The Psychopath Test – Jon Ronson (Picador)
The Psychopath Test is a series of loosely grouped non-fiction stories which reads like a thriller. So it feels strange to be picking out this section of the book, which doesn’t fit that mould at all.
As a passage, it’s no testament to Ronson’s remarkable ability to seek out the strangest situations and individuals. But it does hint at the other thing I love about his writing – the way it takes you along with him as he encounters each new perspective on the topic.
It’s utterly convincing when, for example, Bob Hare tells you psychopaths are practically a second species hiding among us like Cylons. Then you turn to the next chapter, and encounter a completely contradictory perspective, and are won over by that one too. They all kind of plaster over one another, giving The Psychopath Test the texture of a palimpsest.
For me, it’s a reminder of how easy it is to become a third-hand expert on a subject after reading/watching/listening to. And of course, before too long Ronson is reminded of that too – in this case, by a well-argued point from documentary maker Adam Curtis. Once again, you’re totally convinced.
And once again, Ronson moves on quickly enough to give your brain mild whiplash, letting this question mark haunt the rest of the book. It’s a ballsy move for a non-fiction writer, to say the least.
