4 "interesting, helpful, broad" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Sounds True publishing for an ecopy. This was released September 2020. I am providing an honest review.

Narcissism is one of those overused words that is often used partially incorrectly and often as shorthand. Take the following example:

We might say the following "he/she/they are a complete narcissist" but what we are saying is:

He is an insensitive asshole.
She is such an attention whore.
They are unbearably self centered and insufferable.

So I am going to start with what this is NOT to give readers a better understanding as to what to expect:
-not a deep academic book on narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)
-not a clinical manual in treating general narcissism or NPD
-not a self help book for those who would like to deal with their own narcissism or NPD
-not a self help book for those who have been hurt/abused/damaged by a narcissist

What this book does however is both extremely interesting and important. This is written by an academic who has spent all his working life studying both narcissism and NPD. He covers such a huge swath of this topic in a most excellent, compelling and helpful fashion. He covers the following and so much more

-covers narcissism as a cultural/social/psychological/personality construct
-effectively gets across that narcissism is a spectrum and that most of us have a degree
-when narcissism is effective and helpful
-when narcissism becomes problematic
-the social factors that have contributed to an increase in narcissism in our western world
-when narcissism becomes a personality disorder (NPD)
-differing subtypes of NPD -malignant, grandiose, vulnerable, mixed and communal
-how narcissists present in workplaces, families and the world at large
-narcissists in positions of power and influence (unfortunately way too many)
-general strategies to deal with narcissism in others and for those with insight: themselves
-a look at parenting, geek culture, celebrity culture and social media as factors in narcissism
-how narcissism can hurt not only loved ones but society in general
-treatment methods in treating NPD
-many examples given in politics, entertainment, books and movies to deepen understanding

I did not share the author's hope, however, that this is a somewhat fixable problem on a larger societal level or even on a personal one. Most of us grapple with very hurtful and malignant people at various points in our life and the damage they cause sometimes cannot be healed or ameliorated.

A fascinating look at this societal challenge and an excellent primer for the general reader as well as those working in forensic and mental health settings.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my degrees is in Neuroscience, so I have a bit of a background and interest in psychology. That being said, I found this book a bit of a primer on narcissism. It's an excellent book for examining the study of personality psychology and how narcissism fits into the puzzle - and how the puzzle of personality can create a narcissist. However, if you're looking for something more scientific or dense, this isn't the book. This is definitely for the layperson, which isn't a bad thing - it's very readable, almost conversational, and it makes the material very easy to understand as such.

Renowned social psychologist and professor in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Dr W. Keith Campbell, is best known for over three decades of research and writing on the rise of narcissism and its influence on every level of society. In The New Science of Narcissism: Understanding One of the Greatest Psychological Challenges of Our Time―and What You Can Do About It, he presents the latest scientific understanding of narcissism and its various forms, the spectrum of narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the “big five” personality traits and the importance of balance, the malleability of our personalities and the possibility for change, and more.

Narcissism is one of the most popular buzzwords of our time—but what is it, really? According to W. Keith Campbell, there’s an important reason why the term is on everyone’s mind: narcissism has quietly grown to near-epidemic proportions across the globe, impacting every sector of society from business and politics to education and medicine. In the midst of this upsurge, he hopes to dispel the myths and mistaken assumptions about narcissism. In The New Science of Narcissism, Campbell pulls back the curtain on this frequently misused label, presenting the most recent psychological, personality, and social research. He reveals that not only does narcissism occur on a spectrum, almost everyone exhibits narcissistic tendencies in their day-to-day behaviour.

Drawing from real-life incidents and case studies, The New Science of Narcissism offers tools, tips, and suggestions for dealing skillfully with behaviours on all points of the narcissistic spectrum. Dr Campbell also examines the recent spike in these tendencies in public spaces such as social media and niche subcultures.
When dealing with narcissism and other personality disorders, knowledge truly is power. With The New Science of Narcissism, you can cut through the fog of misunderstanding, discover that narcissism is not insurmountable, and move toward healthier, happier relationships. This is a fascinating, nuanced and multilayered look at narcissism which is written is an accessible, conversational style and is a deep dive into the topic rather than merely skimming the surface. Offering tips to those who live with or know a narcissist, this is a must-read if you are looking to understand said person better. Many thanks to Sounds True for an ARC.

This is an interesting discussion of narcissism and offers some alternative interpretations than the exclusively negative. Good review of research into the area and the book offers different forms of narcissism and their underlying traits. The links to popular culture makes the book more accessible to lay readers. At times the arguments are a little long winded but generally a good book about a controversial subject.

WOW, I absolutely loved this book. Filled with fascinating insights, The New Science of Narcissism explores how self-obsession works on a psychological level, the DSM criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the ways that this disorder is widely misunderstood and stereotyped, as well as how it shows up in our everyday lives. If you actually want to learn how to deal with a narcissist, this book is for you. If you want to learn more about how the narcissist operates psychologically and why he or she thinks the way they do, this book is for you. Easily the best book I've ever read on the subject.

"The New Science of Narcissism" is a book of profound insights and depth that will help you explore the topic of narcissism with all of its rich complexity. With exquisite prose, detailed stories, and thought provoking principles, this book will open your eyes to a phenomenon that is all around you (and sometimes within you). It is eye-opening. I highly recommend it!

An absorbing and widely accessible overview of the state-of-the-art in the scientific study of narcissism and its sprawling cultural permeation by a leading expert, as well as an excellent primer on personality psychology, replete with insightful suggestions and tips on how to contend with the trait's varying manifestations in others and in oneself. The book also includes surveys of the leading treatment options for narcissism, future directions in research on narcissism, a selective bibliography of key research to explore, and a survey of future directions. Most chapters helpfully close with two extra sections -- "Nerd Herd" and "inside Scoop" -- which go deeper into the research discussed and offer a closer look at discussion and debate among researchers. This book is not only professionally useful to me as an academic librarian who provides research assistance to psychology students and faculty, but personally illuminating in providing greater social situational awareness. So I will not only be recommending this book to students, but quite widely to colleagues, family, friends and acquaintances.