Scan barcode
shiradest's review against another edition
3.0
This was an invaluable book to read and provided important insights into several situations I've had to deal with. Understanding that there are actually at least two main types of npd put certain persons into perspective for me which had been a quandry in terms of how to view and deal with these people. Very useful book, sadly.
themadpotter's review against another edition
The first page is nothing but Donald Trump... personally Idont care what side of the aisle you sit, cause they're all playing for the same thing...
That being said this is more of a memoir than understanding narcissist. I skipped around and read a few random pages, but personally I was uninterested in the author's daughter playing with barbies.
Not what I was looking for at all. If you're looking for more of a memoir style book, instead of psychology based, this would be a good pick.
That being said this is more of a memoir than understanding narcissist. I skipped around and read a few random pages, but personally I was uninterested in the author's daughter playing with barbies.
Not what I was looking for at all. If you're looking for more of a memoir style book, instead of psychology based, this would be a good pick.
inthecommonhours's review
An impulse grab at the library, and ultimately disappointing. The subtitle is very misleading. Instead it is more of a (somewhat mean-spirited) series of profiles of well known narcissists (LBJ, Steve Jobs), though I think it is dangerous to throw around the term even on larger-than-life characters.
The most interesting part for me was the situation that Kluger identified as his own slight step toward narcissism (I so wanna know who the editor was).
The most interesting part for me was the situation that Kluger identified as his own slight step toward narcissism (I so wanna know who the editor was).
amyb24's review
4.0
Very interesting and tackles narcissism not just as a clinical disorder but also in its milder form as a mindset that can reward people professionally (if not in their relationships). The major problem I found in this book was the liberal use of celebrity examples when many of these people likely do not suffer from narcissism (certainly not in the clinical sense). I understand the author was looking for examples of BEHAVIORS, but it's easy to see it as labeling people instead, especially when other examples definitely are meant to illustrate narcissism as a condition. Still, I'd recommend reading this if you are interested in personality disorders and how they play out in modern society.
macbean221b's review
3.0
I received this book as an ARC through firsttoread.com. It was interesting and I learned some things, but it was not quite what I was expecting/looking for, and I was only 80% through when the digital ARC expired. I'm not interested enough to purchase the book in order to finish it.
hyattsarah's review
If you want to understand narcissism, this is a terrible book. I would venture so far as to say this may be a dangerous book. This is the book equivalent of an essay written by a student during an all nighter at the end of finals week.
In the interest of full disclosure, I read one chapter and had to put it down. I skimmed the others. I am also not qualified to diagnose anyone - though Kluger does, repeatedly, and he relies on celebrities. He settles for the shallow, often wrong, assumption that narcissism = self-centeredness. He indulges this definition with examples like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and people who take selfies for the internet. It's a tired trope and a very inaccurate one. Anyone who has done minimal reading on NPD, and/or anyone who has known a narcissist, likely knows how poor of a description this is. And for those who embrace it, this book provides little insight into who in their lives may be a narcissist.
Narcissistic personality disorder is exactly that - a mental disorder, not simply someone who is arrogant or in the spotlight. That is the equivalent of someone claiming they are "so OCD!" because they keep a clean house. They are not the same. There may be overlap, but an individual who prefers a clean house, even very adamantly, does not necessarily have a full blown DISORDER anymore than an attention-seeking celebrity. Narcissism as a disorder has more in common with antisocial personality disorder than it does with arrogance (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-the-criminal-mind/201107/narcissistic-personality-disorder-and-the-antisocial). An arrogant person may be annoying and off-putting; a narcissist will charm, manipulate, lie, abuse and often destroy others.
This book honestly does a disservice to those who suspect that someone in their lives may be a narcissist. Readers would do better to pick up Gavin de Becker's "Gift of Fear" and focus on trusting their own intuition rather than pointing fingers at Miley Cyrus' latest bad decisions.
In the interest of full disclosure, I read one chapter and had to put it down. I skimmed the others. I am also not qualified to diagnose anyone - though Kluger does, repeatedly, and he relies on celebrities. He settles for the shallow, often wrong, assumption that narcissism = self-centeredness. He indulges this definition with examples like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and people who take selfies for the internet. It's a tired trope and a very inaccurate one. Anyone who has done minimal reading on NPD, and/or anyone who has known a narcissist, likely knows how poor of a description this is. And for those who embrace it, this book provides little insight into who in their lives may be a narcissist.
Narcissistic personality disorder is exactly that - a mental disorder, not simply someone who is arrogant or in the spotlight. That is the equivalent of someone claiming they are "so OCD!" because they keep a clean house. They are not the same. There may be overlap, but an individual who prefers a clean house, even very adamantly, does not necessarily have a full blown DISORDER anymore than an attention-seeking celebrity. Narcissism as a disorder has more in common with antisocial personality disorder than it does with arrogance (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-the-criminal-mind/201107/narcissistic-personality-disorder-and-the-antisocial). An arrogant person may be annoying and off-putting; a narcissist will charm, manipulate, lie, abuse and often destroy others.
This book honestly does a disservice to those who suspect that someone in their lives may be a narcissist. Readers would do better to pick up Gavin de Becker's "Gift of Fear" and focus on trusting their own intuition rather than pointing fingers at Miley Cyrus' latest bad decisions.
allymarell's review
3.0
"They are all volatile spirits. they effervesce and enliven or they singe and scald. the difference is in knowing how to control them." This book put flesh on the bones of what i know about narcissists; there is a lot of description about what they are like and how to recognise them, a little about why they are like that, but little about what to do with them. Like what others have told me, there's not much you can do to change them, often the solution is to avoid or get rid of them. i was hoping this book would give me some more insight into how to deal better with narcissists but i don't think it's done that. great writing, but didn't meet expectations.
gennifer's review
3.0
Interesting read. Gave me a lot of insights on behavior that I (used to) find utterly nonsensical.