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Interesting book. Strayed farther from purely being about psychopaths in the second half of the book. There it dealt more with the DSM and "treatable" mental illnesses, and the overdiagnosis of people. I did like the comments on our voyeurism of "slightly mad, but not too crazy" in reality TV and prime time. Not too sure on the inclusion of Rachael North and the 9/11 or 7/7 conspiracy theorists. Reading this goes well with my earlier rereading of Columbine.
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I bought this book because I saw the author's interview on The Daily Show, and it sounded really interesting.
I must admit that I've wondered more than a couple of times if I've encountered a true psychopath or two. That happens when you go to college or teach in the public school system. I knew from the interview that I watched that the author would be focusing on psychiatrists as much as psychopaths, but the book wasn't like I expected. There were some slow point,s and I give Ronson bonus point ...more
I must admit that I've wondered more than a couple of times if I've encountered a true psychopath or two. That happens when you go to college or teach in the public school system. I knew from the interview that I watched that the author would be focusing on psychiatrists as much as psychopaths, but the book wasn't like I expected. There were some slow point,s and I give Ronson bonus point ...more
I picked up this book mainly because I enjoyed watching “Men who stare at goats” and because after watching Jon Stewart interview the author I felt that I really like the author. It might be a strange way to pick books, but I came to the conclusion that if I do not like the way the author speaks then I will not like his writing. And if the author cannot communicate his message clearly and concisely then I would probably be just wasting my time trying to read what he has to say.
I have to admit t ...more
I have to admit t ...more
Having just finished a grad class in psychopathology and the DSM-IV-TR, it was interesting to get a (relative) outsider's view of diagnosis and its uses and misuses. Ronson's treatment of the matter neither condemns nor excuses psychology's approach to labeling "psychopaths" (which is not a technical term, by the way), and it's downright funny at some points. Much better than reading through my textbooks and journal articles for class!
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This was not what I was expecting somehow. It is a fascinating and occasionally funny look at psychopathology and those who study it and some people who are categorized as psychopaths. It has a somewhat philosophical bent about how mental pathology is defined. It makes me wonder if anyone is really "normal" if you start applying the DSM to them. And how much organizational dysfunction is due to psychopaths rising to the top.
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May 17, 2011
Mary
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
non-fiction,
ethics,
americana,
current-events,
science,
weird,
history,
humor,
canadiana,
britain
I couldn't put this book down. Very well written, moves along quickly, and even funny at times. Includes interesting bits on Scientology's crusade against the American Psychiatric Association, LSD group therapy for hospitalized psychopaths, the psychopath checklist - it goes on.
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The first part is excellent. All about Psychopaths.
Then he changes directions and loses his focus talking about all sorts of random mental illness- but none in any depth.He
Has trouble ending the book as well.
Then he changes directions and loses his focus talking about all sorts of random mental illness- but none in any depth.He
Has trouble ending the book as well.
May 02, 2011
Renee
marked it as to-read
May 16, 2011
Samantha
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May 17, 2011
Mary
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Vis
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Kris
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Sep 19, 2011
Rodney Ulyate
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Leo Horovitz
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