The Devil You Know: Stories of Human Cruelty and Compassion

Internationally renowned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Adshead, with thirty years of experience in prison and secure hospital therapy, offers fresh insights into violence and the mind. Drawing from her extraordinary career, she collaborates with coauthor Eileen Horne to create unflinching portraits of perpetrators, exploring the human capacity for radical empathy, change, and redemption.

From serial homicide to stalking, arson, or sexual offending, Dr. Adshead delves into the motivations behind human cruelty, revealing the complexities and shared humanity of perpetrators who take responsibility for their lives and gain self-awareness. This book, in an era of mass incarceration, mental health cuts, and social schisms, advocates for compassion over condemnation, transforming our ideas about cruelty and violence, and expanding the limits of empathy.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)