Sociopath
Patric Gagne
Pub Date 4/2/2024

4.0 - 4.5 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of the powerful memoir Sociopath by Patrice Gagne. This is a book that deserves attention for many reasons. I am in awe that this author had the self-awareness, along with the ability to observe her actions and then translate that awareness into such an open and thoughtful memoir. I have gained so much knowledge about how this writer, who self-diagnosed herself as a Sociopath and then confirmed this diagnosis with life-long therapy, learned how to function in life with such a different worldview than most others around her. I was impressed with her strength, her bravery, and her perseverance in trying to understand herself, her antisocial behavior, her lack of guilt, her lack of emotions and then using all of this knowledge to complete her dissertation and share this memoir with others who might benefit from this knowledge. Her stories were interesting and engaging - it was like we were with her, looking right into her consciousness.
I think some areas could be edited - aspects of the book became repetitious. I also think the ending was rushed, as if she felt she shared enough and wanted the next stage in her life to only belong to her and her family. This story gave me a new perspective on mental disorders and will stay with me for a very long time.

Sociopath was an incredible read. It struck the perfect balance between personal stories and academic conversation, which hooked me as a student studying to be a therapist. I also appreciated the chronological order of events to follow directly along with Patrice’s experience! We as readers got to see the lightbulb moments as they were happening, and grow with her as the stories moved forward in time.
The confusion and overlap between diagnoses is relatable, as this is something that I’ve noticed in many, many different kinds of neurodivergence/personality disorders. The work is muddled and constantly evolving to account for new information. Patrice’s desire to be the kind of professional she always wanted is inspiring, and a wonderful reminder of the change that one person can make in the world.
I feel seen as a human being.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and the author Patric Gagne for this ARC copy! A genuinely beautiful read that I’m glad to have experienced.

I found this to be a riveting read because I truly did wonder if Sociopaths can be "reprogrammed" to achieve the emotions they lack, or at least have some semblance of the emotional intelligence to almost be within the range of these emotions, which in the author's case was learning how to cope with their psychological wiring. This book was doubly fascinating because the author shared snippets of their memories that reveal instances of sociopathic behavior that the author could not quite understand, but had to act upon. I really liked the part of the memoir where the author details their effort to cope with their sociopathy through therapeutic techniques.

Sociopath is a memoir written by Patric Gagne, a clinical psychologist with antisocial personality disorder (aka sociopathy). For the first half of this book, I could not put it down and eagerly read through it in one day. The remainder of the book took much longer for me to get through as the writing started to feel repetitive and the pace slowed. The author's writing style is easy to read and interesting, but the memoir could have been cut shorter by taking out repeated stories/sentiments. Overall, I would recommend this book. I just wish it had been better edited!

Mental health topics can be really tricky to write about in an effective way – especially when discussing more complex conditions. When I saw the cover for “Sociopath” by Patric Gagne, I was instantly intrigued. Of course, I’ve heard about sociopathy, but I haven’t read much about it, and I’ve definitely never read a memoir from someone who’s been diagnosed with it.

Gagne is 100 percent honest about what her life has been like living as a sociopath. Her descriptions of daily, suffocating apathy and a lack of traditional emotions is so interesting. As someone who is on the other end of the spectrum (I’m definitely a person who feels too much!), it was fascinating to read what it feels like to exist in a state where feelings like shame, guilt, and remorse are virtually non-existent.

I found the most captivating chapters to be the ones in the beginning of the book where she writes about what it was like as a child realizing her brain worked so differently than most people’s. She had common thoughts about inflicting pain and didn’t understand why other people had huge displays of emotion (especially when it came to things like grief and love). Many of Gagne’s descriptions of her childhood are eerie and confusing, but then they also end up making so much sense later on in the book once Gagne illustrates how a sociopathic brain truly functions.

This memoir worked so well for me because Gagne is really adept at describing her own authentic perspective. You would think that a book about a sociopath would be scary or utterly dark, but Gagne helped open my eyes to the view that sociopaths just have an alternate way of seeing and experiencing the world. If their behaviors are modified so that they’re not harming others or themselves, they can be loving, productive members of society. Like with any mental health diagnosis, it’s so important to focus on the fact that some brains just work differently (not better or worse). And there needs to be much more research conducted into this diagnosis and its potential treatment options.

