A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight - Confessions of a Sociopath

I found the book very well written for the most part. However, and perhaps unsurprisingly, I found the content quite boring and devoid of, well, feeling. I can't help but think that a book written by the victim of a sociopath is always going to be far more interesting than a book by an actual sociopath because the latter is never going to be very good at engaging the reader at an emotional level, especially when the writer's goal is to convey her very nature as a sociopath.

Her stories and anecdotes were rarely effective (or affective); for example she tries to casually shock the reader by opening with a story of trying to drown a small animal in her swimming pool, which she later explains was not an act of cruelty but simple expediency. But why? Would it not have been easier to simply scoop it out and let it run off? By trying to convince the reader of her lack of feeling, she often comes off as trying too hard. And at times she seems too infatuated with her own myth, wanting to fashion her "kind" as modern-day vampires, perfectly imperfect, feeding off of others but just wanting so badly to fit in and be accepted.

And at times she she falters ever so slightly in her self-appraisal to make one wonder if sociopathy is not what's underneath the mask but the mask itself. She writes of cruel parental neglect and her father's violent outbursts in one chapter but then seems to forget about this later on, claiming she suffered no abuse. Could it be that cultivating the persona of someone who doesn't wallow in emotion, no, in fact, a being who epitomizes the lack of emotion, was the author's way of surviving emotionally abusive parents and a strange and unpredictable childhood in a community characterized by outward shows of goodness and devotion and inner turmoil?

She fails in her writerly duty by dedicating a whole chapter to "ruining people" and yet chickening out when it comes to divulging any actual details of "ruining." The stories she does relate seem more like immature and childish game-playing than the machinations of a sociopathic genius. But I like that she at least anticipates that her book may be a disappointment to those who were expecting something far darker and more cruel. And the fact that she uses words like "dalliance" and quotes Byron. In the end, the most satisfying part of her book, to me, was not the "confessions" but simply her intelligence and interesting analysis and insight. I hope she writes other things, too.

What do you say about a book you think was written by a twisted self-obsessed, pretentious, callous, apocriphal, lunatic who is a legend in her own mind? Normally you would give one star and move on. After all, the writing is infused with an indifferent monotone of mater-of-fact insensitivity to the human condition. Much of it comes accross not just as bragging, but pure hyperbole. So one star right? Well, no. The author is a self described sociopath. The writing is supposed to be this obtuse. She walks you through her self obsessed life of gaming others to ignore her motives and she takes great pleasure in telling you about it. Much of it does come accross as contrived and petty. There is just as much narcissism present as sociopathy with a conscience. I wanted to hate the book and the writing, but what do you expect from a sociopath, remorse, an apology? Sometimes, the author tries too hard to be a sociopath and that is not the way sociopaths are supposed to be. They don't have to try hard to demonstrate their ignorance of the meaning of empathy. Alas, I empathize with this author's struggle to explain herself and in the end, I think she did an apt job, for a self absorbed manipulator of perception.

M.E. Thomas' book, Confessions of a Sociopath, was unfortunately, written by a sociopath. What starts out as interesting and somewhat entertaining, devolves into a narcissistic treatise on Thomas' own enchantment with herself and her condition. While she seems to be somewhat honest (although you never know with a sociopath) about the limitations and obstacles that her diagnosis creates, her narrative, more often, seems to highlights the strengths she feels she has due to her sociopathy. It's not a terrible read overall but the bland writing style and overwhelming egomania win out in the end. It's most definitely "put-downable". Thomas is simply not as interesting to others as she is to herself.

I really should have read the reviews before i bought this book. I went through the sample reading and found it interesting and immediately bought it without giving it another thought, and if that's what the author really tried to aim by writing this book then she succeeded. It was already half way through the book when I finally got fed up with all these self-flatteries and never-ending stories of how great, charming, smart, successful, manipulative and above everyone in the world she is. I doubt the very fact whether M.E Thomas is a real sociopath, or just a wanna-be with some childish fantasies about how superior a sociopath is to other 'empaths'. Fully convinced that she is a sociopath with high intellectual and fierce rationality, she might have been inclined to choose the 'sociopathic' answers despite her true tendencies during the sociopathy test; she went through a lot of articles and researches about sociopaths and even self-diagnosed to be one, so it's not a surprise when she is familiar with the distinctive traits that sociopaths have.
It might not have been this terrible if she only gave some clear explanations of sociopath and what makes them different from other non-sociopathic people with just a few of anecdotes, but rather she chose to right a whole autobiography to fulfill her egocentric soul and make it confusing to tell whether what made her act the way she did is purely that of a sociopath or just that of a bitch.

Got to chapter 5 and said "I'm done". Thought I was going to have an opportunity to understand and find some compassion for the sociopath's world but instead all I got was a wordy dialogue from a passive aggressive, hypocritical cult member. Her issues reminded me of entitlement rants from teenagers. Not interested.

Boring and full of contradictions that make it seem like it's full of lies. Full of self pity and self adoration. Here's a short summary:

Poor sociopath me, people are unnecessarily biased against us sociopaths; this is how I like to ruin and toy with people, aren't I clever; I'm so smart and fantastic.

It goes on and on.

The author may or may not be a sociopath, and the story she tells may or may not be genuine, since by her own admission sociopaths spend most of their time and mental energy manipulating others for gain, be it monetary or fleeting pleasure or some other component of power or excitement. So there is little credibility in this memoir. She could be a he, she may or may not have been abused as a child, may or may not have finished law school, etc.

Assuming it is real, it seems a credible description of a sociopath's inner life based on their observable behavior. What comes across is extreme bravado and hubris. The author also demonstrates a lack of insight through numerous contradictions. For example, the author argues that her sociopathy has equipped her to succeed in life, and that she consistently manages to outsmart colleagues, bosses and lovers. Yet she has been repeatedly fired from various positions in law. Her stint as prosecutor was brief and limited to prosecuting misdemeanors, despite having always been "the most compelling person in the courtroom." If she were that good, she'd still be practicing law. Law professors, especially at lesser law schools (as she admits this is her milieu) earn rather modest salaries. So despite being so brilliant and unfettered by empathy (or in my opinion, because she lacks empathy) -- she is in fact an underachiever.

Though she does not say this, it is clear from her narrative that most of her "conquests" dumped her when they saw her capacity for inflicting pain and confusion. The only lasting relationships are those with her siblings, and she says so little about how they relate as adults that I'm not persuaded she has any genuine attachment to anyone.

The author displays a sneering attitude toward "empaths," whom she describes as weaklings, nothing more than a collective quivering mass of jello plagued at every moment by fears and anxieties. There is a kernel but only a kernel of truth here. Possessing the capacity for emotions and compassion leaves us inevitably vulnerable. Yet I know many people who feel empathy and are quite bright, powerful and comfortable in their own skin. She seems to believe that anyone with empathy is rendered incapable of taking risks, think logically or make rational decisions -- which is clearly untrue. She does seem to protest too much to convince me that she does not, at some level (perhaps subconsciously) feel terror or desperation that she is so different from others and can't relate on a feeling level the way most of us can.

Still, for an interesting foray into the mind of a sociopath, which may be real or simply posited by an author who is acquainted with one or more of these types, the book has some lucid moments. I do concur with her belief that most of us "empaths" have sociopathic streaks or at least moments where we place our own needs and desires ahead of others'.

A better book for us normal folk who want to learn how to recognize sociopaths, and protect ourselves from them, is Martha Stout's book, "The Sociopath Next Door." I also love Edward O. Wilson's "The Social Conquest of Earth," in which he discusses the adaptive value of cooperation and compassion. He also explores how individuals without conscience might have served an evolutionary purpose. He does it from a warm, humanist perspective.

This book leaves me wanting to get take a long shower to get the smutz off my brain. I skimmed some parts, particularly the tedious self-aggrandizing passages, but it held my interest sufficiently to be read to the end. I am glad I checked it out from the library, as I don't think I'd want my money going to this individual. She was just not that likable.

The author spends most of the book indulging in self-aggrandizement and the rest of the time trying to convince the reader that sociopaths aren't that much different from the rest of us. What she reveals in this book about the workings of her inner life underscores in blazing neon the unbridgeable chasm that will always separate her from the normal world.

Her motto must be "if it looks good, it is good" as she clearly has put a lot of thought and effort into cultivating the appearances of normality so that she will remain undetected. She doesn't seem to comprehend that a respectable job and nice clothes are not nearly the camouflage she believes them to be.

A normal person's mind is not busy calculating a cost/benefit analysis of "ruining" someone, or musing about how interesting it is to watch a small helpless animal die. Normal people do not have mental images of slashing a throat or the impulse to follow someone into a dark hallway. Thoughts have resonance; intent can be felt. When normal people sense such malevolence, they run like hell in the other direction.

The author tries to insinuate that being a sociopath is a preferred way to exist. Apparently she believes that anyone would trade their full, rich hearts for her small, cold, dark one. The truth is no one envies a sociopath; no one wants to be her.

The book might be useful in educating yourself on how to spot a sociopath so that when you do happen to encounter one, you have the good sense to simply walk away.

Don't buy this book - get it from the library. You'll feel better about yourself if you do not enrich this person.

I am 1 chapter in and...what in the everlasting eff is wrong with this woman? I mean, I know she's a sociopath, but WOW, I had no idea just how screwed up these people really are. The grandiosity is off the charts. A real a true nut job.

ME Thomas (a pseudonym) is a self-diagnosed sociopath, a condition or spectrum associated with a variety of traits, including a lack of capacity for empathy, a generally above-average intelligence, high tolerance for risk taking, ego-driven behavior, and often blurred or ambivalent sexual identity. In this book, something of an extended series of musings, vignettes, slices of life and careful self-examination, she writes about what it 'feels like' to be in her head, in her life, and around her. She goes into her upbringing (nature or nurture as regards her sociopathy?), her education and checkered career, her love life, her friends and transient relationships. Along the way, just through how she presents herself (breezily, often cutting, even more often rather pleased with herself, but always carefully and writing to achieve a specific effect), one gets an impression of the personality to match with the stories or observations.

It certainly makes for interesting reading. She's not a criminal (or to a much greater degree than anyone else in modern society), but she does have a certain way of thrill-seeking that can lead to some degree of collateral damage along the way. She is actually quite happy with some elements of the condition, but less so with some of the others. As she scoots along towards middle age, for example, she wonders if she will ever be able to sustain a long-term partner relationship. She has few or no problems in her career, besides the kind of jumping around out of boredom and a polished recklessness a high-performing ADD person might share. She has become a master manipulator of people. That includes the readers of this book, and of her blog as well.

If you are interested in learning what makes a sociopath's mind tick, this is a great book to read.

I read the entire book but left disgusted, as many appear to have done. I have had my own experience in this realm and was hoping for a little more insight in how to deal with people like this or at least spot them. All I got was a self-absorbed rattling on that did little to elucidate me or educate me about how to deal with my concerns. I took it back. If you want to throw $25 at a narcissistic, boring, self-absorbed person then this is the book for you. If not, then read some other truly helpful tomes by Hare, Cleckley and Stout. Martha Stout's "The Sociopath Next Door" was particularly helpful. Also, Lundy Bancroft's "Why does he DO that? Inside the minds of angry and controlling men" was very helpful.

This book is nothing more than one person's love for herself. How it ever got printed, I will never know. I cannot believe I wasted my time reading this book. Going on and on about how great it is that she doesn't care about other people, and that it's a normal thing. I believe that's called plain selfishness. Get over yourself woman. Don't waste time reading this book.

I got this after seeing it promoted in an airport, what a mistake! I made it 42% of the way through before giving up.

The author likes to tell you they are intelligent, good looking and charming, and perhaps in person they are, but that doesn't translate to an interesting book. It's dull, bounces all over the place and is just the ramblings of someone who has had a tragic upbringing.

Confessions of a Sociopath was a difficult read, in a way. It wasn't the content or the writing style as much as the tone, which felt a little odd, and at times, disconcerting. It was often cold and very pretentious. After a while, it really grated on my nerves. By the final few chapters, I would catch myself skimming the text and have to reread large portions. I think it would have been wiser of me to take the book in smaller doses, to break it up a bit.

But... the content itself was pretty fascinating. It's easy to dismiss psychopaths as "evil" (especially thanks to Hollywood and the media) and not think about them with any more depth than that, but there's actually a pretty wide spectrum. I learned a lot reading this book. I didn't realize there were non-criminal sociopaths, nor did I know they could be as high-functioning as the author.

There were some aspects of her story that were hard to believe. I couldn't tell if she was contradicting herself, if she was embellishing things, or if I just wasn't understanding her. Then came the epilogue, and everything that didn't make sense to me before sort of fell into place. I think the parts I had trouble believing were due to differences between how we (author and reader) view the world, not because of an intent to deceive.

Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas was an eye-opening book. I wouldn't place it on my favorites list, but I did come away with more knowledge and understanding about a personality disorder I knew little to nothing about.

(3 stars feels too low, 4 stars a bit too high... if I could, I'd mark this one 3 1/2 stars)

This book was boring.

The most shocking part of the book was when she filed false claims of sexual abuse against a male teacher because she didn't like him. She then takes this as evidence that she is smarter than everyone else because she was able to game the system to destroy an innocent man. Therefore, she is smarter than all the adults and people around her. She really sees nothing wrong with this.

The book repeats over and over and over and over. It is both boring and infuriating.

If she really had the guts to pull back the mask and gaze at her soul she would see the Medusa lurking inside her. Not the goddess she worships. That would be am interesting book.

I've got to admit I'm an animal person. So in the opening of the book, when the narrator killed a small animal without thinking about it, she had already really tested me. Reading further in did not make me like her more. What struck me there was the senselessness of it - I could understand a sociopath doing something terrible to achieve some purpose, but here there appeared to be none.

Of course, a book doesn't need to have a likable narrator for it to be interesting, providing that the narrator is fascinating in other ways. At first glance, this narrator is, but eventually it's too much. At points, I was reminded of reading de Sade in grad school - after a while the outrages seem to be offered for their own sake without providing much in the way of illumination.

Reading the book, I did feel bad for the narrator, but it was pretty clear why she had to do her best to "hide in plain sight." Objectively, it's sad to see someone who can't catch some of the major hues of life. Things like fear and regret move us to grow while the sense of shame both keeps us from over-reaching in our actions and gives a little thrill when we push it. And that was the hardest part for me: the narrator exemplified a little too well the things we say about the banality of evil. At least de Sade got a thrill out of getting a rise out of people. I'd have to suspect that a volume written by a sociopath would have its share of manipulations, but by the end instead of manipulating me into thinking sociopaths are perfectly lovable people except that they aren't, I was left mainly with a sense that I'm glad I haven't (to my knowledge) crossed paths with the narrator.

Bottom line: If you want a interesting but somewhat overdone autobiography of a sociopath, this is your book. If you're fascinated by the phenomenon of sociopathy and trying to understand what makes a sociopath tick, the narrator's a little too close to shed that insight to the same extent that she shares her exploits.

This book is typical of other "confession" memoirs where the authors boast about their obnoxious exploits under the excuse of addictions or mental conditions. She constantly refers to superior intelligence as being an essential attribute of her condition. She refers to "The Sociopath Next Door" but apparently disregarded the author's point that sociopaths exist at all levels of competency. She makes one point perfectly clear: No normal person should ever engage a sociopath in any circumstances. It's like mud wrestling a pig. You'll get covered in filth, but the pig will enjoy it.

