychopathy research today and he is the author of the best-validated, most widely used testing instrument for it -- the PCL-R. There probably isn't anyone alive who knows as much about psychopathy as Dr. Hare does.
Is this book fantastic? No, but it accomplishes its purpose. It provides an entertaining, broad description of the psychopathy and attempts to correct some of the more prevalent misconceptions about the syndrome. If you are looking for in-depth information, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a fun read and a general description of psychopathy, give this book a try.

I received the book in just a few days and it was in excellent condition.

This is THE book to read about the psychopath. My experience with psychology books is that those written for the layman err on the side of seeming condescending, and contain only the most superficial of information. Books written for professional use are not very readable, and usually contain reams of material on the treatment of the condition. This book contains huge amounts of information, and does not sensationalize or focus on the "serial killer", yet is highly readable. Dr. Hare is obviously a great authority on psychopathy, and manages to educate the reader, with no temptation to "skip pages". What a great book!

At the tender age of 50, I have just come face-to-face with my first [I think] bona fide psychopath. It's a safe bet each of us is going to encounter one of these truly evil people in our lives, and if we're not prepared the results can be tragic.

But if you think we're talking about Manson-esque murderers; Adolph Hitlers, Saddam Husseins or Jeffrey Dahmers, think again. Here's a newsflash for you: Psychos are not necessarily killers, and some may not even be violent.

They could be someone you work with; someone you go to school with; your lover; your spouse; even your child.

The problem is, the VAST majority of us who do encounter such a person won't know until it is too late. And although there are many decent books written on the topic, none is as easy-to-read and understandable as this. You won't be left with too many questions, and you'll be well-armed should you come face-to-face with evil.

As an employer, I'm adding it to our REQUIRED READING list. But it should be on the bookshelf of every school, church, home and business in America.

No - that's not an overstatement. Read the book, and you'll agree! Kudos to Dr. Hare...

SEM, have you even read Stout's book? Check Stout's notes at the back of the book. She quotes liberally from Hare's book "Without Conscience", which by the way, was first published in 1993, twelve years before Stout's book hit the shelves!

I am very disappointed with this book, parts of appear to be lifted in toto from Dr. Martha Stout's excellent "The Sociopath Next Door" without attribution.

Save the money and just buy Dr. Stout's book...it is far better researched and is far superior to this effort.

After reading this extremely sobering text, and it is strongly suggested you do, you will recognize someone in your past, present or future to be a psychopath. As Hare suggests, it is dangerous to label individuals without proper clinical research including intense interviews and applying the "Psychopathic Checklist" before a likely diagnosis can be made. However recent research has shown that there are literally millions of psychopaths in jail, mental institutions or simply walking the streets. They can be in your work places, a problem child or sharing your bed. It's a frightening thought, and this book has been written to outline the essential characteristics of the psychopath and a general "survival guide" to help us recognize and prevent the majority of harm to oneself and our loved ones.

Hare provides many case histories from thousands of interviews with psychopaths and their victims. The renowned psychopathic checklist that he and his team developed over many years has proved to be a worthwhile tool in diagnosis. Most of these case histories are terrifying and ultimately sad as the psychopath invariably leaves a wake of destruction wherever they are and with whom they come in contact. These predators are the grand seducers because they have developed a strategy to detect one's weaknesses, doors of opportunity, to attain their every desire, whether money, sex or power. These characteristics seem obvious on first reading, but are a little more difficult to spot in actual physical contact.

The psychopath is usually glib and superficial, egocentric and grandiose and most importantly feels no guilt or remorse after committing an illegal or terrible act. Most often they are impulsive, deceitful and highly manipulative. Lack of responsibility for their actions and consistent antisocial adult behaviour are tell tale signs. Interestingly, most can be charming, good talkers and mesmerizing - a lot share the attribute of the intense, cold stare, an excessive eye contact used to intimidate. As the title suggests, all are without conscience and move through life in the pursuit of self-gratification, no matter what the cost.

What is sobering about this study is that our understanding of the condition is poor compared with other mental illnesses. Psychopaths do not respond to treatment and if incarcerated and set free, are more than likely to re-offend. As treatment is not an option at this time, the best we can do is have the knowledge to identify the psychopath and apply survival strategies to ensure the least amount of damage to others and ourselves. Hare gives us a "survival manual" at the back of the text, including an extensive bibliography to continue our personal research into the condition.

This book is a must read for anyone working in welfare, legal, rehabilitation and education, including law enforcement. All too often we are appalled and confused by certain behaviours, and this information clears this confusion and provides tools to deal with it. Excellent resource.

