Without Conscience

November 1, 1993
This work of pop psychology merits attention because Hare has pioneered in the field of psychopathy, which is still in a formative state. Psychopaths, he asserts, are neither sociopaths nor psychotics but rather are people who are well aware of the difference between right and wrong and ignore the distinction. Additionally, they are egocentric and have no feelings of empathy, guilt or remorse. They view others as potential victims, and they leave a trail of unhappiness behind them in those who have succumbed to their deceitful manipulations. Whether nature or nurture underlies their aberration is still uncertain; they are almost impossible to treat, according to Hare, because they are convinced that they have no psychological or emotional problems. Although, as he notes, much of the literature on psychopathy is scientific, Hare here presents material in a form accessible to lay readers.

November 28, 2011
After listening to this crash course in personality interpretation, listeners may find themselves suspicious of everyone who happens across their path on an ordinary day. Hare has spent years researching some of the greatest criminal psychopaths the world has ever known, and now he wants to show the general public how to spot them in a crowd. Paul Boehmer delivers a well-paced reading that allows the author’s work to speak for itself. His narration is unadorned and straightforward, without becoming dry or—pardon the pun—deadly serious. His reading does justice to the author’s years of hard work and makes for an engaging audiobook and a fascinating look at the dark side of life. A Guilford Press paperback.