One characteristic of a sociopath is narcissism. So imagine reading a book written by a narcissist. Yep, it's just that self-centered. The author gives you a first initial taste of her uncaring nature regarding a drowning baby opossum at the start of the book and it just sets the tone in how she views others. That includes people too.

She goes on to discuss how she does not fit it and tells us about her screwed up family life. She decides she is a sociopath. She does all the necessary tests and comes to the conclusion that this is her condition. Yes, I'm deliberately repeating the pronoun "She" as it echoes the "I, I, I" nature of this book.

The more you read, the more she boasts of her superior intelligence, her exploits over other people and a bit of science is tossed in here and there supporting, explaining and in many ways excusing her deplorable behavior and often making it seem superior to the rest of the "empaths" in our society.

Well, I'm about ½ through the book and I can't go any further.

This is a blurb from the paragraph on the store about Sociopaths for this book: "In fact, they're potentially more productive and useful to society than neurotypicals or "empaths," as they fondly like to call "normal" people."

So if you want to read about how superior the author is to you and excuses as to why she was a complete jerk to most everyone she has met, this is the book for you.

If you were hoping for a book written by a person, who brought in some science and carefully parsed through her own behavior (without boasting) to understand the reasons behind it and information on other sociopaths and such, well you won't find it here.

You really can't expect a ton from this book. If you are looking for a view from the inside of this person's mind, this can be an interesting read. I am not an expert on sociopathy, but I did find the read very interesting from a number of angles. I don't think there is any doubt that on the scale of sociopathy- she holds some or many of the traits. However, in many ways I felt that the author was not always consistent in what she believed to be true about herself. I do think you could read into some of that because she was brutally honest and literally dumped all of her thoughts into the book. She claimed on the one hand to be immune from certain feelings, but then almost inadvertently confessed in other places that she actually was not. She showed some humanity, but it looked as though her childhood experiences put her in a position of deflecting regular human feelings. I ultimately found the book worthy of reading. People don't usually invite you into the depths of their feelings and mind, but I think the author did that here. On that alone, it was worth reading.

This author, when she appeared on Dr Phil (who, incidentally, gave her short shrift and clearly did not buy her Sociopath diagnosis) more closely fit the description of a Narcissist or Compulsive Liar than a Sociopath. She came across as trying hard to convince herself of the diagnosis, as much as anything. There were many inconsistencies in what she was saying.

Critically, Dr Phil had the author's best friend on the phone, who very candidly and kindly described that she had never witnessed any of the sociopathic behavior that the author was laying claim to.

Perhaps this is the explanation: The author, whose real name by the way is Jamie Lund, is a lawyer. She specialises in intellectual property - specifically, how the internet is polluted by misinformation, largely because journalists publish without checking their facts. I can't help but suspect that this publication is some kind of experiment to leverage this exact phenomenon - make up your own IP, create a stir, hope for viral replication and make money from it.

This book is, perhaps, simply Ms Lund's own tome of misinformation, with a PR strategy.

Perhaps the exercise is also an example of what she means by "hiding in plain sight": Build a legal practice based on criticising all the misinformation out there, then publish your own misinformation, hope that no-one notices because you are a specialist in misinformation after all, and profit from it. Similar (though less serious) to how child abusers tend to congregate in child care professions as their cover.

I didn't learn anything from this book; it contains the usual suspects in terms of how she defines herself, the kinds of things she does, etc. This book was written for those who are not familiar with sociopathy, and since it's a pop psych deal all over social media, the author is capitalizing; there are statements in that book that seriously cast doubt on her claims, and others that pinpoint, so it seems to be she did a lot of research to write this, rather than glean her own experience. Considering her penchant to drone about her intelligence, her special abilities, and her success, sociopaths lie, manipulate, and cheat to the nth degree; this is what I'm getting from this; sociopaths are easily detectable, at least to me; I think my discernment skills are far superior to those of the author. One star for the subject, it is familial, and one star for the brazen ability to recognize she cannot fool all, but can fool many.

I made it to chapter 2 before putting this dull, trite little book down. I expected a book about the reflections of one person's life as a sociopath, and ended up with little more than a mediocre high-school English paper about sociopaths, with a lot of self-importance thrown in.

I think the main problem is that, since sociopaths are void of emotion, their writing is void of emotion, too. Self-reflection, humility and the ability to make an emotional connection with the reader are key to a really good book. Take these away--as this book has--and you're left with one phenomenally boring piece of work.

I find this book to be interesting. First and foremost because it shows that the trend of making "personality disorders"(the kind that can't be treated as yet) hip; or at least respectable. It also shows that the psychological sciences still has a way to go if a label such as Sociopath becomes a grab for various behaviors and traits that is beyond what Cleckley and Hare define as psychopathy. One of the telling markers that the author is not purely a psychopath but has other issues is that she is a lawyer. According to Cleckley and Hare, high end psycho/sociopaths do not have the traits and behaviors to follow a life plan and stick to it ness of such a demanding profession as being a lawyer. So right there, is a big red flag as to the degree of her sociopathy. Be that as it may, I did find it an interesting read but not worth buying(a read the book owned by a friend who suffers from the "next big trend" pathy, whatever that is called). When books titled "Wisdom of Psychopaths" gain traction, I roll my eyes. That is not to say, that psychopaths are to be really feared or looked down upon. Hervey Cleckley himself was fond of them and their bumblingness etc. and thought they deserved compassion of some kind, and I agree. The person who is just ruthless, manipulative, lacking remorse, clever and who is not impuslive, undisciplined, can't delay gratification etc., is an entirely different breed altogether. I do hope the book achieves a little more compassion from the readers, so that are a bit wiser and kind towards the sociopaths that the author describes without being played, would be very beneficial or "prosocial".
I look forward to the "wisdom of a high functioning autistic(formerly aspie)person" or "confessions of an all day facebook commenter" or the "genius of a TEDx spectator".

I do agree that this book could use the hand of a good editor to chop it down a bit, but it was a pretty interesting book even if just for the jaw-dropping anecdotes. I found it useful to discover that many people I thought to be sociopaths may actually just be a-holes or otherwise poor socially. How do I know? They don't appear to be trying to manipulate me. I do believe there is a lot to be gained with "empaths" and "sociopaths" having honest discussions with one another.

If you didn't make it to the end of the book (I almost didn't I was so disgusted), then you may have missed some key points the author was trying to make (my perception of those points at least). For example, the author's challenge to each of us to truly examine our motivations is a useful lesson. Don't altruistic people get something out of being altruistic? Are they selfish? (my question, and many of the author's questions are rhetorical). Also, the author provided some convincing data/logic that sociopaths need not be feared in the way we have been taught to fear them. I think allowing sociopaths to be more honest about their motivations (without fear of being shunned or harmed) is a good idea. Which should you fear more, a snake or a snake in the grass?

Having delivered my someone positive spin, you're likely not gonna wanna hang with the author ... WOW! (bless her heart) The way she would put someone in her sights and intentionally set out to ruin them... I got literally nauseous reading some of these accounts (and I'm using the dictionary definition of "literal" here).

While we can't know her motivation for this book (and I don't think it matters), the author is putting herself out there, and I believe she has done something useful with this book. Clearly this author wants to make it a safer world for those like her. I have no problem with that (as an aside, I don't mind it when authors try to sell their books either).

Another critique is that while the author provided a lot of good information, well-backed by research, I thought she got lazy at times and made some statements that sounded authoritative but weren't as well-researched/up-to-date as they could have been.

All in all there is good information which can further society, and it's an engaging read.

One final comment... surely someone she trusts has by now told the author she had terrible, TERRIBLE parenting. She seems to be deluded a little on that. Her childhood was not good. It was not average. It was not OK. It sucked. WTH?

I agree with the reviewer who said this would make a fine essay, but there simply wasn't enough material to justify an entire book. Having known a number of sociopaths, I expected that this book would provide some addition insight -- but instead, I just found it painfully dull. She couldn't even convince me of what seems to be her central thesis that being a sociopath is somehow cool. And I certainly wasn't expecting it to be as entirely predictable as it was.

Bad news was that I bought the audio version and had to listen to a narrator whose flat delivery made me believe Siri could have done a better job. Maybe she was trying to mimic the author's affect, but if so, it also fell flat. Good news was that I could return the book and get a much better one.

In my job, I get ample opportunity to talk to sociopaths. I have read most of the "hard" texts which lay out what activities or reactions earn the label. This book is fresh in the sense that it comes from the mind of a self-confessed sociopath. The same passages some others saw as self-serving, I saw as insight into how the author feels about herself - and believe me, it tracks with what I have seen in the real world. Actions, reactions, and inappropriate responses I have seen previously make more sense after reading this book!

This is not a book for fun or especially "interesting" reading. But... if you are trying to understand one possible mindset (out of an unfortunate myriad of possibilities) this is a good first step. I would recommend coupling this book with "The Sociopath Next Door", which actually provides for advice with dealing with these individuals (namely... DON'T). Unfortunately, it is a simple fact of life that sociopaths exist and it is much less painful to get exposure from reading a book then actually interacting.

So... for police, social workers, health professionals and anyone who might come into contact and needs to understand, I highly recommend this book. Forewarned is forearmed, no?

All the best,

Jay

M.E. Thomas (not her real name) has tried to glamorize sociopathy. While the intention may have been to call public awareness to the mental health issue, the book came off as a narcistic rant that discusses her high intelligence level, beauty, and how she has maneuvered life far better than others. Perhaps a misunderstood segment of the population, sociopathy is not to be made light of - nor should it's classification be used to generalized or stereotyped others. It may even be said that all people carry some of the defining traits.

The book is entertaining and well written. It is obvious that the writer is educated and has the gift of communication. It is written with wit and bluntly discusses behavior, including sexuality. It appears she has an understanding of herself - perhaps through her own rose colored glasses. Over the course of the book, she discloses and shares dynamics of her faith (Mormon) and family. Her blog sociopathworld.com began the journey which eventually led up to the book. It is indeed a memorable read. I received this complimentary book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

I found her blog much more interesting than her book, but what was disappointing is that she has taken quite a bit of material from her blog and cut and pasted it in her book. That is laziness, which her publisher should not have allowed, and readers like me feel cheated.

The tone of the book reflects her high-minded opinion of herself. She claims repeatedly that she has a high IQ and is very smart, which I found offensive. I asked myself why would someone pay for an author to brag about themselves so much? She says that she is devoutly religious, but has no understanding of what compassion and empathy are--the cornerstones of her Christian faith. She was raised a Mormon. What is sad is that she has a one-dimensional view of intelligence. I don't doubt that she can do well on standardized tests, but her emotional intelligence would be close to zero.

There were a few interesting insights, but, once again, her blog is a much better source of information and it is free!

I grabbed this during a rare trip, (nowadays thanks to the wonder that is the store Prime), to Barnes and Noble. So I paid full price for this pile of dung. I glimpsed at the back and wrongly assumed it was a profile done by a major university research psychiatrist, so I tossed it on the summer reading pile. Ugh just a narcissist babbling on about her sociopathic traits. She sounds like a woman whose monkey on her back is a childish need to be special. She is very egotistic to the point where it is just plain pathetic. It's like she's deluded herself into thinking that her selfish decisions and compromises of her own dignity were all so carefully calculated and that makes her so intelligent. With her ability to twist stupid behavior into something to brag about she might want to apply for an anchor position on Fox News.

If she was truly brilliant she would not have had to sleep her way to the top and then end up unemployed. Also she carries on about how organized and rational she is without her empathy but in my experience with sociopaths they often destroy themselves and have major character flaws that make them very unappealing to be around. I agree with one reviewer that this is the woman you dread being stuck talking to at a party; just another spoiled, selfish boor. All transparent false modesty and thinly veiled bragging and you try to slowly step away from and scan the room for some escape. This one goes right into the bin.

The author writes about her experience in day to day life living asa Sociopath among us, even more so, about the others,a large percent, that share her number. It's interesting enough, but what I found far more interesting was the link to her blog which the book is based on, along with feedback from her readers. Readers, who often enough, are NOT sociopaths and do not sympathize with her or her condition, although it truly is not her fault and she does all a service in shedding more light on it with her writing. Definitely a must read for any who have or know those close to them that have been diagnosed or that work in the field, or just like to read interesting works such as this. I recommend it.

This is an interesting book. Though you have to know what the author's intention is, if you want to decide to read it. As far as I can tell, the author has acknowledged she is a sociopath, however, she believes that, while her condition may leave her with a higher propensity for violence, that this characteristic is too empathized by the public and, so, she is attempting to a. explain that sociopaths are still people and b. share her own findings and thoughts on her condition. I liked that she pulled no punches. She knows that her true personality is not likeable, however, she states what she believes. In other words, she finds herself brilliant and often believes that the lack of, or more precisely suppression of, emotional response allows her to make better decision. She is unabashedly self-serving but, on the other hand, expects everyone else to be so too. So, if you are willing to sacrifice your own better interest to benefit others, then she feels that is your own failing - not hers.

As others have noted, the book sometimes meanders and the author tends to cite several different theories, medical, psychiatric and otherwise, as to why sociopaths exists. She takes each such theory at face value and will state how her own experience confirms such theories - even though it seems the theories are not all compatible. So, while you will be given much to ponder, the author is not so interested in determining the most accurate theory as she is endlessly fascinated with her herself and her condition (which is to be expected. She is sociopathic, after all).

One of her most clear statements regarding her condition is her lack of a sense of self. She believes this is, phenomenologically at least, the most accurate statement she can make as to what it feels like to be a sociopath. This statement, however, is manifestly unclear since she clearly does have a sense of self and, in fact, states that she unabashedly always acts to promote her self interest. Accordingly, she must have a sense of self to know how to promote her best interests. In fact, what she appears to be saying is that she lacks a sense of a "moral self", a "self" she must answer to. (This is the concept of the "ego ideal", the person you are not now but want to be. In other words, if someone asked you to imagine a "perfect" you).

For instance, let's say you are having a bad day and, once you get home, you daughter keeps pestering you and you snap at her. You soon feel remorse because that is not the type of person you want to be, you feel that you have let yourself down. That part of yourself you have let down is your "moral self". The author appears to be saying she never feels any expectation upon herself to act in a specific way and, so, never feels she has betrayed her sense of self. In other words, she seems to be saying that if someone asked her to imagine a "perfect you", she would either not understand what the question meant exactly or, just as likely, would sincerely answer that she is perfect as she is.

It seems some people are questioning her veracity because she states she loves others and follows a religion. The diagnosis of anti-social behavior, however, does not require an abject lack of emotional response. In fact, this seems to be one of the reasons the author wrote the book. To clarify the public's misconceptions regarding sociopaths. The author does feel emotions, however, she can turn them off whenever they are no longer convenient (or, more accurately, redirect the emotional "energy"). While it is common in films and such to portray sociopaths as "the other", as emotionless monsters in human form, the author apparently wants you and I to know that most sociopaths find no benefit in violence and, in fact, find it more self-serving to develop methods and tricks to appear normal and fit in. In fact, she clearly states that she practices her religion mainly because it provides a specific structure of behaviors which she can mindlessly follow - since spending all of her time trying to figure out how to appear normal is mentally taxing.

