The Confidence Game: The Psychology of the Con and Why We Fall for It Every Time (Unabridged)
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- £15.99
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- £15.99
Publisher Description
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.
Customer Reviews
A Real Education in Human Nature
I would throughly recommend this book to anyone. It certainly opened my eyes to the fact that regardless of how intelligent, educated or street-wise a person may claim to be, he or she is as susceptible as anyone else to being conned. The author does not confine herself to a taxonomy of the modus operandi of the con-artist but goes much further and illustrates how academic studies have proved how and why such cons are so effective. It is an illuminating illustration into the way in which hope, desire and belief may be invoked and manipulated to serve the interests of others. It examines each stage of the ‘con’ from the time the ‘mark’ is identified until the final ‘blowout’. She has researched material from all over the world and presented it well. It is a book one will definitely want to listen to more than once.