The Confidence Game The Psychology of the Con and Why We Fall for It Every Time
- 19 Jan 2017
- 9781782113911
- £10.99
- 352 pp
- 129×198mm
- 28 Jan 2016
- 9781782113904
- £7.99
- 352 pp
- 28 Jan 2016
- 9781782118664
- £27.99
- 12 hrs 29 min
In a few words
An investigation into the minds, motives and methods of con artists by a New York Times bestselling psychologist
In a few words
An investigation into the minds, motives and methods of con artists by a New York Times bestselling psychologist
In a few words
A compelling investigation into the minds, motives, and methods of con artists written and read by a New York Times bestselling psychologist
A fascinating look at the psychology behind every hustle
The story of the con artist may be unmatched for combining human interest with insight into human nature, and star psychology writer Maria Konnikova explains their wiles to us with her characteristic clarity, flair and depth
Steven Pinker
A fascinating look at the psychology behind every hustle
In a world of pseudoscience, Maria Konnikova's calm rationality is comforting and smart
Jon Ronson
I really love Maria Konnikova's writing. In a world of pseudoscience, her calm rationality is comforting and smart. I appreciate and believe her
Jon Ronson
The story of the con artist may be unmatched for combining human interest with insight into human nature, and star psychology writer Maria Konnikova explains their wiles to us with her characteristic clarity, flair and depth
Steven Pinker
More about
the book
The con artist: from Bernie Madoff to Clark Rockefeller to Lance Armstrong. How do they get away with it? And what keeps us falling for them, over and over again? In The Confidence Game, Maria Konnikova investigates the psychological principles that underlie each stage of the swindle, from the put-up all the way to the fix, and how we can train ourselves to spot a story that isn’t all it seems.
More about
the book
The con artist: from Bernie Madoff to Clark Rockefeller to Lance Armstrong. How do they get away with it? And what keeps us falling for them, over and over again? In The Confidence Game, Maria Konnikova investigates the psychological principles that underlie each stage of the swindle, from the put-up all the way to the fix, and how we can train ourselves to spot a story that isn’t all it seems.
More about
the book
Con men are artists of persuasion and exploiters of trust. They hold a deep, enigmatic fascination for us. But how do they do it?
Whether it’s a suspicious-looking email or a multimillion-dollar global swindle, Maria Konnikova investigates the psychological principles that underlie each stage of the confidence game and the profile of both the con artist and his mark. We learn how grifters can be so persuasive, even to those of us who consider ourselves immune, and how we can train ourselves to discern the signs of a story that isn’t quite what it seems. Insightful and entertaining, telling fascinating stories about some of the most seductive imposters in history, The Confidence Game takes us into the world of the con to examine not only why we believe in confidence artists but how our sense of truth can be manipulated by those around us.
Remarkable . . . The Confidence Game will widen your eyes and sharpen your mind
Daniel H. Pink
In a world of pseudoscience, Maria Konnikova's calm rationality is comforting and smart
Jon Ronson
As an invaluable resource for understanding the conditions that create the scammer, the mechanics of the scam and the inherent vulnerability of the mark, The Confidence Game should be required reading . . . Given the current state of democracies around the globe, it should also be a prerequisite for voting
If you liked Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, you'll love this lucid and revelatory look into our oh-so-susceptible selves
Erik Larson
author of The Devil in the White CityThe story of the con artist may be unmatched for combining human interest with insight into human nature, and star psychology writer Maria Konnikova explains their wiles to us with her characteristic clarity, flair and depth
Steven Pinker
One of the best science writers of our time
There's a lot to be learned about human nature from the con's enduring success. And Konnikova is an insightful analyst of the dark art of the scam. Konnikova has learned at least one thing from the con artists she studied: Always leave your marks wanting more
Fascinating stories of some fantastically elaborate cons
If you liked Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, you'll love this lucid and revelatory look into our oh-so-susceptible selves
Erik Larson
author of The Devil in the White CityIn this remarkable book, Maria Konnikova shows that human beings are hardwired to believe - often to our peril. With a deft mix of stories and studies, she explores what that means for how we think and, ultimately, who we are. Deeply researched and elegantly written, The Confidence Game will widen your eyes and sharpen your mind
Daniel H. Pink
author of Drive and To Sell is HumanA compelling, engrossing account of the world of the con. I stayed up far too late reading it. Beautifully written, and filled with stories and thought-provoking psychological research, The Confidence Game will teach you how confidence artists operate - and how to outwit them
Charles Duhigg
author of The Power of HabitAn enthralling read about why we're all vulnerable to deception, by one of the truly gifted social science writers of our time. This book shook my confidence in my ability to detect fraud - and then showed me how to improve my skills
Adam Grant
author of Give and Take and Originals
Maria Konnikova
View profileMaria Konnikova was born in Moscow and grew up in the United States. Her first book, Mastermind, was a New York Times bestseller. She is a contributing writer for The New Yorker, where she writes a regular column with a focus on psychology and culture, and her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Scientific American MIND and The Smithsonian, among numerous other publications.
Maria Konnikova
View profileMaria Konnikova was born in Moscow and grew up in the United States. Her first book, Mastermind, was a New York Times bestseller. She is a contributing writer for The New Yorker, where she writes a regular column with a focus on psychology and culture, and her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Scientific American MINDand The Smithsonian, among numerous other publications.
Maria Konnikova
View profileMaria Konnikova was born in Moscow and grew up in the United States. Her first book, Mastermind, was a New York Times bestseller. She is a contributing writer for The New Yorker, where she writes a regular column with a focus on psychology and culture, and her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Scientific American MIND and The Smithsonian, among numerous other publications. Maria graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and received her PhD in psychology from Columbia University. She is currently a Schachter Writing Fellow at Columbia University’s Motivation Science Center and lives in New York City.
www.mariakonnikova.com
