Sociopath: A Memoir
Ratings38
Average rating3.7
Patric’s story really exemplifies the idea that you can only help people who want to be helped. I found it interesting and there is a lot of detail here to unpack.
I was really interested in this book after seeing a bunch of people I follow review early copies and I think that unfortunately raised my expectations. As someone with BPD I understand first hand what it's like to have a very misunderstood and villainized mental illness, and I enjoyed seeing the author talk about that alongside the feeling of being alone in her diagnosis. The thing that really lowered my enjoyment of this was simply the fact that I didn't like the author. Which is super disappointing (and a little annoying) considering this is a memoir. I was interested in understanding more about what it means to be a Sociopath, simply because almost everything you find in the media about it is negative or blown out of proportions. Overall, I had an alright time reading this and I wish I didn't see so many raving reviews of it so I could've kept my expectations low.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eBook copy to review on NetGalley
4/5
i really liked this! i liked how she discussed her feelings of apathy all throughout her life in depth and how she knew she was different from most other people because of that. I also liked the incorporation of learning about psychology as well as her story of how she was driven to become a psychologist to learn more about her condition. super insightful & inspiring!
This is my favorite kind of memoir, ones that allow me to see the world from a completely different perspective. This was a compelling and research-based account of the author's acceptance journey before and after her diagnosis. I often think about that TED Talk about the power of one story and how it limits so much of our understanding of other human beings. This was very well written, provided an interesting story, and had insights that every person could benefit from. Reading can be an act of compassion and empathy; this book was no exception.
This book was so fascinating. To have someone share their own experiences with their mental illness, particularly with one no one seems to speak about, brought new insights on how sociopathy impacts those who live with it. The author shared her life in a bold and vulnerable way to educate the rest of us and it was an amazing journey. Sociopathy is a spectrum versus black and white bad vs good as everyone likes to see it. To see her experience through therapy and what worked and did not work for her as well was particularly one my favorite parts (I am a therapist though so I'm biased). I highly recommend this book. Whether you're a therapist or just fascinated by life stories- this is worth the read. 4.5 ⭐️
Emma Deplores puts it best in her review.
Not convinced of the diagnosis here. It just doesn't make sense with some of the stories in the book.
Obviously I'm no expert, but I didn't believe the author is a Sociopath. Having worked with one for many months, the differences between them is night and day. Just my opinion ✌️
Patric Gagne's certainty that she is a sociopath is evoking primarily knee-jerk reactions of either denial or horror from readers. However, I don't like to put people in neat categories and would prefer to view (and review) her memoir as one woman's story, sans clinical diagnosis.
The majority of Sociopath details Gagne's risky/illegal behaviors, which range from shoplifting to car theft. Only a few pages of her experiences with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are mentioned in the epilogue, begging the question of whether her adventures are designed to elucidate or just titillate. The book is too long, frequently repetitive, and lacking footnotes for the psychology studies cited. I was neither scandalized nor inspired by Gagne's memoir, but it's interesting to use it as a literary Rorschach test of people's hopes and fears around a label that is tossed around freely in these troubled times.