Of course, as she is a lawyer, she is keen on rhetoric and so she advances, at times, arguments to "justify" her way of life, even to the extent of arguing that sociopathy is more "honest" than a normal, emotional response. These usually fail on inspection. For instance, she tells of borrowing her neighbor's bike without asking, only to have the neighbor confront her. This leads to the argument that the law permits you or I to break into another person's cabin if we were caught in a snow storm, this legal principle is alleged to show that society realizes an unused asset may be used by a non-owner and, so, tenably she was doing nothing wrong by borrowing the neighbor's bike (and, in fact, provided a benefit since she had to fill the tires on it to ride it). It is readily apparent, however, that this is not the basis of the law. That law effectively states that a person's life has more value than another person's property right and, so, if you are face with death by freezing, your "right to life" supersedes the other person's property right and, so, you can legally break into the cabin. Borrowing another person's bike for a joyride is clearly not an act to save one's life and so the cited law is not analogous to the author's situation.

Similarly, the author cites to the legal principle of "efficient breach" of a contract, which is breaching a contract because paying contractual damages is cheaper than fulfilling the contract. The author argues that her cold-hearted breaking off of romantic relationships and such are effectively "efficient breaches" which save her (and, arguably, the other person) from unnecessary drawn out pain and suffering. The entire theory of contract law, however, is based upon entering relationship for material benefits and assumes no emotional attachment between the parties. A romantic partnership is not entered primarily for material benefit and clearly entered based upon emotions. So, the analogy is once again poor.

I took away one star because, through no fault of the author, sociopaths are not emotionally invested and, so, the book was often dry and, though told from different angles, it soon became clear that in most situations (friendship, romance, career, etc.) she basically had the same thing to say about her way of living in those various situations.

I do like the book. It appears to be a sincere effort to "humanize" sociopaths without denying they have little remorse when they hurt another person and often enjoy manipulating other people. They may be world-class jerks and occasionally dangerous, however, they do have day-to-day problems like the rest of us, mainly trying to fit in as best they can (with a little petty larceny or "innocent" mayhem on the side).

(Of course, the question of veracity is and seemingly always will be lingering about when dealing with a person who openly states she will lie whenever it suits her needs. So, what I find sincere, you may just as easily find insincere. So it goes).

I thought this was a terrific book- honest, not 'dumbed down' (lots of really important info from studies and science). It also has a lot of real-world examples that helped me see things more clearly in terms of people i've met over the years. She deserves a lot of credit for being so open about the inside-view of sociopathy. There is no one type of sociopath so she's not the entire spectrum, but she definitely fits that title. Kudos for a job well done!

Just read this book on a whim. Love it. Such a great book, on many levels and topics, not just in regards to sociopathy. Well written and structured. It gave me much food for thought. I flew through it.

A big theme of "Confessions of a Sociopath ... " is how the author felt no remorse about any of her actions or decisions throughout her life - and how tough that can be sometimes (because she does still care for people). For someone who lacks empathy, she expresses herself well and made me feel emotions when perhaps she can't. M.E. Thomas predicts that if the reader could meet her, he or she would probably like her. I agree with that. I found her not only charming, but funny and lively. In particular, I was intrigued by the neighbor Thomas "borrowed" the bike from. Getting a glimpse into how her mind works was enlightening.

I wanted to read this book because I am interested in how other people, particularly those labeled with some kind of "warning" label or other, think. The best parts of this book are when the author relayed her thoughts and reasoning during different situations in her life. These stories range from her childhood (including interactions with her parents, siblings, classmates and teachers) to college life and more. For these personal stories alone, I have no regrets for reading.

The reason for the 3 stars instead of something more, was simply because big chunks of the book are not personal stories from Thomas's life. I expected some statistics and research, and some was OK; other parts, the terminology and repetitive refuting of first Dr. X and later Dr. Y became tiring and dull. I wanted to sleep or skip those parts. There were times I felt I was in a college philosophy class or some kind of sales class (Thomas kept trying to "sell" sociopathy).

M. E. is a self serving, arrogant and shallow author... her memoir does not show any insights by carefully and thoughtfully analyzing one's life and behavior. Her memoir is simply a regurgitation of already published data, and boring stories to relate to such data and to rationalize poor behavior. She has to hit us over the head about how brilliant she is, and how successful she is, and how much better she is because she is a sociopath, when one wonders if she is just an arrogant and unlikable person. If she demonstrates a typical non-dangerous sociopath, we don't really need to read a book about it, we see it every day and just avoid such people. She talks about power struggles in the most inane and trite situations possible, reeking of low self esteem. She makes gross generalizations about "empaths", which are generally overstated and wrong. This memoir at best, reads like a narcissist's journal entry/book report and at worst, just a terribly boring book.

a genuine book that reflects as the title does. no frill, no bs. sometimes I wonder if I am too emotional or too cold, the questions have been answered after I read this book. sociopath is not evil, sociopath is not the same as antisocial period. it is more like a existentialist. must read

Wow, I guess I am in the minority here, but I actually liked the book. Here's why:

1. It was on a subject in which I am interested. I like books by J.A. Konrath, Karin Slaughter, etc, so a book written by a sociopath would fall in line.

2. It entertained me. I thought that the author seemed very straightforward with her assessment of herself and other sociopaths.

Does it surprise me that sociopaths are narcissistic? That they manipulate? That some are murderers while others are functioning members of society (such as it is)? Not at all. Anyone who has ever watched a crime drama or read a murder-mystery would know these things.

If you've ever read Ruiz's The Four Agreements, you know that it's important to not take anything personally, as what other people do has very little to do with you - it's about them. Sociopaths seem to be an exaggerated version of this - they do not care at all what others think or do except as to how it can benefit them.

Finally, this is a memoir - this is not the definitive guide of sociopathy.

Recommend to those who enjoy memoirs and the murder-mystery genre.

Pseudonymous Thomas writes a combination memoir, primer, and polemical on the sociopath, debunking the idea they are inherently criminals and postulating their benefit to society. It boils down to self-awareness and adherence to external stops as substitutes for wanting emotions, both of which Thomas possesses, gained through personal failure followed by dispassionate self-examination.

Thomas, a law professor by trade, is a first-rate writer. She benefits from superior powers of observation that she displays often in relating her personal story and that she employs to project just the emotions people expect of her in various situations. She states often and illustrates her central motivation: power and control. And time and again, she relates the effort required for a sociopath to blend into a society of empaths, her term for those fully equipped with emotions. In her case, to blend and succeed she has constructed what she calls her prosthetic moral compass.

Halfway through, she sums affairs up succinctly: "What is it like being self-aware without a self-construct [self-identity]? Much of my self-awareness is the result of indirect observation of the effects I have on people. I know I exist because I see people acknowledging my existence.... Sociopaths are like dark matter in that we typically keep our influence hidden, albeit in plain sight, but you can certainly see our effects. I watch for people's reactions to me so I am able to understand, 'I make people feel scared when I stare at them this way.' My awareness of self is made up of a million of these little observations to paint a picture of myself, like a pointillist portrait.... That is why my prosthetic moral compass has been so useful to me, in helping to define me and restrict my behavior; my personal code of efficiency and religion have, for the most part, kept me on the straight and narrow."

Her story ranges over her childhood, her somewhat dysfunctional parents, the benefits of her strict religion (she is Mormon), her dissolution into failure, her critical self-examination, and her resurrection. Along the way, she picks and chooses research to support her arguments about sociopathy and the place of the sociopath in society; that is, integrated. Naturally, as you read along, much of what she's done will put you off. Nonetheless, you end up with, if not a liking for her, at least a bit of admiration. You certainly will end up with an improved understanding of how a sociopath thinks, copes, and exerts influence (or manipulates) those around him or her.

And why would this be important? To understand that sociopaths, apart from a handful, are not raging maniacs and probably exercise influence and control beyond their rather scant numbers. Because while comprising only around four percent of the total population, their representation in the professions, government, and corporate leadership is probably far greater, considering the attributes for success in these endeavors.

Approach Ms. Thomas's book an eye opener worthy of your time.

The book was okay, it was interesting enough. I don't feel I really gained any insights into what a sociopath is like, how a sociopath thinks or even a sociopath's modus operandi. The book was a little bit unclear in terms of whether a great deal of sociopaths are like M.E. or how much of her own personality characteristics played into how she behaves. I just wasn't left with a clear picture of anything.

Solipsistic. Need I say more? I'm just glad I borrowed it from the library and thus did not donate to her "cause". How typical of a sociopath, that she believes she can write such a book under a pseudonym without her identity being revealed off the rip. [just do a google search.] I have lots of familiarity with such individuals as my job involves "treating" them in the correctional setting. One hopes that advances in brain neuroplasticity can eventually help.

I was intrigued by the idea of this memoir as abnormal psychology is an odd interest of mine.

M.E. Thomas is a pseudonym for a woman who claims to be a successful law professor, a devout follower of the Mormon faith and a diagnosed sociopath. This memoir is an attempt to dispel the popular myth that sociopaths are all irredeemable, violent, conscienceless criminals. Though Thomas admits to a distorted way of relating to people she manages, with varying degrees of success, to curb her natural impulses and instead has become a productive member of society.

If there is a continuum that measures the degree of sociopathy, Thomas could be said to display the milder symptoms of the disorder. Self interest is her driving force, and the lack of regard for the damage that causes others doesn't really concern her. Thomas tries to explain the way in which she processes and experiences feelings, stating in essence, that her response to emotion, either her own or someone else's, is blunted. Reason and logic have more meaning for her than qualitative concepts like guilt, shame or love. And though she has, over time, learnt to imitate socially appropriate responses and behaviour, it is not instinctual for her.

The precursor to this memoir is a blog the author started in an attempt to both connect with other people like her and inform those who have a sociopath in their life. A quick browse of www.sociopathworld.com shows it is a bit of a hot mess, trolled by wannabee psycho's and weirdo's, but Thomas's posts are interesting and consistent with what is included in the memoir.

It is sensible to doubt the validity of Thomas's perspective entirely, as a self confessed sociopath she has an innate motivation to present herself in the best light possible. However, I found this memoir fascinating and, at face value, an insightful glimpse into the inner world of someone very different from me.

I managed to muddle through this book but I'm not sure why. I guess the author "manipulated" me like she claims to manipulate other people. I know that I have had sociopaths pass through my life and I am pretty sure she is one but this book got really boring. She has a gigantic ego that never stops flattering herself. Personally I felt sorry for her near the end when she started rationalizing her life and her choices. I guess I'm just a big EMPATH.

My first thoughts upon finishing this book were that she seemed to be trying to explain/justify her behavior ... as someone else wrote, she often came across as defensive. But why? Would a sociopath give a damn what a bunch of anonymous readers thought of her? Why the insistence that she is really not so bad? Why does she care if her readers like her or not?

That left me wondering if this is, in fact, just a damaged person -- someone who came from a dysfunctional family, who learned at an early age to rely only on herself, and now clings to the mantle of sociopath because it makes her feel unique and it justifies any and all behavior. Essentially, it gives her a license to be rotten. But that may be all it is -- a license she is waving around -- and not a true mental condition.

Please do yourself a favor and save your money, boring, repetitive, not really believable and reads more like a collection of concept ideas for a novel about what the author believes what makes a sociopathic personality and what their life has been like so far rather than one written by a real person with the disorder...which in any case, would most likely never happen.

A true sociopath would never bother to tell you their faults and mistakes, to a sociopath none of that ever happens, their lives are one triumph after another.

It is just so much fantasy. Written by someone who wanted to make a buck, not by any actual sociopath.

Thomas is straightforward and refreshingly honest,though, at times, the perspective seems a bit farfetched in relation to psychological profiles. Written in the first person the author is less harsh on the topic than I would expect a clinician or victim to be. Overall, an interesting read.

Overview: The author covers her childhood with unfortunate episodes mixed with close relationships, which show her perspective and observations of others. She also covers different resources on studies and theories of sociopathy. Then she walks the reader through her life experiences showing some episodes of her callousness, manipulation of others, superiority over others, and some crass excursions. She describes enough of her sexuality contrasted with her curious religious "commitment" to give the reader a feel for her novel perspective. Finally, she ends with two themes she has been flirting with throughout the book: socios are people too and environment (other people) is partly to blame for the condition.

Initial reaction: I was finished with this book after the initial possum account, because it was like reading about someone's disgusting unredeeming habits - think hoarders. But the doctor's dianostic report persuaded me to think this could be a part of the human experience that deserves a fair hearing and may not be filled with gore - I was right.

Good points: I like her life stories about her family, friends, school days, etc. because it provides a glimpse into a foreign code. Her stories and comments on them show her recurring compulsion to game her environment, win the puzzle that's placed in front of her, even if the prize is merely feeling superior to a highly ranked co-worker with a sad uneventful existence, or tricking a guy into pursuing but then dumping another girl. Sounds pretty boring, but not if you're in constant game-on mode. I also like her playfulness: she's smart, a natural flirt. I enjoyed her descriptions of her fearlessness around other people, constantly catching clues about them, fitting herself into the logical desire as reflected by their actions and words. Also, you get the feel of how she picks up others' vulnerabilities, because her head is in the realm of power like an invisible mental maze and her brain quickly highlights the path of least resistance.

Critiques: There is a lot of socio-advocacy, which is interesting. But if you're truly confessing, more real-life accounts of unusual encounters with the emotions of others would have be truer to the title. Her childhood descriptions do not seem unusual enough to cause an emotional break from humanity. More accounts of her dealings with her siblings and her mother should have been included - were those unusual? Another critique is that she dresses up her life and sociopathy too much which is really a betrayal of what she is claiming to try to do. Her life stories carefully leave out the depths of her callousness, and the isolation. She hints at it, but there's vastly more upside than downside to sociopathy according to her life stories. In fact, that seems to be the undeniable point of her stories: sociopathy makes you a rock star. No one suffers destruction or cruelty at her hands, varmints excluded. Yes, she falls out of love, turns in big-mouthed teachers, callously borrows a neighbor's bike, makes mean threats....all normal. She hints at ruining a law partner's career - but carefully leaves it at that.

Yes, she is self-absorbed and shallow. She admits to all of these things. A lot of the store reviewers are faulting her for the very characteristics that are a hallmark of a sociopathic diagnosis. If you want to read about a kind, empathetic person, get another book. If you want to better understanding of how someone who is not nuerotypical thinks and manages to function with a psychpathology, then this is a thoughtful, well-written book. I am getting my master's degree in Social Work and found this book very insightful and valuable. The easy choice is to label someone different from you as a monster, but it's not really the fair or humane choice. I do not think book reviews are the place to process your own issues with sociopaths. They are to judge the merits of a book.

Have you ever manipulated anyone? Or used your charm to get what you want? Or rationalized bad behavior? Chances are, even if you don’t want to admit it, the answer is yes, which means that you, too, exhibit slightly sociopathic tendencies. The idea that everyone can relate to a sociopath is the undercurrent of Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas. Thomas, a self-proclaimed sociopath, offers readers an inside glimpse into the minds of sociopaths everywhere. Although the book is largely personal, she draws from encounters with other sociopaths on her website to draw broad conclusions. Here are five things that might surprise you:

- Not all sociopaths want to kill puppies. Sure, they may not go out of their way to save a puppy if there’s no benefit to themselves, but there’s such a thing as survival of the fittest that sociopaths subscribe to.

- Most sociopaths follow the law. It’s all about details. Yes, sociopaths are inherently selfish, but it is this same selfishness that compels them to follow the law. Granted, the won’t refrain from killing you because they have a moral aversion to it, but they will refrain from killing you because going to jail is inconvenient to them.

- Sociopaths aren’t necessarily crazy. Granted, there are some crazy sociopaths out there, but for the most part they are successful, law-abiding citizens who are fully aware of the fact that they don’t feel emotions – they just don’t care. More often than not, they come across as the office jerk, but in certain professions this works to their advantage.