Very interesting book! Explains in easy terms the problem with facing these cunning manipulative types. Whats very interesting is that psychopaths appear to be what some are describing as "Organic Portals" on other websites. I just finished living in a house with one of these OP's for a year. It was a very interesting time with a great learning curve. Luckily after just two weeks I had figured this guy out or at least had big suspicions. I learnt a heck of a lot about how these people operate first hand. Basically in four words... Cunning, manipulative, Egotistical, methodical. these people operate from the ego in everything they do. They are also excellent at mimickry. They can fake any kind of emotion although its really easy to spot once youve "got it".
My feelings on this is that these people are basically biological machines, a human body without a soul connection, a higher spiritual make-up. Some refer to these as "Matrix Agents" like in the movie matrix. I feel this is accurate as they seem to have an uncanny ability to know things they shouldnt. there are accute moments of synchronicity where they seem to maximize the emotional output they can get from a person by predicting how a person will react in a situation. They show no emotion when seeing pain or torture on News or Media. They try to lower others down to there own level of uncaring. I think Matrix Agent is a good description because there modus-operandi often seems to be to keep the satus quo, ie: encourage fully souled people to behave like them and create more fear and chaos in the world. It all sounds crazy but when u consider the implications it means that they are just programmed beings (sometimes under remote control, yes i know it sounds crazy)and are not aware of their own lack of conscience. I resisted the urge to let him know i knew, i figured it better to just "play the game", and keep one step ahead of the game... I am a much better off person now as i see it so clearly after reading the book. It seems that they elicit an emotional response from a person via manipulative means and then "feed" off that frustration and negative emotion that is created. This is when they seem to be the most satisfied and "smug" and "full of beans"... but if you see thru it and dont respond emotionally, the key is to cut off their food supply!, smile, be calm and relaxed and act as if you couldnt care less, this is the key... always state your feelings as been, hey stuff happens, im not worried about it. Also if you feel your energy been drained imagine yourself floating in a calm sea or surrounded by a protective bubble of which inside is complete calm, think mentally to yourself.. "I end all transmissions now, all emotional ties or attachments or negative thoughts have stopped, i send out nothing, i am calm, relaxed, like a piece of wood" This works so well... just watch! I have also discovered that these types shake their legs/feet a lot, especially when thier in "active/feeding" mode, u may notice under the table that persons leg vibrating or shaking a lot, this is a sign of ego, of been anxious. Ive noticed if I focus and relax and "stop all transmissions", that persons leg stops also immediately!? Its weird, ive noticed this dozens of times with different people now. Also dont be too hasty to judge a person as an OP, (psychopath) as all of us can act like one from time to time, especially if pushed by an OP or wound up. But its consistancy over time that will show you if someone is an OP. I hope this helps someone... J

This is an exciting, highly informative and truly frightening account of the nature and behavior of psychopaths. The purpose of this book as Dr. Hare states is to make the average person more aware and better able to defend themselves against the predatory nature of the psychopath. I feel he accomplished it quite well, even if he was at times repetitious in his accounts and almost perversely intent on frightening the reader.
A family member of mine had first hand dealings with a man whom I now feel confident in calling a psychopath and I can understand Dr. Hare's passion for getting the word out on these people. Luckily the psychopath is now long gone, but he left a lasting immpression on me as a human being devoid of all the traits that make mankind redeemable. These people are really that bad, and I would recommend this book to everyone as a reference just in case you have the misfortune of dealing with a psychopath.

The subject of psychopathy and narcissism has been explored in many books, some that I personally read, however this one is the most comprehensive and interesting thus far. Other books were either misleading or devoid of real explanation, at least to the extent the reader would fully apreciate and understand. This author literally goes out of his way to write in a manner conducive for average persons such as myself. I appreciate this book because of its compelling information and the way it is written, which is to say it is a real " page turner". I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in psychopathic and or sociopathic behavior. At the very most we might learn how to spot these people and better protect our money, happiness, and general well being. Thank you.

I approached WITHOUT CONSCIENCE from a slightly different angle, since I'm a fiction writer and always on the lookout for a new insight into character. A fascinating book - I read it almost at one sitting - I regret to say that the book failed to provide me with any new archetypes not already covered by better writers than myself, from Dosteovsky to Melville to Mailer.

Part of this is due to the subject matter. Psychopaths in real life, it seems, are curiously one-dimensional, and because of this fact, very difficult to pin down. Like everyone, they operate according to an agenda, but in this case it's always an unspoken plan of attack whose bottom line would seem to be "I'm nobody's fool." They do quite well, as long as they're in progress toward some goal, but - once the achievement of that goal is in sight - they slip more and more into the moment, and it's in the moment where they're most dangerous. In the immediacy of a situation, the psychopathic core is exposed. That core is predatory, self-contained and, as Dr. Hare repeatedly points out, utterly without morality or conscience.

It seems that, in everyday life, the main way of dealing with psychopaths is NOT to deal with them, since any other player on their screen is, at best, the object of another con, and quite likely a potential victim.

By exposing the problem for what it is, and defining the terms by which we can deal with such people with least danger to ourselves, Dr. Hare has done the public an enormous service. If I found the book fascinating on its own terms, how much more useful it should be to someone who is currently dealing with any individual who displays psychopathic traits.

For more exact coverage of what the book contains, consult the excellent 5-star "spotlight" review above. The 3-star review, while worth considering, fails to appreciate the fact that, in psychology, as in art, one never deals with things at face value, but always as a kind of lie in whose distortions one may yet find the outline of truth.

And that is never more to the point than in this book.

Robert Hare is a very good writer. He clearly presents what psychopathy is, how it is expressed and most importantly, how to identify it. It is an excellent learning book, dealing with a subject that I feel all empathetic people should know. It may at least save you a good deal of money and heartache and maybe even your life.
Personally I suspect that the underlying trait that constitutes the fundamental component of psychopathy is present in 40 to 60% of the population, and in some populations even higher! Which is why you sometimes hear the expression, when describing some cruel treatment (such as the murder of the Jews by the Nazis): "It is human nature to be cruel", implying that being cruel is a choice that all people are capable of. Whereas I suspect that it is a basic genetic trait in many people but not all.
This book enlightens and helps you understand the people around you.

Written by the person who developed the standard checklist for diagnosing someone as a Psychopath, this book is very interesting and informative. You will almost certainly be surprised at the prevalence of psychopathic individuals, and the clear danger they are to us as individuals and as a society.

I discovered that living with a sociopath is dangerous in more ways than just what appears on the surface.
This book fully descibes the details of that life in ways I could have never articulated, much less tried to change.
For 7 years I'd hoped for changes to happen that simply could not due to the very nature of the ingrained personality of that type of thinking.
Without Conscience has helped me to identify the source of the problems and move on with my own life without blaming myself. I now have an incredible understanding about what I was faced with on a daily basis and the effects that behavior had on me.
I couldn't see it at the time...now I know why.