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The Confidence Game

The Psychology of the Con and Why We Fall for It Every Time

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The Confidence Game

By: Maria Konnikova
Narrated by: Maria Konnikova
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Summary

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.

©2016 Canongate Books Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Psychology & Interactions Game

Critic Reviews

"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)
"If you liked Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, you'll love this lucid and revelatory look into our oh-so-susceptible selves" (ERIK LARSON)
"In 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)
"A 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)
"An 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)
"What magic takes place when a smooth talking stranger convinces you to part with everything you have? Maria Konnikova is a superb storyteller and her tales of conmen and their victims will blow your mind. The Confidence Game is a masterful exploration of human psychology - Konnikova uses the art of the con to explore some striking claims about kindness and cruelty, memory and reputation, the power of stories, and the very nature of the self. This is a brilliant and often unsettling book, and it leaves me with mixed feelings - I'd like everyone to read it, but at the same time, it scares me to think of it falling into the wrong hands" (PAUL BLOOM)
All stars
Most relevant
Great narrator (author) and use of psychology and behavioural economics to explain the how and why of con artist and victims.

Great book

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Very well written book, with great examples of cons and the psychology behind it. Maria Konnikova has definitely put a lot of effort into the research of this book. I enjoyed reading it immensely.

However...

The author narrator mispronounces the word 'thousand". It sounds really petty to call it out, and I get that everybody has their own idioms but this is a book about cons, and as a result the word thousand comes up frequently. When the rest of the narration is so well done it's jarring to hear this one word out of place. Every time I hear it I imagine Ms Konnikova in the audio booth narrating the book saying "and as a result he made off with thouthands upon thouthands of" and the producer saying "Wait, what did you say? Ah, nevermind. Just keep going.".

I don't mean to make fun of anybody's speech impediment or anything like that but the whole job description for narration is reading fluently and pronouncing words properly. It's such a weird thing to get all hung up on. Hopefully it's just me and nobody else thinks it's a big deal because all other aspects of the book are great.

Thouthand

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This is an incredible exploration of an uncomfortable topic that was full of lightbulb moments for me of how extremely naive I am and therefore it was well worth the effort of reading it as it has great depth on this anything but binary subject. Excellent.

Riveting.

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This is actually a psychology or even a bit of philosophy book that is very accessible, understandable, give me a surprising insight about myself and humanity overall

Fantastic psychological book

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