- Sociopaths can love. According to Thomas, she feels true joy when she plays with her niece and prefers to have her family around as opposed to not. She’s also been in love, even if what she considers love is different than what an empath (someone who has emotions) calls love.

- Some empaths are more evil than sociopaths. This actually makes sense. Think about how many crimes are committed in a fit of passion or in the name of religion. One of the quotes in the book that struck me is the following: “It’s as if the existence of evil…. provides a safe haven for the good to engage in evil.” Basically, there are a lot of people who commit crimes against “bad” people in the name of “good.”

It any of the above have sparked your curiosity, then I highly recommend reading this book. Thomas blends personal experiences (including her devout Mormonism) with scientific studies to try to understand herself and educate the public about why they shouldn’t start chasing sociopaths with pitchforks. One criticism of the book that I’ve come across on a few occasions has to do with her appreciation for her parents even though they were clearly awful. I chalk this up to her rational approach to life – she doesn’t care that her parents were awful because she can see how her upbringing helped her become integrated into society. In the end, despite the jumpiness of the storyline, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who’s interested in the subject.

“I viewed everyone as objects, pieces in my chess game. I had no awareness of their own internal worlds and no understanding of their emotional palette because their bright hues were so different from my own drab shades of gray.” – Confessions of a Sociopath.

I absolutely loved this book. I spent a longer than usual time reading through it and taking everything in, and I have to say that with each passing chapter, Confessions of a Sociopath became more and more fascinating. M.E. Thomas definitely knows how to weave a tale, though the great thing about it is it’s truly not a tale of fiction. There are a lot of facts littered through the book about sociopaths and psychology, but what I loved most was seeing things from a new perspective.

When you hear people talking about sociopaths, typically it’s from a negative standpoint or a doctoral stand point, but this entire book comes straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak and I love it. Understanding how and why sociopaths view things and what their motivation is in life is simply intriguing. I was absorbed in this book for days, pouring over the information and taking my time to mark passages I found most interesting or most informative.

It was not only written well, but it oozed with intelligence and a sense of ego that was larger than anything I’ve ever seen. And I loved every second of it. It was stimulating learning that there isn’t just one type of sociopath in the world. That not all people with this stigma attached to them are inherently bad people.

They’re different, yes, on a functional and an emotional level, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to bad. And seeing things through Thomas’ eyes in her (I assume her, but I suppose I could be wrong though I don’t believe I am) book it’s really opened my eyes. It makes me want to observe people more often and see if I can place some of the things talked about in this book.

I’d definitely urge people who are interested in psychology and behavior to check out this book. I think you’ll get a real kick out of learning about things from a different perspective.

A Swedish deep-tissue massage may not be exactly enjoyable while you are enduring it, but afterwards you will feel better. The ME Thomas memoir is a cold, calculating sales pitch that is icky to be inside of, and once outside, you'll feel better... and want to take a hot shower.
It's not M.E. Thomas, author, it is ME Thomas, who uses the personal pronoun "I" about forty thousand times as she casually dismisses the majority of humanity as mere playthings to toy with while her unbearable narcissism constantly informs us how much smarter, wealthier, and more attractive she allegedly is.
And yet 'Confessions' is still a worthwhile memoir, as close to a truth as a pathological liar can attain. Thomas is the product of strange parenting, and exhibits genuinely weird behavior like mormonism, and chasing after cars on a bicycle so she can slam on the brakes and force the car to stop. ME ME ME Thomas is a nasty piece of work.

it's interesting to note that the author at times has more insight into non sociopaths than they do. I've often been troubled by the notion of conscience as something superior to a lack of. guilt can be extremely debilitating especially as it comes after the fact and often is no guarantee against repeating the same stupid mistakes. even so called empaths seem to suffer from being unable to limit or moderate their empathy: to have it but only in reserve for that which is most important. the problem being that to many of us the things that are most immediate allways seem the most important.
lastly if could recommend this book for just one reason, it would be that virtually every scholarly article written about this subject is on people in the prison population: those who have to some degree and for whatever reason not been able to manage their temperament in a more pro social way.

Very disappointed; bit of a yawner. The thing that struck me as bizarrely discordant is that the author purports to have no insecurities and yet the book reads as if written by someone trying too hard to convince others, and thus themself, that they are smarter, better and more successful than they actually are. It's almost as if this M.E. Thomas is pitifully insecure and a liar, not a sociopath.

It would be very difficult for me to write a review which would add anything to this stream because several have already done an excellent job, e.g., D Shrink, D. B. Moran, Herblady, and others.

As an I O Psych major who added several abnormal psych classes to my curriculum I was interested to see how a self-proclaimed sociopath would write a memoir. Some of the reviews seem to feel she is not really a sociopath. How many of those reviews were founded on currently popular TV shows which tout sociopaths as both protagonists and antagonists? Not all sociopaths mame and murder. In some respects those similar to M. E. Thomas are more dangerous in that others aren't necessarily aware of the potentially destructive impact the Thomas's of the world can have on those around them. If each of us read the list of traits seen in sociopaths we would all find one or two of those traits in ourselves to some extent. And let's be honest - we've all worked in an office with a person we thought was "crazy." I currently work with someone who most likely is sociopathic and knowing this (suspecting it anyway) keeps me on my toes, being prepared to ward off some of the manipulations aimed at advancing her career at the expense of the rest of us.

I did finish the book, but it took a while since Ms. Thomas is not a person I care much about but what she has done is heighten our awareness of the invisible sociopaths around us and, more importantly, got the 69 of us (at the time of this review) thinking about something we may not have considered otherwise - and I imagine most of us learned a little something either about ourselves or those around us.

Did you see her on dr phil. She couldnt be more of a fake sociopath if she treid to be. She quotes facts about sociopaths and tries to apply them to herself or makes up lies so she can be one. I almost laughed at her thru out the whole dr phil show. Id never pay for this book

Sociopath? More like fraud.

I read this book from cover to cover and whilst it had some interesting moments, it was difficult to get through the pages and pages of insecurity. I have also seen this woman on Dr. Phil and even he could see through her facade but was amusing her and probably had some kind of agreement to promote the book, seeing that he didn't offer any insight to her "condition" (which is a giant sham). What bothers me the most about the appearance on the show is that she preaches anonymity so much yet chooses to reveal her face. Like wearing a wig will deter people from recognizing her? Unless she was wearing prosthesis, the whole thing is laughable especially since this author continually boosts about her EXTREME INTELLECT.

Now, onto the book itself...

I think this woman suffers from extreme bouts of insecurity. Every chapter has pages of her boosting about her achievements, bragging about her lack of emotions, yet so many contradictions arise that defeat the purpose of sociopathy. Such as her "unique" way of caring for those that are close to her. As a sociopath, you do not care about anyone because you truly lack the capability to do so. A sociopath cannot even bring themselves to admitting that unless they are fabricating a lie to benefit themselves. Lying about her twisted empathy towards those she cares about would serve no purpose in this book because it would contradict all that she was proudly stating previously, such as taking pleasure in ruining people. So, yes, I do believe she has some empathy within her. I also believe this woman has spent many years reading about sociopaths, psychopaths and felt attracted to the danger, power and invincibility some of these people possess, as she constantly talks about sociopaths in high business, law and so forth instead of criminals. In a way, she has seemingly spent years emulating them to the point where she SELF DIAGNOSES herself as a sociopath. She writes a lot about her own power in the law world, how she beats the stock market and is smarter than anyone she comes across, yet to me this reads as deep set insecurity, a desire to prove her worth to the world and mirror those sociopaths/psychopaths she has read about or met. A lot of things do not add up in this book. The book itself seems like a power struggle where the author is confused by her own laudings. The only bits I appreciated were the snippets of research. Whilst I cannot diagnose, her condition as presented in the book seems to me more of a borderline personality disorder rather than sociopathy. But that's just my two cents, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

I think I opted in to review this book under my own false pretenses, thinking it would be a lot like American Psycho, or at the very least, far more entertaining than it was to me. I don't fault the author at all for this - after all, it was my misunderstanding. The book really did tell all about what it was like for her to grow up as a sociopath and what her life is like now living with this psychological disorder.

What I found most striking about this book was how normal sociopaths can appear to be if you only minimally interact with them. However, you could become socially or romantically involved with somebody exhibiting these traits far before they started showing their true colors. It's not like you would be in any major physical -danger from this relationship, but it may cause some distress and issues that would have been easily avoided.

I do recommend this book to psychology buffs. I have a degree in psychology and probably would have enjoyed this book more while in the depths of my studies. I think it's a great case study and divergence from the usual textbook learning. I would have liked to have read this as part of my Abnormal Psychology course.

I received a copy of this book to review as part of my involvement with the Blogging for Books program, but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this novel.

I wanted to read this book because I work in Special Education in a high school and come across many personality types, some of them questionably with a sociopathic twist. I thought I might gain some insight into their thinking, keeping in mind that what I might hear as a confession from a self-described sociopath may or may not be truthful.

I did feel that the author gave an honest insight into her thinking, however a little information had to be gleaned from a whole lot of reading. As expected, Ms. Thomas (the author's chosen psuedonym so that she may remain hidden) makes it clear that she feels not just a little superior to the rest of us "empaths". If you can get past her rather condescending attitude that the average person is an easily manipulated, overly emotional plaything to herself and other sociopaths, then you may enjoy reading on.

To give an accurate idea of what you will find in the book, I picked some statements that sum it up for me:

On her poor/dangerous choices : "I don't have the off switch in my brain telling me to stop- no natural sense of boundaries altering me to when I am on the verge of taking something too far. When I do these things it doesn't feel as if I am so overwhelmed by the carrot; it's more like I am unimpressed by the stick."

On her childhood behavior: "I developed my own forms of power by convincing people that pleasing me was in their best interest...Other than being adept at childish manipulation, I never seemed different from my peers, at least not in a way that could not be explained by my exceptional intelligence."

On her Mormon/religious teachings in general: "Everybody slips up because we're not perfect; that's what mercy is for...One could say that by repeatedly manipulating, "ruining" and crushing people, I'm consistently violating the idea of doing unto others as I would have them do unto me. The thing is, I have no problem with others trying to ruin me back....I do not see this as a moral issue. People can still choose: either to submit to my control or face whatever consequences there may be. Maybe God thinks this way too. Maybe this is why he sometimes kills children to make a point."

On morality as a concept: "The reality is that I have nothing of what people refer to as a conscience or remorse. The concept of morality, when defined as an emotional understanding of right or wrong, goes right over my head like an inside joke of which I am not a part."

On social skills: "While I can often observe a social situation and gauge each person's place in the power hierarchy or her potential vulnerability to exploitation, I have a very hard time gauging the emotional subtleties of a conversation in ways that can be harmful to me. Sometimes it is impossible for me to tell when someone is mad at me."

On emotions: "People mistakenly assume that because sociopaths don't empathize, they don't have emotions...If I didn't have emotions, how would I be so good at playing the emotions of others?"

On relationships: "I see relationships in terms of possessions or exploits...Possessions- I have a sense of ownership. Also gratitude. Exploits- is for my seduction or other romantic interests."

On love: "Most psychologists think that sociopaths cannot love, but that theory seems silly to me. Just because it is a different kind of love, more calculating and self-aware, doesn't negate it's existence."

If you have gotten the idea that this book is full of "excuses" for poor behavior, that would be accurate. The author starts out clarifying that she is happy to have found the reason for feeling out of place in society, and has embraced the diagnosis of sociopath. She has a blog that is devoted to the title and welcomes others who share her struggles of living in an frustratingly empathic world.

There is a difficult beginning to the book where she discusses the probability of sociopathy resulting from genetics vs. upbringing; describing a cruel childhood. However, by the end of the book, when discussing her parents they are suddenly painted in a much kinder light. Which, if either, is the truest depiction?

How much of the book is simply manipulation on the author's part? Probably a great deal. So read it with a large grain of salt. Though the author might think we empathic individuals are fools, she may once again be unable to read tolerance (and pitying) of her behavior as acceptance by those she has thus far encountered in her life.

On the positive side; she does give a peek into the mind of someone who thinks differently than the majority and I learned one valuable lesson. When coming into contact with a sociopathic individual the only way to "win" is to make sure they feel they are getting something out of the interaction. That I will be keeping in mind. Thank you, Ms. Thomas.

First things first: This book is definitely not going to suit everyone's taste.
I've always been interested in what people do and why they do it. I've read quite a few books dealing with everything from personality disorders to just plain quirks. (My career is not in the psychological or medical area.) "Confessions of a Sociopath" is a fascinating look inside the reasoning, motives and self-knowledge of the woman, who has written the book under a pseudonym. She openly tells the reader that not only in she very good-looking, she is very intelligent and insightful. In fact she also tells you that she's better than you; in all areas. As a sociopath she really believes those things, whether or not they are facts.
Don't fall into the thinking that all sociopaths are what used to be called psychopaths. Sociopaths are not necessarily criminals or parasitic.
You will definitely recognize someone you know, maybe yourself, while reading this book. It's not a diagnostic tool, just an inside look at an interesting brain.

This book is a complete and total fraud.

An insane person would never admit to his or her insanity. Richard Ramirez, Charles Manson, the Unabomber, et al, always reject the insanity defense because they honestly believe they are NOT insane.

It's like with Alzheimers. If you think you have it then for sure you don't.

The last thing a sociopath wants is to be found out, and no matter the pseudonym, she will be found out and she knows it and wants it.
It is a publicity stunt if I ever saw one. She is probably wondering right now what she is going to say on Oprah.

A real sociopath is like the proverbial eyeball that cannot see its eye.

Even the title sounds fake, like she wants to capitalize on the "Confessions Of..." genre.

I think the book should be re-titled to "Sociopathology for Dummies."

She has cheapened the study of sociopathology by pretending to come out of the closet when there was no closet for her to come out of.

She wants to popularize her so-called condition and make a bundle.

The best credit I can give her is that she has invented herself as a Professional Sociopath, but if you think she has any other motive beyond money and celebrity then you are the one who's crazy.

She's a good writer and I think she would make an excellent novelist, as long as it is clearly labeled "fiction."

- Alex Burke

Be cautious as these sociopath profiles are too vague and can be applied to anyone.

Also consider perspective. Many, when you escape, will think you deceived, as you must in various ways, in order to escape. (Devise escape plan) As emotionally under developed, many think you have no remorse or empathy. They are hypersensitive, arrested development. (There choice) They are easily intimidated by anyone, most especially anything that threatens their mask.

You are likely dealing with a despicable coward. Go look up definition of both despicable and coward.

Don’t let them think they are feared because they are in truth, cowards. That is why they engage in cowardly crime:

Criminal omissions
Any type of harassment crime
Fraud
Schemes to defraud
False reporting
False documenting with mental health/medical reports
Any type Stalking (common one: stalking 4th degree)
Stealing intellectual property
Copyright infringement
Attempting to steal your character (courage, meaning, originality)
Attempting to engage you in conduct through willful neglect and willful ignorance (criminal omission)
Secretly filming or Recording to use for 'leverage' and or to exploit
They also tend to smear or attempt to smear you with false reports and allegations
Provoking you or trying to induce you into substance use, in order to get you in an emotional state to either exploit and or use to smear
If they apply physical force, it will be later on and behind closed doors
They tend to prey on people through; luring, enticing or inviting the various forms of vulnerability
Supports and facilities areas where your words are not protected and it isolation ( common: office, rooms, car)
They tend to attract insecurity to their smear attempts. Insecurity likes instant (false security) validation

This is nothing to fear. It is the despicable coward that fears humility and that is their perceived most painful thing. They perceive you leaving as an attack.

