“Understanding & Surviving Covert Narcissism” by Christine Kennedy offers an insightful exploration into the subtle and often overlooked form of narcissistic abuse perpetrated by covert narcissists.
The book provides an essential guide to identifying, understanding, and dealing with covert narcissists across various life domains, including personal relationships, family dynamics, and professional environments.
Table of Contents
Features
Kennedy’s book is structured into well-organized chapters that cover the definition and characteristics of covert narcissism, the psychology of the disorder, and the practical strategies for those dealing with covert narcissists.
If you’ve ever dealt with one of these types, the information will hit home.
Strengths
One of the book’s major strengths is its depth of detail in describing the nuanced behaviors of covert narcissists.
Kennedy excels in making complex psychological concepts understandable to a general audience.
She has the personality type she covers very well figured out.
Another strength is the book’s practical approach, providing readers with actionable advice on setting boundaries and disentangling themselves from the manipulative grasp of a covert narcissist.
The writing style is also strong and empathetic.
There are no walls of text and it’s organized very well, making it a good read and a fun page-turner for a self-help book.
Weaknesses
Some of the book’s information is repeated, though it can be helpful for those who skip around chapters or select the ones most relevant to them.
Additionally, the book sometimes goes into overly specific scenarios that may not resonate universally.
Final Review and Commentary
Kennedy’s book is an essential read for anyone suspecting they are dealing with a covert narcissist.
The detailed content is both enlightening and educational like her other works on narcissism (example and example), offering a beacon of hope and empowerment for victims of such hidden abuse.
“Understanding & Surviving Covert Narcissism” achieves an excellent balance between information and practical application, making it a valuable resource for both professionals and laypersons. The minor detractions in repetitiveness and occasional over-specificity do little to diminish the overall utility of the book, warranting a high recommendation with a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Overall, narcissist slayer Christine Kennedy puts these sneaky types in their place. A great read for anyone wanting to learn about, identify, handle, or heal from the covertly toxic and avoid them going forward
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
