The Confidence Game

Why We Fall for It...Every Time

By: Maria Konnikova

Narrated by: Maria Konnikova

Think you can’t get conned? Think again. The New York Times best-selling author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes explains how to spot the con before they spot you.

A compelling investigation into the minds, motives, and methods of con artists - and the people who fall for their cons over and over again.

While cheats and swindlers may be a dime a dozen, true conmen - the Bernie Madoffs, the Jim Bakkers, the Lance Armstrongs - are elegant, outsized personalities, artists of persuasion, and exploiters of trust. How do they do it? Why are they successful? And what keeps us falling for it, over and over again? These are the questions that journalist and psychologist Maria Konnikova tackles in her mesmerizing new book.

From multimillion-dollar Ponzi schemes to small-time frauds, Konnikova pulls together a selection of fascinating stories to demonstrate what all cons share in common, drawing on scientific, dramatic, and psychological perspectives. Insightful and gripping, the audiobook brings listeners into the world of the con, examining the relationship between artist and victim. The Confidence Game asks not only why we believe con artists, but also examines the very act of believing and how our sense of truth can be manipulated by those around us.

©2016 Maria Konnikova (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"It’s a startling and disconcerting read that should make you think twice every time a friend of a friend offers you the opportunity of a lifetime.” (Erik Larson, number one New York Times best-selling author of Dead Wake and best-selling author of Devil in the White City)

“With meticulous research and a facility for storytelling, Konnikova makes this intriguing topic absolutely riveting.” (Kirkus, starred review)

"Told with vigor and enthusiasm, this study of the psychology of the con artist is riveting and cleverly told.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

A Good Book

This could have been a great book. However the stories were broken up and research findings (which are excellent in themselves) interspersed - or there was another aside. It took excellent materiel and broke it up into a bit of a rambling. Excellent narrator. Excellent materiel presented in a sub-optimal way. Perhaps the printed version is better.

Required reading for all humans!

This is the kind of book everyone should read at some point in their lives. We all fall victim to some kind of con at some point in our lives and understanding our weaknesses can help avoid them or at least extricate ourselves.

Voice Quality Unlistenable

Whether or not this book is as insightful and entertaining as it is purported to be…. I will never know as a result of the harsh, brittle and over-compressed quality of the recording. I found the narration grating and irritating and ultimately unlistenable.

Not as good as her poker book

To me, this book seemed to wander, without any great organization or conclusions. Her poker book is much better.

Well Researched, Story Bit Scattered, Narrator Sad

Unfortunately Konnikova kills her own book by narrating it herself. Her style of speaking is sleepy, sad and almost distracted or vacant. As much as a I found the content fascinating I would get lost listening or even forget to listen. Her voice lacks variation in pitch and suggests she doesn't find the material interesting herself. Clearly she does find it interesting as do I but hiring a narrator who understands her voice but modulates it for audiences would be a more successful solution. Generally I enjoyed the writing, insight, links and research....especially the psychological insight. One quality in her writing i disliked was the jumping around from story to story...explaining a bit then transitioning. My suspicion is this was a tactic to allow it seem like a full "book" rather than a colleciton of essays. It works for sales I guess but does the reader little advantage especially for an audio book.

A Lot of Setup; Message gets Lost

I really am interested in this topic and wanted to love this book, but the way it is presented irritates me. The author goes off to give too much detail and I am fast forwarding through most of it.. I think I am going to have to return this one; I won't ever be able to learn why we fall for the con every time because I can't stick with the narrative.

Why do authors think they can narrate?

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I can't even get through the first chapter of this book. The narration is awful. the ONLY author who can narrate is David McCullough. Ms Konnikova is no David McCullough.

Would you recommend The Confidence Game to your friends? Why or why not?

No. Leave the narration to professionals.

What didn’t you like about Maria Konnikova’s performance?

Thin, breathless (and not in a good way). You think about how awful the narration is rather than the story.

Do you think The Confidence Game needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

NO.

I'm Confident You'll Enjoy It

What made the experience of listening to The Confidence Game the most enjoyable?

Combining real life anecdotes of cons with references to university studies into human psychology makes the material in The Confidence Game accessible and entertaining.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Confidence Game?

The story involving the West Village "psychic" who fleeced her marks for tens of thousands of dollars and was then arrested, tried, and convicted was particularly poignant for me, because as a resident of Manhattan, I have passed by the building in which the con operated many times and have long been aware that all such operations are fraudulent, but I didn't realize the scope of the deception until listening this book.

Have you listened to any of Maria Konnikova’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was the first.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Confidence Game: Everyone's A Mark
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Marc Anthony

Any additional comments?

The Confidence Game really was an eye-opener for me. I feel much better equipped to recognize the hallmarks of a confidence scheme and to avoid being taken in by the artifice, ruse, and subterfuge of the unscrupulous grifters and charlatans among us. Kudos to Maria Konnikova for writing this excellent book and to Penguin for publishing it.

Belief is not optional!

Ms. Konnikova is brilliant. Brilliant, in the sense that you need to study her work, words, and wisdom. If you're looking for an easy read/listen, she's probably too much for you, but if you want to grow and be challenged, she’s got you covered. There are fundamentals within human interaction that, when harnessed, give power to the deceiver over the believer. Ms. Konnikova reveals these subtle and devious skills artfully. The Confidence Game is remarkable!

Surprisingly awesome

I almost didn't listen to it after I read some of the reviews, but I was quickly captivated. Konnikova writes beautifully and with talented flair. I have not read (or listened) to anything on the topic before, but even if I had, I would have been impressed by her clear and enthralling prose. I fully recommend!