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Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother's Boyfriend | 
 enlarge | Author: Barbara Oakley
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Category: Book
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $12.89
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Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 480
Media: Paperback
Pages: 473
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 1591026652
Dewey Decimal Number: 576
EAN: 9781591026655
ASIN: 1591026652
Publication Date: October 21, 2008
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Product Description
Have you ever met a person who left you wondering, 'How could someone be so twisted? So evil?' Prompted by clues in her sister's diary after her mysterious death, author Barbara Oakley takes the reader inside the head of the kinds of malevolent people you know, perhaps all too well, but could never understand. Starting with psychology as a frame of reference, Oakley uses cutting-edge images of the working brain to provide startling support for the idea that 'evil' people act the way they do mainly as the result of a dysfunction. In fact, some deceitful, manipulative, and even sadistic behaviour appears to be programmed genetically - suggesting that some people really are born to be bad. But there are unexpected fringe benefits to 'evil genes'. We may not like them - but we literally can't live without them.Oakley deftly ties together the big picture implications of revolutionary neuroscientific and genetic discoveries, showing the eerily similar behavioural tics of Mao, Stalin, Hitler, and Slobodan Milosevic. The dramatic recent scientific findings presented in "Evil Genes" shed light not only on dictators far afield, but on politics at home, as well as business, religion, and everyday life. In fact, history itself has been shaped by the strange confluence of genes and environment that science is just now beginning to understand.Oakley links the latest findings of molecular research to a wide array of seemingly unrelated historical and current phenomena, from the harems of the Ottomans and the chummy jokes of 'Uncle Joe' Stalin, to the remarkable memory of investor Warren Buffet. Throughout, she never loses sight of the personal cost of evil genes as she unravels the mystery surrounding her sister's enigmatic life - and death. "Evil Genes" is a tour-de-force of popular science writing that brilliantly melds scientific research with intriguing family history and puts both a human and scientific face to evil.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
Controversial yet helpful diagnosis and prognosis November 16, 2008
Brian Wright (Merrimack, NH USA)
Evil Genes provides a solid presentation of some of the issues that presently attend the prospects or desirability of intentionally altering behavior genetically. As important, the author goes through the science and engineering that is becoming available to do just that. Finally, she fleshes out (esp. with her own sister's story) how the disturbed personality can function for virtually his/her entire life as "successfully sinister;" she gives us several signs for knowing a borderline when we encounter one... along with coping strategies. br / br /It's a first-rate book with a first-class index and useful appendix material. I do find myself wishing for more explicit, extensive treatment of the whole area of psychological gene therapy. br / br /... br / br /For my complete review of this book and for other book and movie br /reviews, please visit my site [...] br / br /Brian Wright br /Copyright 2008 br / br /
 a must read September 23, 2008
Rumi (Denver, CO USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a psychologist who works with narcissists, so I wasn't sure I'd learn much from this book. In fact, it put so much in perspective. This book is especially a must-read for understanding that tyranny will only be stopped in this world if we recognize evil folks. Successful tyrants such as Iran's leader are often very smart. They know how to con folks into thinking they are harmless--as Putin conned Bush and as Stalin conned Churchill into thinking they were lovely gentlemen.
Science Made Sensible September 8, 2008
Maria Reginelli (Shreveport, Louisiana)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Dr. Oakley does a great review of the research, enriching it with her personal anecdotes and relating it to well known villains. Recommended for those who wonder how "anyone could do that terrible thing!"
Understanding Mean People August 22, 2008
Pat Munday (Butte America)
This is a good book, and it is based on abundant scientific studies. While I don't buy into the "strong programme" of sociobiology -- whereby behavior is 100% genetically determined -- this book helped me understand a family member and various colleagues with deep psychological problems. br / br /Note that Machiavellianism is not equivalent to Machiavelli as a historic character. The "-ism" as acquired cultural meaning that transcends M's intentions. That's how it is: ideas are like babies we raise and turn loose into the world: they grow take on a life of their own. br / br /For years, I tried to fathom how so many borderline sociopaths can become so professionally successful. Oakley provides good insights into how this occurs. br / br /Sadly, there does not seem to be any "fix." While we can understand bullies and mean people in the workplace, it would be nice to DO something about the problem. But Oakley explains, to some degree, this problem too: many people simply do not/will not join hands with others to stand up against evil. Most of us have a genetic (and environmentally reinforced) tendency to back down from conflict, fear criticizing others who might then attack us, and -- worst of all -- ally with others who are strong, bullying personality types.
 Ramblings of an Amateur August 3, 2008
Redmond Geek
13 out of 29 found this review helpful
Another reviewer put this book in the same class as works by Oliver Sacks. I hardly think that this kind of "Sunday supplement" journalism -- written by an amateur with no formal training in genetics, neuroscience, or psychiatric diagnosis -- should be compared to the careful, methodical thinking of someone like Oliver Sacks. br / br /Oakley's book is motivated by her deep desire to create a narrative that explains her own personal/family history. For whatver reason, she finds a "scientific" narrative to be the most comfortable. Starting from that basis, she creates a large, shakey structure that (miraculously) ties her "evil" sister to the likes of Hitler, Machiavelli, and Slobodan Milosevic. br / br /What's appalling is that someone with legitimate engineering credentials would jump to the kinds of unfounded conclusions that Oakley reaches in this book. br / br /Finally, this probably would have been a two-star review instead of a one-star, except that the author's writing style is so abysmal.
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