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A review by piedwarbler
The Mind of a Murderer: A glimpse into the darkest corners of the human psyche, from a leading forensic psychiatrist by Richard Taylor
4.0
A wide-ranging and engrossing study of the author’s career in forensic psychiatry. Lots of insights into narcissism, psychopathy, alcoholism and drugs, terrorism, misogyny, and jealousy as motivators to violent crime and murder.
Just occasionally I felt there was too much extraneous detail, and too much going off at a tangent. For example, a half page of writing about Maxine Carr didn’t really go anywhere, and I couldn’t see the reason for including it in the book. However, what I found most interesting was the author’s views on the multiple risk factors for murder and the impact of poor parental attachment in the first 18 months of life.
An important book in aiding our understanding of the impact of government policy in trying to tackle high murder rates.
I was particularly struck by the author’s comment: “If you aren’t a feminist, you will be by the time you finish this book”. Dr Richard Taylor seems a very humane and empathic person; exactly the sort of doctor we need.
Just occasionally I felt there was too much extraneous detail, and too much going off at a tangent. For example, a half page of writing about Maxine Carr didn’t really go anywhere, and I couldn’t see the reason for including it in the book. However, what I found most interesting was the author’s views on the multiple risk factors for murder and the impact of poor parental attachment in the first 18 months of life.
An important book in aiding our understanding of the impact of government policy in trying to tackle high murder rates.
I was particularly struck by the author’s comment: “If you aren’t a feminist, you will be by the time you finish this book”. Dr Richard Taylor seems a very humane and empathic person; exactly the sort of doctor we need.