I commend Gagne for writing this memoir when so much stigma still surrounds sociopathy. Her honesty and courage will help so many people.

*I was given a free preview copy by NetGalley in return for a honest review.

Sociopath, by Patric Gagne, was an interesting read from beginning to end. I initially selected this book because I thought a student of mine could have possibly been a sociopath. However, I was having difficulty finding much information about sociopathy, similar to the author’s experience, so I read this in hopes of being able to better understand a person who shared character traits similar to Patric. As the book continued, I became more intrigued with Patric and her therapy discoveries.

Patric Gagne always felt different than other kids. Her constant apathy led to stress and anxiety; compelling her to act out in destructive ways in order to combat the apathy. When she took an undergrad psychology class at UCLA, she learned about sociopathy and felt that she had finally found the answers she’d been seeking. But when she went to the library to continue researching, she found that there was very little information on sociopathy. In fact, the term sociopathy had been removed from the diagnostic manual, and replaced with psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder, neither of which quite fit the emotional issues that Gagne (and other sociopaths) deal with. Furthermore, the literature considered sociopathy untreatable, which Gagne knew in her heart was not true. Gagne embarked on a deep dive into psychology (eventually obtaining her PhD) in order to learn more about herself and to help others who struggled with the same disorder.

Sociopath was fascinating from start to finish. While primarily a memoir, the information about psychology, sociopathy, and other disorders was both informative and extremely readable. This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read to date, and one of my top reads of 2024 across all genres.

Compelling, brave, informative. The author made great use of metaphors to explain what it’s like to go through life without (much) feeling; without the metaphors, I think I would have had a hard time conceptually understanding what it is really like to be in her shoes, but I thought she did a great job finding ways to explain it to a reader who doesn’t have this particular disorder.

I found the discussion of the differences between sociopathy, psychopathy, and antisocial personality disorder extremely interesting. All of the research presented in this book was very digestible and helped me understand a diagnosis that I’ve never really understood before; my understanding of the word “sociopath” has always been in the colloquial sense.

Note - This was, at times, not the easiest book to read (the cat part especially was rough for me).

PS - are we all wondering who the musician really was?!

Four stars, definitely a book I’d recommend to friends.

Thank you NetGalley for an early-release copy of this book!

This book was fascinating on so many levels. I very much enjoyed reading her story and having my eyes opened to the complexities and differences in the Antisocial Personality Disorder/psychopath/sociopath diagnoses (or lack thereof now). Being in the mental health field myself, I love that the author saw a need for better understanding and representation of a population, and then dedicated her life to doing so. I commend her highly for this!

On the flip side, I have so many questions about what her work with clients looks like given the sociopathy. There are a ton of rules/laws, ethics, and boundaries as counselors/mental health providers that are necessary and inherent to protecting clients and promoting their welfare (beneficence) and doing no harm (nonmaleficence), among many others. There was a part in the book where she did something she knew she shouldn’t do with her clients but did it anyway. So in many ways, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the practitioner piece of things. I’m not at all saying that she can’t or shouldn’t practice, I’m just very curious about what her process looks like given the circumstances she describes.

Out April 2, 2024!

I haven’t read a memoir in a long time, and when I usually read memoirs I tend to stick with funny ones; however, I’ve been on a quest for most of my adult life to better understand sociopathy, psychopathy, and antisocial personalities. Why? Well, some of that curiosity came from dining on a steady true crime diet since I was a pre-teen (I wanted to be a forensic psychologist at one point in time). Then I had some fears early on in my first-born’s development that he might have some issues with being antisocial and wanted to understand him or be prepared to help him. The biggest burst of interest came when one of my best friends postulated that I myself might be on the spectrum of sociopathy and it might be worth looking into (in case you’re wondering, we don’t know–I have too many psychological comorbidities to tell).

When I read the synopsis for this memoir I just knew I needed to read it, because it was a memoir and not yet another pop psychological nonfiction book regurgitating case studies and factoids where I end up rubbing my temples and wishing I was just reading empirical data because at least then I could maybe trust the author wasn’t blowing smoke. I was intrigued: A memoir by a sociopath, cracking herself open and spilling her guts and sewing herself shut again. How compelling.