They are easily intimidated and hypersensitive. They lack courage and humility. The fear of humility aids their continuance as a despicable coward.

The most that can happen is you let it get to you. Only a person alike the despicable coward will follow their smear and partake.

I could only manage reading the first few paragraphs and quit reading. Horrible book by an even more horrible person. Don't by this and help this individual earn money for being horrible and trying to earn money for it! If you want to know about Sociopaths or Psychopaths get The Psychopath Next Door.

The book "Confessions of a Sociopath" was one of the most egocentric stories I have ever read, which makes sense given that one of the traits of being a sociopath is extreme narcissism. It seemed that every sentence had to have about four uses of the personal pronoun "I". Therefore, the book quickly became tedious, because it was like listening to an especially self-centered teenager telling a story about herself, "I did this, then I did that, and that's what I think, because I am so important....."

I suppose there are some interesting nuggets of wisdom or at least insights into the sociopathic mind, for example, it is extremely common, sociopaths are generally not violent, do not break the law, and appear quite normal. Quite a few successful businessmen, businesswomen, and politicians appear to fit the profile of sociopath very nicely. In fact you could say, our society encourages sociopathic behavior if we understand that to mean that you should only look out for yourself and have no empathy for others. If corporations were people, most of them would fit the definition of not just sociopath, but psychopath as well (psychopathy being the more law-breaking, violent form of sociopathy).

I do not recommend this book. However, the similar book "The Sociopath Next Door" on the same subject is quite good and highly recommended.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this work, but it was very matter of fact in chatting about what life is like as a psychopath. The author is a blogger who writes regularly about the subject and also included some information and concerns found on her blogs. The author's ability to write candidly and with humor brought a human face to a term that usually conjures up demons and serial killers. The term itself remains controversial as a diagnosis for children and adolescents, and is still not included in the mental health diagnostic manual.

I checked this book out of the library rather than purchasing it and I am so glad as that would have been money down the toilet. I second what many said here: poorly written and just plain boring. I hope it was interesting to the author but I can't see too many other people being drawn in by her narrative. It is good she has a day job as writing clearly isn't her best skill despite her repeated reports of her superior intelligence.

I thought this book was interesting at the start but only made it about 2/3 of the way through before I had to put it down. The author is so unlikable and full of themselves that it just got to be too much. She assumes that everyone is enthralled by her and I was very disappointed in myself for giving her money for these feelings. Should not have purchased the book. If you're on the fence, don't do it.

If anyone knows anything about sociopathy then they will enjoy Dr.Phil basically tearing down here walls. If anyone is interested check out YouTube and search M.E. Thomas and Dr. Phil. It really is hilarious. To think she actually gets fame and money for this load of crap she put out. This lady just wants to feel like she has control over people and isn't confined and restricted by her emotions. She is, but she is trying to use this book to hide that she is just a freak. If anything she may be a narcissist, but my vote is going for obsession with the actual disorder and the power that is sometimes associated with it, therefore she is trying to adopt it's attributes. Her attempts to do so are very poor. I bet she is just loving the attention she is getting from this. She is rather ugly I'm real life too. Her body represents an unfavorable shape and she has weird bumps or something on her chin. Her nose is on the unsightly side as wellThe only reason she probably thinks she is alluring is because there are many people out there that are desperate to just get it in. <--- I know that's a little bit irrelevant, but her claims in the book are seriously ridiculous. Overall she is just desperate for attention, and a personality. I'm pretty sure that sociopaths don't really care about having the label. It may even be undesirable in most cases because the effects would be negative to them. I'm sure she was recognized after going on the Dr.Phil show despite having the pseudonym. She claimed she didn't want her little nieces and nephews to be marred by her coming out with this disorder....as if she has it. I'm pretty sure a sociopath would not care or would even deny being one. This book is just a waste of time and a misrepresentation of a serious personality disorder. I hope no one actual takes any of this to heart.

I've given this book a 5 because it's well-written and accomplishes what the author sets out to do: to present the inner life of a functioning sociopath.

Given the large number of the store reviews already posted, I'd like to focus on several points for prospective readers.

First, as the author acknowledges, the diagnosis of a "sociopath" includes a great deal of subjectivity. The writer has chosen to present herself as a sociopath, presumably with sufficient representative experience to make broader points. Whether one chooses to accept that premise is pretty important up front.

Second, can one believe what the author says about... anything? So much of her narrative is about her deceiving and manipulating people. How are we to know when she is not doing the same here? It's fitting her profession is the law. She can create value by advocating positions without regard for the human circumstances.

Third, it's apt that the author's pseudonym is "M.E. Thomas." Everything in her world is about ME. This is the ultimate book of "me-search." That is the root of her disorder. Many readers, if one can take the early the store reviewers as a guide, will come to find this tedious.

Fourth, some readers may find value in the author's explication of her manipulations in one or more settings: school, professional, love affairs. Choosing one of those areas that has value for one's own life may be a good approach. The author is perceptive. Her details about how she manipulates others may constitute good warnings or evaluative tools in general.

Her celebration of her manipulation is curious. How much insight is required to take advantage of people who are themselves damaged, or who want to believe in her because they care about her in one way or another? Not much.....

This reader's reaction at the end--I did read it through--was a bit melancholy. The author is an articulate, somewhat self-aware individual whose psyche is crippled. She appears to attempt to justify, even glamorize her sociopathic tendencies. For all that, she is, in her own telling, nothing other than a consumer, even a parasite. She creates nothing--unless one accords value to writing a book about her own spectacular selfishness.

What is missing is an acknowledgment of the costs of this ultimate failure of humanity, the barren life that results. She not only afflicts others; she is also afflicted.

Could someone who is self-aware to the extent of the author change her psychology, overcome her psychological disability? She believes that people become sociopaths as a result of genetic and environmental factors, so presumably she could--at least in theory.

One hopes she turns her disciplined attention in that direction.....That this book doesn't is perhaps inevitable from her monomaniacal self-focus and fascination....

As a student of mental health counseling, this was an engaging introduction to sociopathy. I particularly appreciated the parts on childhood, and feel I can better understand those I've come across that display sociopathic tendencies.

I agree with some of the other reviewers in that I felt this was too long and also repetitive in some parts. However, having said that it was very helpful if you are (or were) involved with a sociopath. It really made an impact with regard to the lack of empathy and connection that sociopaths have. It is a hard concept for those of us who express true emotions. So read this if you think someone in your life is a sociopath so that you get a better understanding of what makes them tick (or not).

The author uses the label of sociopath to excuse rudeness--she's aware of her own bad behavior, and delights in it! Don't waste your time with this book. It has absolutely nothing to offer but vanity and boorishness.

I had a friend/acquaintance that was either a sociopath or had severe NPD, for years I didn't know what either of these things were, and this person's behavior seemed baffling to me. I accidentally discovered what a sociopath was while watching a talk show on TV, and some things seemed to click. After learning the characteristics of sociopathy and NPD, my friend's unexplainable behavior actually became predictable.

I eventually removed myself from this person's circle and continued on with my life a little wiser and a little more savvy. I have since encountered other people who have had similar issues and have immediately seen through their attempts at manipulation. The lying, the unreliability, the attempts to manipulate, the lack of shame, and of course the lack of empathy and real emotion are all clues as to this person's inner world. There is also a blank look in the sociopath's eyes that can occasionally give them away. I can't explain it, but you will know it when you see it.

Because of my past experience and interest in this topic, I found this book interesting. It is a glimpse into one person's sociopathy. M.E. Thomas does a pretty good job explaining the inner workings of the sociopath's mind. What is interesting is that this is a highly functioning individual who is honestly aware of how they are different and explains a lot about the condition. She also has a website that is interesting, but could use a bit of a platform update. If this is a topic you are curious about then this book is worth a read.

As a researcher and former social worker, I have run across more than my share of sociopaths. While the Author is not what one considers a likeable person, that wasn't the real problem here. Sociopaths know the right words and actions, and know how to seem normal. The situations and persona here just don't ring true. Almost like someone trying too hard to show a picture of something not there. Pass this by, there are better books out there that can assist you in understanding the sociopath.

M.E. Thomas is a mostly law-abiding citizen, a female defense attorney, a Mormon Sunday School teacher, and a sociopath, running the popular blog Sociopathworld.com. She believes in God and considers religion a mostly useful set of rules to live by but does not feel guilt for transgressing rules. Like most sociopaths she does not kill people or commit horrific crimes but she will manipulate people for fun until she gets bored. She believes that sociopaths possess logical skills that make life work better and indicates professions like law, politics, and religion where many sociopaths are found.

She starts out her book with a chilling account of drowning a baby porcupine that fell into a swimming pool for no apparent purpose, describes sexual relations with persons of each sex (which she considers a hallmark of sociopathic behavior) and a combination of laziness and egotism that describe what she is willing to do in life. It was interesting to see how a master manipulator professor runs her classes.

I found the book quite interesting, although it gave me little sympathy for her. But it did put into perspective people I know who share her traits.

ME Thomas claims to be a Dexter but she really is a Saddam Hussein. I come from a malignant narcissist home and Thomas speaks and rationalizes just like the narcissists I know. Search for the fairy tales of the malignant narcissist and you will see. Here is a description of Malignant Narcissism from Goldner-Vukov and Moore (Psychiatria Danubina, 2010; Vol. 22, No. 3, pp 392-405); in parentheses are my examples of how her confessions match up to this disorder:

1. They are contemptuous of social conventions and show a passive tendency to lie, steal, and mismanage money. (in other words her disdain for risks keeps her undetected)

2.They are adaptive, capable of consistent hard work and of achieving success (she's a lawyer). However, their work is done primarily to gain admiration (writing this book) and their intellect is strikingly shallow. They are often materialistic (she tells us of driving off in a muscle car and wearing nice clothes in her opossum drowning story) and ready to shift their values to gain favour (her claim to be a chameleon). They are prone to pathological lying (details are contradictory, her father was a hateful petty guy on one page but did his best on another page). In the realm of love and sexuality they are charming (what she calls her sociopath charm), seductive and promiscuous (she tells of her promiscuity), but unable to develop deep relationships.

3. The ego-syntonic sadism of MN is displayed by a characterologically-anchored aggression. It is expressed in a conscious `ideology' of aggressive self-affirmation (she knowingly wants to make others feel bad about themselves and mess up their plans). Individuals with MN have a tendency to destroy, symbolically castrate (she likes to ruin lives for fun), and dehumanise others (straw-manning all empaths as stupid and cookie cutter). Their rage is fueled by the desire for revenge (unfulfilled against her father, she fantasizes about killing him).

ME Thomas is not a sociopath. She is a malignant narcissist (MN).

The anger at the world turns into internalized malice-her preoccupation with "ruining" people. She sees a helpless baby opossum drowning in her pool and Thomas feebly tries to drown it from afar (She doesn't even have the guts to take on a baby animal from closer than 6 feet lol) when she fails, she claims "she gets bored", I know what happened-she got frustrated and quit... just like all narcissists do. She then returns-hours later-and, with the same long pole, flings it over a fence. She didn't even look and delight in the examination of its lifeless body. Nope, straight from the pool bottom to the neighbors yard for the opossum that was. Whoa we got a tough woman on our hands!

Her ruining stories are similarly weak. They clearly are the best stories she has because they are the same ones from her website. The real kicker is she fantasizes about violence, but not even with the belief she can complete the kill. She asks "would I be strong enough?" What in the world? What happened to there being a way if she had the will? She claims to have the will. This account is self contradictory. She lacks the typical continuum. Think the rape-killers who start at pornography, move to prostitutes and finish with rape-murder. She skips straight to murder and wondering if she could even pull it off. So it's not a real fantasy. How weak. Her fantasies consist of merely wishing on a star. She admits to asking herself over and over if she could physically hurt someone? Big laugh. What a lack of confidence. Her other best stories of sociopathy are grade-school love-triangle sabotage and following someone from afar and then saying he got away <erhem, cough, scared>!

Her parents severely abused and neglected her. She then goes on to make excuses for her parents and say they were good decent people-textbook narcissism. It would break her fragile little ego to mull over the possibility that she isn't loved and therefore means nothing. Moreover, she can't seek power if she damns her first power figures. So she gives them a pass.

This coincides with narcissistic wounding theory and the delusional protective response that goes with it. Its so strange that in a book with Sociopath in the title she can't help but repeating that word "sociopath." Sociopath this, sociopath that. Like seeing "sociopath" in print is giving her power each time she types it. This book is beyond banal.

Confessions of a Malignant Narcissist Who Wants to BE Notorious gets 1 star for nice try.

M.E. Thomas is a sociopath, and this book is a confession of how she has managed to hide that fact from a society that has good reason to fear her. Though she isn't a violent criminal, if only because she doesn't want to go to prison, she was quite a bully as a child, and reveled in dishing out beatings. She was ruthless in destroying her perceived enemies, for instance, a teacher who foolishly thought that he should lead the class instead of her. She had no regrets about destroying his life and career. 

She lacks the emotions that others have--those she sometimes refers to as "empaths"--and finds their feelings so difficult to understand. Their feeble emotions--guilt, pity, compassion, remorse--she can't be bothered. She can be reckless in traffic, because she just doesn't fear the consequences. She has to be so careful that she can't use knives. No matter how hard she tries, she keeps cutting herself. If she has so little regard for her own safety, think how much less she'd have for you?

Sometimes I hated her, sometimes I feared her, sometimes I doubted her veracity, but she was quite charming when she wanted to be, and intelligently made her case that she was just different and probably wouldn't hurt you--unless you crossed her. She had a different perspective, that's all. 

This was a fascinating and eye-opening book. I am certainly not a sociopath or a psychopath--far from it. I am more like an extreme empath who feels other people's pain too strongly--but I bet I have come across a few sociopaths in my life. This book will help a lot the next time I encounter one of these individuals. Not all sociopaths or psychopaths are in prison--many are highly successful business men and lawyers. It was fascinating to see the world through the eyes of a sociopath, and M.E. Thomas is the perfect guide for such an excursion. She has researched and documented this world extensively. She knows it so well, and writes about it so vividly.  

Though I found her complete lack of a moral compass repugnant, her candor about it was quite refreshing. At times it felt like the exhilaration you feel when reading Celine's Journey to the End of the Night, though this wasn't a work of literature, but a book of pop psychology. Pop psychology it might have been, but edgy pop psychology, with more than a hint of danger.

I was excited to read this book because I was interested in hearing about this disorder from one afflicted by it. As I started it, I expected several things, but the one that took me by surprise was boredom. And irritation. The author kept saying the same things about herself in almost the exact same ways, regardless of what the chapter was about. Plus, I didn't read the book to get her lengthy descriptions of sociopathy. There are many works by educated professionals on this topic. So the book was long on info I didn't want from this particular author and short on what I did want. Don't waste your time.on this dud.

Most books written on this subject are plain text-book types, with theories and case studies. It was refreshing to read an actual true-life account of someone who was trying to understand herself/behavior and was analysed by licensed therapists, etc. The author is very honest about herself and provides in-depth details of her childhood, her professions and lifestyle choices that were psycho-analyzed by professionals to help her determine why she can be classified as a Sociopath.

