The Manipulative Man
by Dorothy McCoy, Ed.D.
Published by Adams Media
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Connie Anderson
Subtitled: Identify His Behavior, Counter the Abuse, Regain Control
Written for women, The Manipulative Man is a detailed breakdown of the various kinds of men (behaviors). The subtitle really says it all, giving women help with these three main areas of identifying, countering and regaining.
The types are:
-- Mama's Boy
-- The Workaholic
-- The Eternal Jock
-- The Dependent Man (Woe-is-me complex)
-- Exciting Risk Taker & Full-blown Antisocial
-- The Womanizer
-- The Passive-Aggressive Man
-- The Narcissist
-- The Psychopath (and she says they are NOT all in prison)
-- Violent Manipulator
The last section is about why you might have chosen Mr. Wrong and how to make new choices--how to avoid the manipulation trap.
In each of the "kind of guys" section listed above, the author thoroughly explains the traits, behaviors, beliefs of each every guy does not have all traits), including their manipulative techniques.
Read the case studies, you can clearly see and hear the interaction and help you identify these kinds of guys. Most of the interactions are frustrated women who have already married one of these guys. The test at the end of each chapter will help you "score" him and what the score means.
Dr. McCoy explains that it's all about rules, consequences (likes like parenting) in dating or marrying these types. And the bottom line is: What do you want to do?
Some of this information was so real, so scary the book should carry a warning labels that says: Don't Read This Alone, in the Dark!
In Eternal Jock, for example, the popular athlete who all the girls wanted to date in high school and college, does not make a good husband and father until he "grows up" and realizes that THAT THE GAME OF LIFE can be exciting and give him the praise and attention his type needs.
Who should read this book? My copy goes to a single daughter and I've suggested to several dating friends why need to get their own copy--it's that good. It is like "Man 101" for all its easy-to-understand insights.
Armchair Interviews says: A woman of any age who is dating can learn a lot about men before it's too late--and she's been latched onto by one of these manipulators.