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zade's review
3.0
Don't let the title fool you. This book will do very little to help you cope with whatever sociopaths you may encounter. The sum of Stout's advice is "don't give them a reaction to their tactics, report them to higher-ups where feasible, and get out if you can." If you're looking for practical advice, there are many better books.
That said, there's some valuable stuff here, particularly in the chapter on distinguishing a narcissist from a sociopath. Since the two disorders share many traits, the material here is interesting, but does not particularly help readers with strategies to cope with either flavour of destructive pathology.
The final chapter in particular is out of place. Certainly, Stout is wise to advise against nurturing hatred or revenge fantasies, and yes, our ability to love and empathize with others is terribly valuable, but this extended paean to love triumphing over evil seems tone-deaf in a book purporting to provide practical help to people whose lives are being destroyed.
Stout's first book in this series, The Sociopath Next Door, was pretty darned good. This one feels like she wanted to ride the wave a little longer, but didn't have anything pressing to add.
That said, there's some valuable stuff here, particularly in the chapter on distinguishing a narcissist from a sociopath. Since the two disorders share many traits, the material here is interesting, but does not particularly help readers with strategies to cope with either flavour of destructive pathology.
The final chapter in particular is out of place. Certainly, Stout is wise to advise against nurturing hatred or revenge fantasies, and yes, our ability to love and empathize with others is terribly valuable, but this extended paean to love triumphing over evil seems tone-deaf in a book purporting to provide practical help to people whose lives are being destroyed.
Stout's first book in this series, The Sociopath Next Door, was pretty darned good. This one feels like she wanted to ride the wave a little longer, but didn't have anything pressing to add.
sophierayton's review
4.0
I especially appreciated the viewpoint on sociopathic children; not an easy topic to tackle. Very good.
danielghurst's review
dark
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
This book does just what it intends to do: teaches you how to outsmart the sociopath in your life. It begins with a basic understanding of sociopathy and some hypothetical and real world examples. Then it delves into how to deal with a sociopath in your life, organized by relation: your child, your partner, a coworker, etc. The tools are straight-forward and helpful. I also enjoyed the chapter comparing and contrasting sociopathy with narcissism, which has been especially relevant since 2016.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, and Mass/school shootings
It's a lot of content warnings, because these are behaviors that sociopaths and their victims exhibit. Most are not described in vivid detail, but they are all mentioned.
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