I needed to read this book badly because I have worked with persons with unusual behavior and was even asked on one occasion during a Company's Seminar to analyse the behavior of the person I was assigned. This person was one of the strangest characters I have known even up to this time. This book has helped me to understand certain patterns of behavior that I saw in this individual and even to a certain extent patterns I still see in many persons and maybe even some small patterns in myself during my teenage years. Although one cannot generalize and persons do change, this book provides answers to perplexing habits that sometimes baffles.

It is a good book to read as part of behavioral science and will do well as a research tool. Unlike some of the texts written for this purpose, this one is most interesting because it not only states the facts but also provides examples of the facts.

A must read for everyone.

I'll finish this review once I finish the book, but I think it's important to understand that its value outweighs any enjoyment you can or should expect to get from it. It's the freaking "interior" view into the mind of a sociopath, for crying out loud!

That said, while doing my best to limit my interest to the thrill-seeking behaviors and extreme rationalizations, her rambling stream-of-consciousness style is necessarily reflective of a mind that has no emotional anchors. When she/(they?) proclaim a need to reinvent themselves every few years, now you know why. Love it or hate it, this does seem like the real deal. So if having a conscience is important to you, it follows that the mind afflicted by consciencelessness is worthy of study - especially in a way that is generally hidden by the owner for very good reasons. Yes, it gets boring because our emotions are valuable in keeping our attention, as is our interest in feeling "right" with the world. So this book won't do that, even if it will tell you the truth about individuals, like the author, who can't.

And yet, I found the lack of restraints a bit interesting at times. Given all the violence in American culture and American cinema, and our obsession with "thrillers", why wouldn't a bird's eye view into the thought processes of someone who exudes that be at least as interesting?

Well, for me it was. I don't much care for thrillers, mysteries, horror flicks and the like. But I have been (briefly) allowed to understand the child-like comfort with those things of someone who TRULY does - and NOT in a removed, fictional sense. That's valuable in that it's real.

I think if you read enough of this, you'll start to feel nauseous. I take this work in doses, and was reluctant to even buy it at first. What would it say about me to both contribute to the author's earnings and call into question the integrity and human value of my proud book collection by besmirching it with an addition such as this?

My thoughts on that go back to what I think sociopathy is all about, at a base, emotional level. Of the six prime emotions in humans that psychologists have identified, one of the most important would be disgust. It tells us what to avoid, with reactions of physical repulsion, in our early zeal to explore the world by putting everything we encounter into our mouths. My contention is that disgust teaches us to be moral because learning to direct disgust inward causes us to feel shame. In an effort to avoid shame, we develop its antithesis: Conscience. And from there, voila, moral sentiment and moral behavior!

So if this book starts to make you feel disgusted after a while, keep in mind that sociopaths, interestingly enough, also have a much higher threshold for tolerating that emotion. Be disgusted. Be glad you're not her. Become bored with the dry, rambling rationalizations and be glad that you don't have to read all of this book - if you don't want to.

But above all, be glad to know that there is a guidebook out there that shows in painstaking detail, what the mental landscape that allows for that looks like. Unless you're a sociopath, or the typical, morally questionable American, you'll feel more moral for doing so.

Entertaining to read.....but felt the author was really writing this for narcissistic, self aggrandizing purposes. Amazing how many times the term 'normal', or the concept of 'sociopath vs empath' (like black and white) is used.

I’ve never so strongly felt — and maybe never felt in any other case — that by returning this book to the shelf of the bookstore unpurchased, unread except for the first four pages, and despised, that I was striking a righteous and richly deserved blow exactly where the author most truly lives: in her self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing ego. I’m proud that I refused to waste my time. She wants to “get inside your mind?” No. Whoever she is, she is most assuredly entirely unwelcome.

I think this is a very interesting book, shedding light on a lot of preconceived or inaccurate ideas about sociopaths. This book feels like an honest description of what it is like to be a sociopath. It is informative and brings clarity to a condition that has mainly been seen in a negative view. It is difficult for an empath to realize that some people do not feel others' pain. Yet not feeling emotions is a real advantage in some critical situations when feelings encumber the judgment. As a physician,I can see how feelings can interfere with objectivity. I also like very much the efforts of the author to show how much a structured and loving upbringing can help sociopath children develop a sense of love for their family. It is also interesting that a strict adherence to a certain set of rules, such as those dictated by religion, is beneficial to their well-being and can serve them as a moral compass.

After reading this book I too wished for a world where sociopaths could be out of the closet and even respected for their strength and “savoir faire” at handling difficult situations objectively.

I recently read the book "Confessions of A Sociopath" by M.E. Thomas and it gave me some HUGE insights about influence and persuasion.

Let me take all the good and bad out of the word "sociopath" for a moment and try to explain their difference.

The author describes her life knowing that she was strangely different from other people. Others would describe and expect certain reactions from her based on emotional responses, these were emotions like fear, guilt, shame and remorse. While she understood them as concepts she could not sincerely feel them. It was like color blindness for a person who doesn't know what "green" is.

To compensate she began to watch and figure out what people responded to and how she could adjust her actions very quickly to get the needed response. This became very valuable to getting things and because she had no innate moral compass she began to measure her world in terms of power that she could accumulate.

People were thus more tools than anything else and her sincere curiosity was to find out through intuition, conversation and sometimes shear guile the hopes, dreams and fears of the people around her.

THAT was the part that interested me the most.

If you want to influence someone you can start by assuming they are a compilations of hopes and fears. When you find out their hopes you can promise to fulfill them. When you discover their fears you can be instrumental in protecting them ... all as long as they agree to your terms.

Now imagine a person who has practiced this from birth. They have become so skilled at intuiting and educing anyone's deepest motivation that it is almost second nature. They know how to begin every interaction so they are the perfect blank slate on which people can project their trust.

As an author on books about "mind control" it is a level of influence and proficiency I deeply admire.

Aside from admiration "Confessions of A Sociopath" evoked also fear, and a morbid sense of curiosity proving I'm not a sociopath (as far as you know).

Dantalion Jones,
Author of LOTS of books on Mind Control

I am not quite sure how to react to M.E. Thomas' "Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight." That Thomas is a very fine writer is obvious: her style is clear and forceful, her arguments supremely logical. Her acientific references, so far as I can check them, seem to be unimpeachable. Yet I have the gnawing question at the back of my mind: to what extent is Thomas playing me? For, by her own admission, Thomas likes to play people, sometimes for advantage, sometimes just for the fun of it. She is--or says she is--an acute enough student of human nature to be successful at conning people most of the time, and she does not--or says she doesn't--have anything like a conscience to bother her about conning people. Perhaps Thomas is playing us only to the extent that authors throughout history have done: they want readers to buy their books. Or perhaps she's stringing us along in ways we can't begin to discern.

What is certain is that "Confessions of a Sociopath" is Thomas' eloquent plea on behalf of herself and other diagnosed sociopaths. Her thesis is that sociopaths, though they may lack empathy and emotional intelligence, can be--and mostly are--productive and even admirable members of society. Sociopaths can even be considered morally superior in some ways to empaths, she argues: for example, sociopaths do not commit crimes of passion, or start religious wars. You can almost hear Thomas, a law professor, making her argument before a jury: "It is rational for me to obey the law, because I do not want to go to jail; it is rational for me not to harm or injure other people, becauae a society in which everyone acted harmfully would inevitably cause me harm too. If there are legitimate, rational reasons for the moral choices we should make, we should be capable of choosing the right without relying purely on gut instinct. If there are not rational reasons for our moral choices, why should we continue to make them?"

In any case, Thomas gives every appearance of presenting an honest, unsparing portrayal of her own character. There is evidence both for and against her, as indeed there would be for all of us if we bothered to be honest in assessing ourselves. When she tells us of how she treated some of her friends and (particularly) lovers, you want to punch her in the face; but you want to hug her and shed tears over her in many other sections of the book, such as those that relate her loving relationship with her brother Jim, a tender-hearted empath so hypersensitive that he can barely function in the world.

Thomas argues that she amd most others like her do not deserve to be judged as criminals. "I want people like me to know that they aren't alone," she writes at the end. "And I want everyone else to know that I'm a natural human variant. I want to take off the mask, but not until I change the world to make it a safer place for me." Again, can we take her words at face value? Thomas professes to be a devout Mormon, and as a Lutheran I can only quote the text that both she and I hold sacred: "Judge not, lest ye be judged." Yet, as fascinating as I found the book, I have to keep my grain of salt at the ready.

The entire book is constantly repeating itself. It was like listening to a broken record. It was too long for what she had to say, she was basically just bragging about how she thinks she is smarter than everyone else. It wasn't as professional as I assumed it would be, it was more along the lines of her just telling stories of herself. Not worth the reading.

After slogging through this novel, I threw it in the trash. This is a "memoir" of an attention-seeking narcissist with father issues. This girl doesn't have a clue what she is, other than have the attention on her and wasting her time in "destroying" other peoples' lives. She is not unusual, she is a sick individual that seriously need help getting out of her bizzaro world. She can't even be a true sociopath because all her "signs/symptoms" don't add up, not in Wikipedia, not in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), or any other reference books about mental health issues and human behavior. Do not waste your time reading this fire starter. It's not worth 20 dollars.

Very interesting read. I very much recommend ît to anyone who suspects they are in or have been in a relationship with a sociopath, as it does give you valuable insights to help you recognize what you're dealing with.

This book has created a lot of controversy and emotional opinions,while being extremely rational and provocative.
I enjoyed every page of it.It delivers an intriguing and refreshing view into a functional sociopath's thought processes.
The first paragraphs about her experience with the opposum are extremely revealing...What did you expect?For her to rescue it?
The rest of the book allows the reader to get a near empirical experience of several situations where her thougth processes are put into practice.
What best way is there to try to grasp the essence of functional sociopathy,if not by example?

I valued the highly articulated logic behind the argument about the functional sociopath being a contributing member to society,
and I was extremely intrigued by her rational assertion: "If a sociopath can feel rage,he can feel love"....Worth exploring.

A highly articulated narrative of a very intelligent woman that opens the door to another dimension.5 stars.

The author of this book, if she is telling the truth, is a despicable person who physically tortures animals and emotionally tortures humans and still thinks she's a great person. Four stars based on the quality of the writing and the insight it gave me into why some people act the way they do and why it's a good idea to stay as far away from them as possible.

Confessions of a Sociopath was not the right book for me. The author is a fine writer, and narrates her story with a style that flows well, seamlessly integrating anecdotal and scientific information concerning her life and her diagnosis. I was very surprised to discover that little of what she had to say was of any interest to me. She works to dispel some common myths about sociopaths and is pretty successful at doing so in the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, I soon found myself growing weary of what began to be nothing more than a litany of self-absorption. I should certainly have expected that, given the nature of things, but still found it unbearable to slog through.

I think a person who has a deep interest in the mental health field will find much to consider in these pages. As for me, I was surprised to find myself alternately bored, disinterested and scornful of the author's narcissistic attitude. In the interest of full disclosure, I must reveal that I did not finish this book (stopped on page 143), choosing to move on to other, more rewarding reading material.

This book has created a lot of controversy and emotional opinions,while being extremely rational and provocative.
I enjoyed every page of it.It delivers an intriguing and refreshing view into a functional sociopath's thought processes.
The first paragraphs about her experience with the opposum are extremely revealing...What did you expect?For her to rescue it?
The rest of the book allows the reader to get a near empirical experience of several situations where her thougth processes are put into practice.
What best way is there to try to grasp the essence of functional sociopathy,if not by example?

I valued the highly articulated logic behind the argument about the functional sociopath being a contributing member to society,
and I was extremely intrigued by her rational assertion: "If a sociopath can feel rage,he can feel love"....Worth exploring.

A highly articulated narrative of a very intelligent woman that opens the door to another dimension.5 stars.

The author of this book, if she is telling the truth, is a despicable person who physically tortures animals and emotionally tortures humans and still thinks she's a great person. Four stars based on the quality of the writing and the insight it gave me into why some people act the way they do and why it's a good idea to stay as far away from them as possible.

Confessions of a Sociopath was not the right book for me. The author is a fine writer, and narrates her story with a style that flows well, seamlessly integrating anecdotal and scientific information concerning her life and her diagnosis. I was very surprised to discover that little of what she had to say was of any interest to me. She works to dispel some common myths about sociopaths and is pretty successful at doing so in the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, I soon found myself growing weary of what began to be nothing more than a litany of self-absorption. I should certainly have expected that, given the nature of things, but still found it unbearable to slog through.

I think a person who has a deep interest in the mental health field will find much to consider in these pages. As for me, I was surprised to find myself alternately bored, disinterested and scornful of the author's narcissistic attitude. In the interest of full disclosure, I must reveal that I did not finish this book (stopped on page 143), choosing to move on to other, more rewarding reading material.

Before reading this book, I knew little to nothing about sociopathy. The little things I thought I knew, turned out to be wrong. M. E. Thomas corrected few of the stereotypes society pins on sociopaths. Like the fact that psychopaths and sociopaths are not the same thing, at all. And how not all sociopaths are murderers (shocking, I know). Some, like the author, are actually capable of living successful, “normal”, lives. In this autobiography Thomas stays anonymous, save her first initials and last name. She recounts stories from her childhood along with recent ones, and goes to show that not all sociopaths are violent. She covers all the bases of sociopathy from her personal diagnosis, to the actual psychological and criminological definition, even gives the definition shown in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Both in which society has almost completely wrong. The book is very well written and sometimes hard to put down. If you’re interested in the psychological field and want to know what it’s like to be inside the head of a sociopath, I highly recommend reading it. It is very insightful when it comes to learning about the life of a sociopath and makes you wonder how many people you know might be one.

The only interesting thing about this book is the cover. It is unnecessarily tedious and the author is a repulsive "human being." I write in quotes because really she doesn't have the basic qualities that are passable that would make her existence of any merit. I just sense a repulsive, unlikable, soulless woman that deceives herself into thinking this inability to experience emotions as an advantage. Since Mormonism which she practices is a false religion, she will find out how truly depraved she is when she meets the one true God of love. If she was as charming as she claims, her writing would reflect that and draw the reader in. I was unable, along with many others, to stomach the book and was unable to get through it. I feel sorry for people who have to deal with her in real life-in this case I had the advantage of being able to put the book down and put myself out of it's boring miserable narrative.

This was an eye opening book with a lot of interesting information. The part that was the most intriguing was the part about how many sociopaths are really out there. Makes you think was there always that many or is there something that we as a society have all been exposed to that increased the number of these people? Just a thought. If you are interested in learning more about sociopaths or at least what makes them tic, then I recommend you read this book.

I bought this book July 2013 and found it remarkably revealing and educational. I was surprised by the negative reviews I've read here because I enjoyed this book and feel it has contributed to my understanding of sociopathy and how it functions in the world around me. However, I am not in any related professional field like a lot of the counselors and psychologists that seem to have disliked the book. As a regular non-professional general public kind of reader, I think that the book has a lot to offer. The middle of the book does veer into personal anecdotal experiences but I found that helpful in understanding her perspective and getting little windows into how her thought processes and reactions worked as filtered thru sociopathy.

Confessions of a Sociopath has a certain terrible beauty to it. The author is breathtakingly honest in her confessions. Who among us could talk about our breasts with such candor? Sure M. E. Thomas is self-absorbed, but that's the point of being a sociopath, at least from my experience, it's nothing more than profound self interest. What's refreshing about Thomas' book, and her blog which turned into a book, is that she's learned that being that selfish is not good for your health.

