Sociopath

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sociopath by Patric Gagne
Narrator: Patric Gagne
Published by Simon and Schuster, Simon and Schuster Audio on April 2, 2024
Genres: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs
Length: 11 hours 6 minutes
Pages: 368
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling memoir of the author’s struggle to understand her own sociopathy and shed light on the often maligned and misunderstood mental disorder.

“A cross between a podcast by relationship therapist Esther Perel and a salacious tell-all.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Patric Gagne realized she made others uncomfortable before she started kindergarten. Something about her caused people to react in a way she didn’t understand. She suspected it was because she didn’t feel things the way other kids did. Emotions like fear, guilt, and empathy eluded her. For the most part, she felt nothing. And she didn’t like the way that “nothing” felt.

She did her best to pretend she was like everyone else, but the constant pressure to conform to a society she knew rejected anyone like her was unbearable. So Patric stole. She lied. She was occasionally violent. She became an expert lock-picker and home-invader. All with the goal of replacing the nothingness with...something.

In college, Patric finally confirmed what she’d long suspected. She was a sociopath. But even though it was the very first personality disorder identified—well over 200 years ago—sociopathy had been neglected by mental health professionals for decades. She was told there was no treatment, no hope for a normal life. She found herself haunted by sociopaths in pop culture, madmen and evil villains who are considered monsters. Her future looked grim.

But when Patric reconnects with an old flame, she gets a glimpse of a future beyond her diagnosis. If she’s capable of love, it must mean that she isn’t a monster. With the help of her sweetheart (and some curious characters she meets along the way) she embarks on a mission to prove that the millions of Americans who share her diagnosis aren’t all monsters either.

This is the inspiring story of her journey to change her fate and how she managed to build a life full of love and hope.

This is the most interesting book that I have read in quite some time. Years ago, I worked in a role supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, and personality disorders so this topic is of particular interest to me. I applaud the author for being incredibly open and sharing so much of herself in this book. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and felt like I gained some insight I wouldn’t have otherwise.

This book follows the author’s life from childhood through adulthood. She knew early on that she didn’t feel things the way that other people did and sometimes the only way to stop the apathy was to act out in various ways. One thing that I found to be eye-opening is that when the author started trying to learn more about sociopathy, there wasn’t much available which is one of the reasons she decided to study Psychology.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the author did a great job with the narration. I am often concerned when I see an author narrating their book but I don’t think any other narrator could have done this book justice. I felt like I was right there with Patric as she tried to navigate various stages of her life and relationships knowing she doesn’t feel things the way others do. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this book to be rather thought-provoking. Her apathy was a challenge not just for Patric but for those close to her. This book was certainly worth the read.

I received a review copy of this book from Simon & Schuster and Simon & Schuster Audio.

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