If you’re wondering: This is an absolutely wonderful book. It’s brutally honest and unflinchingly raw. Gagne shares parts of herself with us readers that she hid for years from anyone. She opens up about absolutely everything, like a fortress that throws open all its doors and proclaims, “Yes, I have a great many skeletons and they are all hidden here! Please stroll about and tour what it’s like to live your life as a sociopath!”

Why did she do it? Because representation matters. Those of us with major mental health issues don’t get a lot of nonfiction material written for us, by us. Gagne grew up in constant psychological stress because no one knew what a sociopath was, even if they threw the word around freely. Now, thanks to her, there’s a book on the shelf where people can find some answers.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Memoir/Nonfiction

I think what Gagne does here is extremely interesting. She is a self diagnosed (by and large) sociopath who proceeds to learn all she can about sociopathy. Her investigation ultimately enables her to accept herself and her perceived differences from other people.

I mostly struggled with accepting the fact that Gagne is labelling herself, and I wonder about the wisdom and necessity of that. She describes serious anxiety that seems to arise from her own lack of feeling - - and this anxiety drives her to do bad things which then creates a feeling of release and relief. As a reader, it was a bit hard to really wrap my arms around a person who claims to be apathetic also having anxiety. If you claim to have minimal feelings, what is anxiety other than a feeling. There's something about her description of herself that seems as though maybe she's on the autism spectrum. Or has a compulsion disorder.

At any rate, her story has a narrative arc that seems a little "made for tv movie", but it also is satisfying in that regard. It felt uplifting in a way that many memoirs (often stories of messy lives that just can't be completely resolved) do not.

A book written about being a sociopath from a sociopath who is a clinical psychologist…. I’m in! If I had to be honest, I was in and ready for some type of serious cringe.

This book is explosive in its own right because as a society, we are obsessed with true crime and instagram/tic tok psychology. We are a society based on assumptions. We do a trial by media then jump on Reddit or tic tok and throw words around that many of us don’t even know the true meaning of. So with that, I found this book to be brave. A true chronicle of what being a sociopath is.

I walked away from this book re-evaluating what I know of sociopaths from the media. Also wishing there was more help for people who are sociopaths. Wishing that we had more help in our society for people on many different aspects and spectrums of mental health. With that, it’s interesting that she worked on her theory that sociopaths are on a spectrum. It makes you wonder if most mental health diagnosis should also be running under a spectrum.

This book was a unique read. The author is incredibly intelligent and brutally honest. Not only to you dive into theories but also how she grew up, what she went through, and her journey through growth and acceptance.

Magnificently crafted!

What an eye-opening book! We all have an idea in our head when we hear the word "sociopath". This revelatory memoir changed my judgmental opinion of a mental illness I actually knew very little about. The author, who is a PhD, takes us through her childhood and shares the behaviors and thoughts in detail, I found it fascinating and illuminating. It's well-written and captured my attention throughout. Pick this one up.

“Darkness is where you least expect it. I am a criminal without a record. I am a master of disguise. I have never been caught. I have rarely been sorry.”

Reading this book is like climbing inside the mind of a sociopath, copping a squat, and observing the wild ride that is mental illness. Fascinating! Utterly fascinating.

Imagine being a child and just inherently knowing that there is something missing within you. Adults don’t get it. Your friends, if you have any, don’t get it. You’re all alone in your thoughts and with your questions. This is the life of this author and I am in awe of her self awareness, especially at such a young age.

The rest of this story is her path to self discovery.

“At the end of the day, the only thing I can do is tell the truth. How people choose to accept the truth is out of my control. Other sociopaths aren’t going to hate me. They’re going to see themselves. Finally.”

Thank you @SimonBooks #SimonBooksBuddy for the free book.

I would like to preface this review by saying thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me an ARC of Sociopath in exchange for my honest opinion.

Patric always knew she was different but didn't know how. Until one day, she learns about sociopaths in her psychology class in college and it all makes sense.

This autobiography was so raw and honest, I loved every page of it. Gagne takes you on a journey from when she was a little girl to today, recalling memories of sociopathic behavior she displayed. She discusses the hardships she faced but shines a light on the way being a sociopath has made her life better. I think it's a common misconception that sociopathy is a "bad" thing, but Patric reminds us it's not. I think this memoir could help with the stigma surrounding mental health, specifically antisocial personality disorders. It's often misinterpreted that people who struggle with these disorders can't have a regular life. Patric proves everyone wrong.