Ms. Thomas starts off the book with a psychological evaluation excerpt by John F. Edens, Ph. D, a professor of psychology from Texas A&M University. Since Ms. Thomas is a high-functioning sociopath, she appears to be quite normal, especially since she's a lawyer. Interpersonal dominance, verbal aggression, excessive self-esteem? I'd hire her if I were in trouble. She fits the image we have of a shark, which also fits in well in the business world.

What was amazing about Ms. Thomas is that she was raised in the Mormon religion, which from what I know of it, and follows Jesus' teachings of love each other. Hardly what you'd think of first when you think sociopath. But as Ms. Thomas points out, she likes the clear cut rules that her religion sets for her, guiding her morality because she can't instinctively feel them for herself.

Ms. Thomas takes the reader through the various aspects of her 'abnormal' way of thinking. She even includes what science says about sociopathy, both studies the studies of people with this trait, to how their brains differ from what Ms. Thomas calls 'the empaths'. Is sociopathy nature or is it nurture? Ms. Thomas gives us some of the highlights of how she was raised; a domineering, emotional, sometimes abusive father, and a neglectful mother, with both parents displaying signs of being sociopaths themselves. Considering being raised so dysfunctionally, Ms. Thomas doesn't blame her parents and in fact points out that being a sociopath, maybe from birth, they were the perfect parents to raise her.

Making excellent points about how sociopaths, when fully functioning, can do great service in the world. They might even cause less strife in the world because they aren't being run by their emotions. They can move through highly charged situations without making things worse by being emotional.

Chapter by chapter, Ms. Thomas takes us through the world of a sociopath. She tells the reader how she thinks and what she's capable of, which is of great value to those who lead by their feelings and might get caught in the trap of a sociopath. The two types of people who don't think alike, and it can be fatal if you don't recognize the signs of a sociopath. On the other hand, as Ms. Thomas points out, once you understand a sociopath you can be close to one, and even have a fulfilling relationship. I might drop out of such a relationship, unless it's my lawyer of course.

The only flaw in this book for me, was the denseness of the material making it hard to take in large chunks. This is not an overnight read, though it is fascinating, it's more of a book you might consume one chapter at a time. It's not easy to take in the unrelenting selfishness of the narrator, no matter how charming she might be.

This is not a book for those who want to think the world is a rosy place and that we all think and feel in the same ways. It might shake your world-view to think that you could be close to someone who honestly doesn't care about your feelings, or that your tears would just irritate them. But for those who like to walk the razor's edge, maybe being near a sociopath would make life exciting.

I'm glad I had the chance to see into the mind of a sociopath, though it was a scary ride.

I thought it was an interesting read but could not shake the idea that the author was pretending to be a sociopath more so than actually being one. It is not always that over the top but a lot more subtle in many cases ...

The previous reviews are correct, too long, too repetitive, too boring. To make matters worse the audio reader adds an additional patronizing and annoying voice to already tedious material. Save yourself the time and energy.

I don't actually believe this book was written by a sociopath at all. She describes the act of "ruining people" and what it comes down to is some mild annoyances. Hardly the "ruining people" it refers to on the cover. Anything that could have been interesting, the author admittedly leaves out so she isn't sued. What a load of nonsense.

http://whytoread.com/

The author speaks and behaves like many postinstitutional adoptees with reactive attachment disorder. Neglected children can be damaged beyond repair. She is clearly invested in her "sociopath" identity, however. It is a form of self-protection. Sad book, sad family, sad story.

Short Review of Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas: Read It. It’s a fascinating and cogently written look inside the machinations of a certified non-violent sociopath. You’ll learn and you’ll be intrigued, but don’t expect to get any emotional satisfaction out of the relationship. It will leave you with the feeling that you know more, but you still can’t fix it. Your only hope is to protect yourself.

Very interesting read. I very much recommend ît to anyone who suspects they are in or have been in a relationship with a sociopath, as it does give you valuable insights to help you recognize what you're dealing with.

This book starts off well enough, going through the academic history and literature of sociopathy, but then descends into tiresome anecdotes from the author's life. She repeatedly points out, even belabors, that she manipulates people and I think that's apparent in what she's trying to do with the reader. The first third of the book could do the job on its own.

And just like a sociopath she starts off charming and interesting before the masks starts to slip and she becomes a painful, pathetic, delusional, bore who you wind up having about as little empathy for as she supposedly has for the rest of humanity. I've known people like this and after seeing just 25 seconds of her in her Dr. Phil interview I was triggered by the usual wave of revulsion that comes over me when I have to listen to someone of her type rattle on. It's not hard to understand either how when people like her finally commit violent crimes that judges and jury's send them off the prison for life or to the death chamber while barely batting an eye. If society could round up and exterminate everyone like her it would be a good start toward real social equilibrium because degenerates like her are to be found sitting on top of numerous power structures, especially in finance which is a hornet's nest of sociopaths. Regardless of her supposed career success she's a true bottom feeder and soulless blight on the world.

What is the difference between a sociopath and one diagnosed w Asperger's Syndrome? I see some similarities....please educate me! Thanks in advance.
Ps, I am finding this book very interesting but then again I just started it...

Wow. That is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this book. I amazed, and enthralled by the almost story like quality of this memoir by a sociopath. I think this is a timely book too, due in part due to the gross over simplification by mass media to stereotype people who commit a heinous crime to have a mental disorder and, regardless of what that mental disorder, if any, may be to classify them as a sociopath or psychopath. While I don't think this book is definitive in any way (neither does the author, who gives numerous references to scholarly books and papers on the subject), it is a way for people to start a more open discussion about different types of disorders, if we want to call them that, and how they should be treated (e.g., locking them up in prison helps no one). A good read that hopefully will start more conversations on how to treat others that are different from ourselves, and not just ones we deem mentally challenged.

While I can never be sure, I would suggest this book is written by someone trying to fool the world. I know a number of sociopaths who don't have to try so hard to convince me of what and who they are. This woman goes overboard, immediately veering off into severe narcissism which is a big turn-off. I wanted to learn about the thought process of a sociopath, the pluses, the minuses, but instead all I really learned was what an outstanding individual she thinks she is and how above the ordinary even her hair appears to be. Saw this woman on Dr. Phil and he called her on almost every point she tried to put across as "sociopathic", which I thought told the real tale. Sorry I wasted money on this book. Next time I am curious, I will read the DSM.

It's too bad that she was only recently outed as a fake on Dr. Phil, because many people - including me! - would not have been swindled out of their money by this woman. The book itself is a disappointment. There are many flaws that fail to make the case that she is actually a sociopath. Save your money - the store has plenty of other excellent reads!

I just saw the Dr. Phil show and picked up the book. The book is amateurish, repetitive and boring.

The author definitely has a mental disorder, but she isn't a sociopath. She is a classic narcissistic personality disorder with mild sociopathic tendencies. She plays up her sociopathic tendencies to sell her book. She's wildly imaginative but she definitely doesn't know anything about diagnosing. And no sociopath is protective of her nieces or nephews or listens to what her church tells her. This is a book by a woman who just wants to make money by selling her book. Skip it.

I had such a visceral reaction to the first page that I had to write a review based on a few paragraphs. Being an HSP (highly sensitive personality) and a veterinary technician, you can well imagine, those of you who have read the book.

If I change my mind by the end of the book, I'll be back.

Well it is pretty obvious to me that she is an abused person and has not processed the abuse. No she did not grow up in a safe and normal home like she claims! She had to cope with abuse, that is all. If anything it's some kind of dissociative syndrome.

I thought it was an interesting read but could not shake the idea that the author was pretending to be a sociopath more so than actually being one. It is not always that over the top but a lot more subtle in many cases ...

This woman is not a Sociopath. Being manipulative in high school and college does not make one anything at all. She says she loves her family. Sociopaths cannot truly love. While it is possible to behave without conscience in some circumstances (business, for example) that does not make one a full-blown sociopath if the rest of their time is spent doing positive things for society, like teaching Sunday school.

On the about the author it says "she is a diagnosed sociopath," and I had to laugh when I read that. She is playing on others' ignorance. Sociopath is not an actual diagnosis, it is just a term. NOWHERE in the DSM IV or upcoming V is that term identified as a diagnosis.

Still, the funniest bit of garbage was that when she was confronted by a security guard she imagined hurting him.

Imagination does not make ANYONE anything but human. It's the behavior that matters.

GREAT TITLE, waste of time to read.

I was so disappointed.

Um, I don't know who diagnosed you as a sociopath but they do not know what they are talking about. Did you get a third opinion? I am assuming that you enjoyed the diagnosis which is why you didn't research further. Selfish, narcissists tend to enjoy being unique.
I highly recommend another Dr. and mention narcissism and depersonalization disorder. Here's the thing, I heard you on TTBOOK.org and you feed off of manipulating people, you make choices, you enjoy this... A sociopath is blank, I know this...
So since you enjoy getting off on screwing with people's minds and you also can disconnect I recommend the above disorders. BTW, that whole gentetic twin study has been debunked. CHILDHOOD is now to blame for your disorders so start there.
Think about it...Put a child in the wild, you know a feral child, how does he/she grow up? Are the genes from the parents turned on? NO. Do they behave exactly what they are surrounded by? Yes. Do their brains not develop if they are neglected? Yes. Do they bark if they are raised by dogs? Yes. Start with "They f***** you up" by Oliver James. He starts with what happens when you are neglected in a large family. Alice Miller and Murray Bowen is another great place to look. Genetics? Ha. We have about about 6,000 more than fruitflys. When will people see that it is our childhoods that are shaping this world.

First of all, the author is not a sociopath but just another self centered idiot. Second of all, the cruelty to an animal as the opening narrative was sickening, but probably just meant to shock and is not even true. Couldn't get past the first 5 pages. If you are interested in socio/psychopaths do yourself a favor....don 't buy this book,rent Hitchcock's Pyscho instead'

I read an article about this on Psychology Today, and within the first few paragraphs of it, it made me laugh rather heartily. This author, self-proclaimed sociopath and genius, can't seem to go a paragraph without contradicting herself. She talks about nearly following a man and imagining murdering him with her bare hands out of anger and then says she doesn't feel emotion in the same breath. Since when is anger not an emotion?

Then she talks about 'loving' friends and family. Love isn't an emotion either, apparently.

Then she talks about not having been abused/being 'normal' and then goes on to talk about her father beating down her door and hating him for cruelty toward her and her mother. Emotional abuse is the most common kind of abuse.

The icing on the cake is the fact that she refers to herself as 'brilliant' and yet describes herself using an outdated term.

I'm incredibly amused by her self-perception. Maybe she'll read this review, rage at me about not feeling emotion, and then tell me how she doesn't meet every single criteria of antisocial personality disorder while demonstrating every single aspect of antisocial personality disorder, from her past to her level of functioning to her quick-to-anger emotions.

The DSM-IV-TR is there for a reason. But maybe she doesn't know it exists, since she's still calling herself a 'sociopath.' Gotta love these nutters and their delusions of grandeur.

She is just an insecure failure who harms others to get what little satisfaction in life that she can get.
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She is no different than James Holmes or Adam Lanza.
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I heard about this writer on NPR, during an interview. She is also Mormon. One of her major angles is getting to know someone, toying with the more interpersonal dependency aspects of that person's unique personality, and using that to encourage that person to engage in behaviors or actions that are self destructive... and she does it for fun, or for what she says... is for an intimate relationship with that person... Obviously NPR, National Public Radio, knows who she is. I found the entire interview on NPR to be horrible. Exposing her sounds good to me. She sound like someone who should be in prison!!! I mean she justifies her actions and enjoyment by stating that she does not physically harm anyone, so there is nothing wrong with ruing peoples lives or careers. She belongs in prison, or better yet, a gulag, or just burred under six feet.
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She is someone, that no one, in any society needs. She is just another Adolf.
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How much trouble can I cause someone today?
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Obviously, she has several inferior characteristics and trouble in dealing with her own failures in life. She cannot make a wonderful life for herself, so she feels her only option is to destroy everyone else's life. She is the type of person to get a gun and shoot everyone in a movie theater or at a school. But she cannot do that because that is considered physical harm. So she engages in non-physical harm instead.
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She is no different than James Holmes or Adam Lanza.

This is a sad case of a woman that thinks she can pull the wool over everyone's eyes. She has no real experience as a "Sociopath". The book has no more merit than any tale of fiction. She is simply jockeying for attention. Sociopath? I think not. Narcissist? Most defiantly.Don't waist your money on this foolishness.

She must be capitalizing on a recent wave of interest in sociopaths. Here's the telling sentence: "I have a close circle of family and friends whom I love and who very much love me."

Sociopaths are by definition incapable of love. This person is a troubled opportunist, not a sociopath.

I saw this woman on Dr.Phil. She is clearly full of crap and is a complete hoax. She's just trying to sell books. She may be manipulative, and a con woman, but definitely not a sociopath. Ugh! Don't buy this book if you want to learn about sociopathy. Instead, read the book "Inside the Criminal Mind" by Stanton Samenow.

I hope this woman does not have kids! She is not a sociopath. She is just trying to excuse her bad behavior and sell books. Dr. Phil didn't buy it and neither do I. What is scary is that she is a law professor and is helping to educate young lawyers. Save your money and your time!

A real snoozer of a book, wasting time on what makes a severly insecure, self-deluded, self-absorbed, emotionally unstable & rather pathetic person tick. This book reeks of DESPERATION! This basket-case, mentally ill woman came on the Dr. Phil Show incognito; donning a ridiculious blonde wig to promote her book and he calls her out INSTANTLY. She failed what even the basic "text book" sociopath signs & triggers are. She boasted that she's a highly intelligent woman living & functioning in the world on a daily basis, manipulating & purposely going out of her way in life to destroy the lives of people she encounters daily while trying to get in their heads as a sort of mind game manipulation. She's smiling & laughing on national television w/ this demented glee as she snarkily brags to Dr. Phil that she derives direct pleasure from harming people daily & getting in their heads. She goes even farther into her pitiful brag-fest by pushing her pathetic attempt at a book stating there's many more of her personal stories & experiences of her demented & mean, mind manipulation games throughout her book! PLEASE!

A true sociopath doesn't waste their time going on the Dr. Phil show incognito because a sociopath doesn't care enough about other people to do so. She tells him she's in disguise because she has some feelings & a semblance of affection for her nieces & nephews. HELLO?! A sociopath doesn't care about being in disguise for their family's sake because a sociopath simply has no love to give, for others or for themselves, hence, being a big, black hole of emptiness inside. This woman's as transparent as my bay window! This book's an utter waste of words & the only shame & sadness I see is the poor trees that lost their life to compile this snoozefest of boring stories that endlessly drag on about utter nothingness. All I see is a poor excuse & abomination of a woman I'm embarrassed to share the female race with. She's only trying to make money & sell books. The book should really be titled; "Confessions of a Woman with Borderline Personality Disorder." This woman isn't a sociopath, she suffers from BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER which effects so many people & goes undiagnosed as mental illness is still considered taboo to this day.

Although in this day & age, we've made immense leaps & bounds in the technological field; we severly lack in the mental health field as so many people go through life confused, sad & misdiagnosed or not properly diagnosed at all. That's why I feel sorry for M.E. Thomas. She's not a sociopath, but a sufferer of Borderline Personality Disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD is a trickly mental illness because the truth is that it's very hard to cure if not impossible. It's even harder to diagnose. People are becoming more aware of BPD lately because of the recent news story & highly publicized, popular trial of Jody Arias; the woman who was sentenced to 1st degree murder for the slaughtering/buthering of her boyfriend, Travis Alexander. Nancy Grace, Jane Velez, Dr. Drew & a slew of other professionals were interviewed & BPD was discussed in great detail. It was refreshing to see how well they explained this highly complicated mental illness. People with BPD suffer from fear of alienation, abandonment & being alone. They exhaust themselves having an uncontrollable urge to control & be in control with both their surroundings & the people in their lives. They have to control everything; including the lives of those closest to them. BPD sufferers are emotionally stable, often coming off needy. They experience a variety of emotions & moods; often exaggerated & all over the place. They can be needy, over-dominating, super-intense, impulsive, emotionally unstable to the point where everything in their life is a big ordeal.

