Books › The mask of sanity
The mask of sanity
596 pages
A sobering, clinical exploration of the chilling facade of normalcy that hides profound psychological detachment.
What it feels like
Reading this foundational psychiatric text feels like stepping into a clinical observation room. The pace is steady and deliberate, guided by an analytical and objective tone that seeks to demystify the complex realities of antisocial personality disorders. Rather than sensationalizing its subject, the book immerses the reader in a sobering, intellectual atmosphere, carefully peeling back the facade of normalcy to reveal the profound detachment beneath. The prose is precise and academic, designed for educational clarity rather than narrative flair. It offers a fascinating, if chilling, journey from basic curiosity to a deep, clinical understanding of psychopathy and the legal definitions of insanity. This is a compelling read for psychology students, medical professionals, and anyone drawn to the stark, unvarnished realities of mental illness.
- Mood
- sobering
- intellectual
- detached
- chilling
- Tone
- clinical
- analytical
- objective
- serious
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the facade of normalcy · clinical observation · legal versus medical insanity · the nature of psychopathy
- The writing
- Clinical, academic, and precise, focused on clarifying complex psychiatric concepts for educational purposes.
- The arc
- Moves from a foundational curiosity about human behavior to a sobering understanding of profound psychological detachment.
- Who it's for
- Students of psychology, psychiatry professionals, and readers fascinated by the clinical realities of antisocial personality disorders.
Content notes
- discussions of mental illness
- antisocial behavior
- psychopathy
About the book
THE MASK OF SANITY An Attempt to Clarify Some Issues About the So-Called Psychopathic Personality Hervey Cleckley, M.D. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga.; author of The Caricature of Love and of The Three Faces of Eve (with Corbett H. Thigpen) Fifth Edition: private printing for non-profit educational use EMILY S. CLECKLEY Augusta, Georgia-1988 Fifth Edition Copyright 1988 Emily S. Cleckley Previous edition copyrighted 1941, 1950, 1955, 1964, 1976 by the C.V. Mosby Co. Cleckley, Hervey Milton, 1903-1984 The Mask of Sanity ISBN 0-9621519-0-4 Scanned facsimile produced for non-profit educational use
Description from Open Library.
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