I was truly blown away by this memoir. I am a huge advocate for mental health and I believe this is a must read for everyone. It's written as a memoir but reads very smoothly. This is not dry by any means. This book made me laugh out loud and sometimes cry. If there's anything we can learn from Gagne's memoir let it be this: No matter our circumstances, embrace your differences because that's what makes us unique.

Thank you. Patric for sharing your story with us and being vulnerable. Thank you again to Simon and Schuster for sending me this arc.

It is a wonderfully composed memoir. It is equal parts intriguing and informative. I never thought about the misunderstanding of sociopathy and this made things more clear for me. I recommend this book to anyone who likes memoirs as this is one of the best I have read. I also recommend this to anyone interested in psychology as the information presented was valuable and interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an early copy. This is out on April 2nd and I will be running to the store to buy it!

I am not a huge nonfiction fan. But what I do love is a good nonfiction book which shows how much a person has learned about themselves. And then to see that person rise above their own issues.
This book does that. The author has overcome an amazing stigma. Sociopathy and owning that out loud and in public Is powerfully brave. And the fact that she is using it to help others understand is laudable.
A read for anyone who may be rouched by sociopathy.

I received a ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own

I love reading a good memoir and Patric Gagne's Sociopath didn't disappoint! It's inherently interesting--who wouldn't want to read about sociopathy written by someone who is a sociopath? But the memoir is more than just voyeuristic entertainment. It's smart and engagingly-written. It's also really important, especially because we know so little about sociopathy and what we _think_ we know is often inaccurate.

Gagne explains she knew from an early age that something was "different" about her because didn't have the same feelings about or responses to situations that others had. Where someone else might experience remorse, for example, Gagne experienced only apathy. Over time, the anxiety that develops as a consequence of apathy spurs the sociopath to feel _something_ and that something is usually involves acting out in a socially-unacceptable way. As Gagne explains it: "I can postulate that the pressure I experienced was almost certainly a negative reaction to my lack of feeling, that my urge to act out was most likely my brain's way of trying to jolt itself into some semblance of 'normal.' For Gagne, "acting out" includes lying, stealing, picking locks, breaking into people's homes and stalking. Yet we also see her develop close relationships with people and quell some of her darker impulses. Ultimately, Gagne earns her PhD in Psychology in order to understand herself and bring hope to other sociopaths that they can lead happy lives.

I have to admit there were times while reading this book that I wanted it to move along more quickly. Maybe this is because I've read other memoirs of this type. What I can say without hesitation is that you will be hooked from the start and you'll keep reading because the subject matter is fascinating and because Gagne treats it with the respect and humanity it deserves.

3.5 stars!

As a mental health practitioner, I could not wait to read this book. Big thanks to NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Patric discovers early on that she feels things differently than most other people she knows. This sets her on a course throughout her life to try to relieve the uncomfortable 'internal tension' of absent emotions through low-level criminal activity and eventually to the pursuit of a PhD to research and ultimately attempt to 'raise awareness' around her condition of sociopathy.

I was bored out of my mind during the first half of the book, almost DNF. However, I'm glad I held in because the second half was delightfully entertaining. Much of the book feels completely manufactured, but once I got past that I allowed myself to be taken on this well-written ride. I applaud the author for tackling such a fascinating topic. In the end I found it to be an interesting book worth reading.

This sounded super interesting from the get-go, and it was! Patric Gagne realized as a young child that she felt very differently than other kids and people, and as she dealt with it in different ways growing up her understanding of sociopathy developed and evolved until she eventually decided to go into psychology and specialize in it. A lot of the remembering of childhood experiences is obviously told through the lens of adulthood, and conversations are re-written with good detail according to her memory of them and the impact that particular conversation her on her. I really enjoyed this and appreciated the insight of someone who feels so differently than the majority of people; the discussion of differences between sociopath and psychopath is interesting. My big questions - I want to know who her father is?! Who's "Max"?! What happened with the crazy stalker lady?! Another thought on this is that if she had not been born into privilege, she may not have been able to manage herself and her circumstances the way she did - she had money, opportunities, overall parental support, etc. - Overall this was a really interesting and thought-provoking memoir and I wish her continued success with developing her therapies for sociopathy, which seems so important!