The expression or cliche, "Making a mountain out of a mole hill" has never applied more than with this disorder. BPD sufferers often go through life in highly unstable interpersonal relationships because of their lack of self-worth & poor self-image. They live in daily, constant fear of being abandoned & alienated by all they love & all who are involved in their spider web microcosm & hidden, crazy & chaotic world. Their behavior's often neatly, secretly tucked away, hidden from the outside world, with immediate family members & friends being the brunt of their constant, continual torment of chaos, manipulation abuse & mind games. The biggest tragedy lies within the nuclear family members that have to suffer in silence daily with the emotional & physical turmoil & abuse that's indicitive of being involved in this highly volitile, unpredictable world of the BPD sufferer. BPD sufferers are emotionally wounded & scarred, typically from emotional & physical trauma & abuse from childhood. They go through life not getting proper treatment & look at life through a black & white, perfectionist, judgemental view, from one severe extreme to another; with their highly opinionated & dominating mannerisms, expecting complete control & dominance from loved ones.

BPD sufferers can hold grudges, often overreacting in situations or overly sensitive; going to emotional extremes. They thrive on chaos and look to get a feed from people. If a loved one disagrees or has a difference of opinion, the sufferer feels personally wounded, betrayed & disrespected. They often feel it's them against the world. The cliche what we fear, we create, well BPD sufferers constantly worry about being alone & rejected by loved ones & life nonstop & being in control of their surroundings & their loved ones lives as they internalize all these negative, deep & dark feelings. The "Black & White Thinking" often referred to as "Splitting" is how a BPD sufferer lives their life. They build up their lives on unrealisic levels they expect both themselves to live by that can never be attained as they're perfectionists to the end. They hold loved ones, friends & co-workers to high, imposssible levels only to be deeply & desperately disappointed when these relationships don't succeed. Interpersonal relationships w/ the BPD sufferer are set up to never succeed because the BPD sufferer's constantly manipulating & undermining it having to be in complete control. These feelings fester like a bad infection only to get worse as time goes by. They often refuse to get help because they never see themselves as making mistakes as they have the "all good complex", meaning they never take accountability for their actions. They often go through life undetected by strangers, co-workers, etc. for yrs; thriving well in the outside world, until their need for control dominates their complete thoughts & they simply can't take the anxiety one day. Very sad for all that's affected as it ruins families often resulting in permanent damage.

ME Thomas' book is nothing more than a personal memoir about a woman who suffers from BPD & doesn't know it. She wanders aimlessly through life believing she's a sociopath when she's not; as stated by her own words on Dr. Phil when she; herself said she loved her nieces & nephews & didn't want any harm to come to them. A sociopath doesn't care about anyone because they don't care about themselves, they're empty & hollow; full of darkness & despair, deep inside. BPD sufferers are so scared; living in constant fear of the world, hence the quote, "a coward dies a thousand deaths", they're grown up children in adult bodies that never had their childhood trauma handled & go through life as scared children in dire need of help, but rarely seeking it because they're too scared to admit they're human & make mistakes (the all good complex). That's where the term, "what we fear, we create" takes place.

BPD sufferers are highly selfish people b/c they never had their chemical & mental needs of life met as children they go through life with an impenetrable & invisible, outer shell, keeping them apart & disconnected from the rest of the world. They're lives are in a constant state of turmoil & chaos because they're always in "fight or flight mode" as their insatiable need to control/dominant their surroundings & others which is an impossiblity for any human to attain. Being an impossibility plagues BPD sufferers w/ an unsurmountable amount of anxiety & fear causing deep, severe anger, sadness, darkness, despair & depression w/ a plethoria of debiliating emotions causing negativity & extreme pain to the sufferer & their loved ones. After awhile, loved ones often get so sick of the emotional rollarcoaster of chaos when being around the BPD sufferers, they eventually cut off ties b/c of the abuse. This sadly is loved ones last desperate resort. It's a lose lose situation when dealing w/ a BPD sufferer b/c they believe family members & friends have hidden agendas. They're secretly paranoid & fear being abandoned. They have an insatiable fear, acting out as anxiety is just too great too bear, often turning people off w/ their outlandish, angry, unpredictable & volitile behavior. When friends & loved ones can no longer handle the BPD sufferers mental illness, they often become estranged from them. The BPD sufferer then quells their mental illness by rationalizing their paranoia by saying they knew they were going to be abandoned in the 1st place when the truth is that the family members have exhausted all their energy & resources often trying to help the sufferer until they mentally can't handle it. It's a vicious & exhausting cycle of disfunction & often relationships involved are typically codependent upon one another.

ME Thomas states that sociopaths go through life seeking risk & enjoying manipulation & harming people where it leads them to lose their jobs & often their relationships with people due to their sociopathic personality. She discusses it like it's a need or compulsion & that's why sociopaths often go through life disfunctionally. That's not why she goes through life in a string of failed relationships & jobs, but simply because she has Borderline Personality Disorder in which she has an illness with having to control herself, her surroundings & other's lives which again is an impossibility. This book would be better for people wanting a glimpe into the life of a highly insecure, anxiety-riddled woman, suffering from BPD & how it affects her & the people in her life. ME sadly thinks she's tricking people into viewing her as this confident, highly intelligent sociopathic go-getter when it falls flat & more like she's trying to prove or convince the reader of her sociopathic ways. It reads more like an overly embarrassed, histrioronic, teenage girl's point of view that's teetering on sheer desperation. It's pathetic on what levels people go to in life to make a dollar. Save your money. If you want to learn about mental disorders or about sociopaths, purchase a book written by accredited physicians, psychologists & psychiatrists that have actually treated & handled sociopaths, not from a self proclaimed, self-diagnosed woman with no medical credentials, rambling on incessently & to no end about how mean & heartless she is in this world. Isn't the world a hard & negative place to begin with? Do we really need to add to the insanity & negativity of life by even entertaining such drivel? If she wrote about making the world a better place, well then by all means. Anybody can write about thinking mean thoughts & being nasty on a daily basis. If ME wrote about wanting to change & taking the steps to, this book could've had a point, but she boasts about being nasty like she won the Pulitzer Prize.

I only felt compelled to even write this review b/c even though I feel sorry for ME, she's in control of her own life & actions & if she wants to harm her own life, that's her peragative. HOWEVER, she's supposedly a law professor at a college & she's manipulating, young, impressionable, college students. That's when I had to write this review. She's now involving innocent children as she's in a power position being a college professor where she could do permanent damage to these students. I take offense to that alone, but even WORSE, she wants to have her OWN children, raise them to be sociopaths & that she'd be disappointed if they're turned out not to be. SHAME! This woman doesn't deserve to teach at college. This woman is a danger to herself, but I fear for all the college students that innocently take her class, are manipulated & are pawns in a cruel sick game that she's gets her kick's off doing. ME should at least come on the Dr. Phil show & divulge her true identity so the people that are subjected to her cruelty can be warned. I fear for her future children she plans on turning into little sociopaths. They say life is stranger than fiction & I've seen it all after reading this book & seeing ME on the Dr. Phil Show. Deeply Disturbing. Waste of money, but worse, a big waste of time. After seeing this woman then on the Dr. Phil show & looking like a buffoon convinced me how desperate some people will go to make money. A truly sad & pathetic state of affairs.

The author strikes me as someone who was trying to write a novel about a sociopath and then decided it would be easier to write a fake memoir. She has the details right:the killing of small animals;the "stare"; using people and, in the process, destroying their lives without a morsel of remorse. But she does not have the big picture right:a sociopath does not go on TV to be interviewed;does not say that they have loved ones(they do not);does not care about being part of society because they are utterly incapable of truly doing so. The media hook she is trying to exploit for doe re mi is this:sociopaths are just like everyone else, so please do not persecute them. Sociopaths are not like us, they are like aliens from another world. She knows this. This book, along with The Wisdom of Psycopaths, is dangerous because they seek (for profit)to normalize aberrant behavoir. Shameful.

I know the girls voice from an interview I heard from the huffington post. This woman is not a lawyer. She was married to a lawyer, a very unsuccessful one at that. Yeah, her breasts are big. They're huge, but that's usually the case when you're as fat as her. I met her through a pretend myspace profile she made of a hot chick. She had, or still has several pretend myspace and face book profiles. She tricked me, and then later revealed what she really looked like because she new she could use me and probably thought we would get together. Her name is Amanda Williams. I wanted to get back at her for leading me on with a non existent person, making me feel something like that thinking it was real, when the girl never existed. I got her to leave her husband and move to Florida, and never even met her in person. This book everyone's buying, was just so she could make money off all the people she's duped. There's no confession here except that you're reading a book written by a psycopath. But it's fiction.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I've always been fascinated with the human mind and how it works when it's different than "normal." Unfortunately, I only made it to about page 25 and had to put the book down.

I'd hoped this book would explain how and why sociopaths are what they are, but instead I felt like it was "Sociopaths for Dummies," a book for others alike to marvel in and justify themselves. I felt very uneasy reading it, not because I am one, but because of how disturbing the author seems to be. I could see lines of sociopaths at the book signing dying to get a signed copy.

It could very well be that this is a very good but, but, not for someone with a conscience. I just couldn't bring myself to read anymore. It was too depressing, especially the view of global unrest.

Watched her on Dr. Phil and it all seemed like a scam in my opinion. He even called her out on numerous things. I wouldn't waste my time or money on this book. Like Dr. Phil said a lot of her traits are not of a sociopath. So is she making things up trying to make a buck or two by writing this book? People are commenting I didn't read the book. They read excerpts on the show while interviewing her. This is just my opinion about what I've seen and heard( heard meaning them reading from the book)

This woman doesn't know what she is talking about. All her information on how sociopaths act are from prisoners according to her. I would not be surprised if later its found out that all her stories of her "ruining of people's lives" were made up and taken from other sociopaths that she research about online. It's pathetic that someone would go so far for a book deal.

Not a good read!! This girl is ridiculous an attention seeking, annoying, wanna-be!! Anyone can "act" crazy or "act" like a sociopath but really are not. Plenty of people can put on a good show for others!! To the author: get a clue, grow up and get a life!

She's not a sociopath. Period. Just greedy to sell a book. I saw her on Dr. Phil. She is a wanna be sociopath. This book is a total waste of time. Please don't waste your money on it. This woman is mentally ill, but not what she confesses to be. Whatever five star reviews she got must be from family and friends. Most people aren't that faked out by crap like this.

I'm an educated, Mormon gal and after reading this book I realized that I too am a sociopath. I do actually believe I can become like Heavenly Father and Mother. I pay tithing and teach Sunday School. I had a difficult childhood and an abusive father. I have felt the urge to kill and have been tempted to cheat...I've even had some perverted thoughts!! I used to hit my brother with no remorse when we were kids...until he got bigger than me. I stole money from my Dad's change jar, and even lied to my mom about leaving the curling iron on. Now, year's later, I'm an addictions counselor and mother of 7. After reading this, I am convinced that not only am I a sociopath, but so are all of my clients, most of my kids as well as half the people who live on my block. I'm so glad I finally have a diagnosis that explains why I behave the way I do. Thank You M.E. Thomas for offering this spectacular insight into my own psyche. Baaaaah!

Great book, very inciteful. Made me think about how I react to the types of situations she describes and the choices I would make if in her position. Found alot of my choices would not actually be very different. Although I'd never let a baby possum drown if I could help it, that's just cruel.

I do feel sympathetic to her cause and it has definitely changed the way I view some people and the world. While I don't think I'm a sociopath, I think us "normal" people have things we can learn from them and vice versa.

I am an avid reader of reviews and hold them in regard when researching a book I am interested in.

I just want to say thank you for all the wonderfully terrible reviews! I will not waste 20 bucks on this book!

Blah, blah, blah.
I rec'd a card from my son on Mothers Day with a big pin-on button that said, "ME, ME, ITS ALL ABOUT MEEEE." Cute for a Mothers Day joke... boring and pathetic as a book, and would have been a more apt title.
Dont waste your money -- if you're curious as to the inner workings of what seems to be narcissism, you can find almost every one of her "stories" (keeping in mind narcissists AND sociopaths LIE ) within these reviews.
Otherwise, "The Sociopath Next Door" is helpful.

Don't buy this book. It is written by a person who admits in the book she enjoys ruining people's lives. She labels herself a sociopath and doesn't think that is a bad thing to be. She wrote the book anonymously because she doesn't want to lose her day job. Let's turn the table's on the psycho and ruin her life by exposing her. Who is M.E. Thomas? Where is Deep Throat when you need him?

She's not a sociopath. Period. Just greedy to sell a book. I saw her on Dr. Phil. She is a wanna be sociopath. This book is a total waste of time. Please don't waste your money on it. This woman is mentally ill, but not what she confesses to be. Whatever five star reviews she got must be from family and friends. Most people aren't that faked out by crap like this.

I'm an educated, Mormon gal and after reading this book I realized that I too am a sociopath. I do actually believe I can become like Heavenly Father and Mother. I pay tithing and teach Sunday School. I had a difficult childhood and an abusive father. I have felt the urge to kill and have been tempted to cheat...I've even had some perverted thoughts!! I used to hit my brother with no remorse when we were kids...until he got bigger than me. I stole money from my Dad's change jar, and even lied to my mom about leaving the curling iron on. Now, year's later, I'm an addictions counselor and mother of 7. After reading this, I am convinced that not only am I a sociopath, but so are all of my clients, most of my kids as well as half the people who live on my block. I'm so glad I finally have a diagnosis that explains why I behave the way I do. Thank You M.E. Thomas for offering this spectacular insight into my own psyche. Baaaaah!

Great book, very inciteful. Made me think about how I react to the types of situations she describes and the choices I would make if in her position. Found alot of my choices would not actually be very different. Although I'd never let a baby possum drown if I could help it, that's just cruel.

I do feel sympathetic to her cause and it has definitely changed the way I view some people and the world. While I don't think I'm a sociopath, I think us "normal" people have things we can learn from them and vice versa.

I am an avid reader of reviews and hold them in regard when researching a book I am interested in.

I just want to say thank you for all the wonderfully terrible reviews! I will not waste 20 bucks on this book!

Blah, blah, blah.
I rec'd a card from my son on Mothers Day with a big pin-on button that said, "ME, ME, ITS ALL ABOUT MEEEE." Cute for a Mothers Day joke... boring and pathetic as a book, and would have been a more apt title.
Dont waste your money -- if you're curious as to the inner workings of what seems to be narcissism, you can find almost every one of her "stories" (keeping in mind narcissists AND sociopaths LIE ) within these reviews.
Otherwise, "The Sociopath Next Door" is helpful.

Don't buy this book. It is written by a person who admits in the book she enjoys ruining people's lives. She labels herself a sociopath and doesn't think that is a bad thing to be. She wrote the book anonymously because she doesn't want to lose her day job. Let's turn the table's on the psycho and ruin her life by exposing her. Who is M.E. Thomas? Where is Deep Throat when you need him?