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Title details for The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova - Available

The Confidence Game

Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time

by Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova
Audiobook
2 of 4 copies available
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2 of 4 copies available
"It’s a startling and disconcerting read that should make you think twice every time a friend of a friend offers you the opportunity of a lifetime.”
—Erik Larson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dead Wake and bestselling author of Devil in the White City

Think you can’t get conned? Think again. The New York Times bestselling author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes explains how to spot the con before they spot you.
“[An] excellent study of Con Artists, stories & the human need to believe” –Neil Gaiman, via Twitter
A compelling investigation into the minds, motives, and methods of con artists—and the people who fall for their cons over and over again.
While cheats and swindlers may be a dime a dozen, true conmen—the Bernie Madoffs, the Jim Bakkers, the Lance Armstrongs—are elegant, outsized personalities, artists of persuasion and exploiters of trust. How do they do it? Why are they successful? And what keeps us falling for it, over and over again? These are the questions that journalist and psychologist Maria Konnikova tackles in her mesmerizing new book.
 
From multimillion-dollar Ponzi schemes to small-time frauds, Konnikova pulls together a selection of fascinating stories to demonstrate what all cons share in common, drawing on scientific, dramatic, and psychological perspectives. Insightful and gripping, the book brings readers into the world of the con, examining the relationship between artist and victim. The Confidence Game asks not only why we believe con artists, but also examines the very act of believing and how our sense of truth can be manipulated by those around us.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 12, 2016

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781101925201
      • File size: 359776 KB
      • Duration: 12:29:31

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      We're easily tricked because we want to live in an orderly world in which people tell the truth, according to the author of this timely book on manipulation and deception. As narrator, her rather flat and often overly serious performance takes something away from her lucid writing and thorough research. But her vocal tone and phrasing are good, and her writing delivers insights so compelling that most listeners will quickly get over what's missing in the performance. With its revelations and huge array of historical examples, this work is a nuanced look at the skills and motivations behind all types of con artistry. It covers a lot of ground, from grifters and family embezzlers to top-level criminals like Bernie Madoff and sociopathic political operatives. With its momentum propelled by the subject matter alone, it's an engaging lesson on how to understand our vulnerabilities and better spot deception in these ambiguous times. T.W. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from October 26, 2015
      Konnikova (Mastermind) opens a door to the fascinating world of truly brilliant con artists—not the quotidian hustlers, but the Madoffs of the world. She asks whether they are psychopaths, epic narcissists, or just regular Joes with extraordinary confidence and a skill for telling a good story. Konnikova provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of some of recent history’s smoothest talkers, covering the setups and executions of some of their extraordinary scams. From consumer fraud and online scams to complex, multiyear grifts and bald-faced lies, readers are reminded that these scams could happen to anyone and are far more common than is commonly realized—no one, after all, wants to admit to having been duped. As for why people fall for these cons, Konnikova shows that it’s because humans want to believe great stories and don’t necessarily recognize the fine line between a legitimate story and an illegitimate one. Told with vigor and enthusiasm, this study of the psychology of the con artist
      is riveting and cleverly told. Agent: Seth Fishman, Gernert Company.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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