Books and information about pathological liars / con-artists?

SmileyChewtrain — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:50:29 -0800

I'm looking for books, articles, movies or documentaries about con-artists / pathological liars. I'm doing research for a project on pathological liars / con artists like the young woman "Hope" who is profiled in the Deception episode of Radiolab, or the woman discussed in this thread.

I am looking for profiles or articles on con-artists (and the psychology thereof) who are more of a pathological liar type than professional short term scammer (card tricks, though I think that there is some overlap). These are the types of folks who tend to live their lives from false identity to false identity. It seems that they are in a different league than the "short con" folks, but I don't know if they are typically called something different.

I am looking for anything on the subject, either fiction or non-fiction.

As I type this, I'm noticing some new headlines on the "Rockefeller" kidnap case which seems to indicate he's one of these con-artist impostors as well.

Help me stop being a liar.

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:27:13 -0800

I don't want to be a liar anymore but I don't know how to stop. Unfortunately, I am really good at lying. I don't even think about it, it just comes out much more easily than truth-telling. I have told very elaborate lies but what really scares me are all the little lies I tell every day. I've been doing this since I was a very young child. I am good at acting and weaving fantasies.

I've never asked anyone but God for help with this. Because how can people trust you once you tell them something like this? I've discussed it with no one, not the closest friends I've ever had (I haven't had many friends though, and I've lied to all of the ones I have had). My family knows about it because I was always getting in trouble for it as a child but I still fool them a lot of the time. I'm in my late twenties now.

Most of my lies have to do with not disappointing others and simply not trusting them with the truth. I think other people's opinions mean a lot to me so I say whatever I have to say in order to look good in their eyes. On the other hand, I am very independent and spend a lot of time in solitude, at least partly because I do not feel like myself around others. I mean, duh, I lie to them so I'm not myself. I feel especially perverse because sometimes through my lies I get sympathy, but most of the time I just try to achieve invisibility. Like, I am able to shift their focus.

I really scared myself this past Monday. My family expected me to attend a function and I decided that I wasn't going to go. I'd begged off from too many other things by simply lying "I have a headache" so this time I went further, so no one could question me or give me that disappointed look. So I said I'd been vomiting blood and had them take me to the hospital. I ended up with tubes down my throat, anally probed and going through a lot of pain, but I still didn't feel how crazy it was. And that's why I'm scared. I'm just way too comfortable with all this.

I've been in and out of therapy for years and I have a therapist I think I can trust, although I can't remember if I've told her any lies. I'm going to be seeing her for my regular appointment in the next few days, and I just can't go on lying like this. I know it's not going to be an easy habit to break but I don't even know where to begin. I don't feel like a whole person and strangely enough I am really dedicated to integrity. Can anyone help me? No need to be gentle.

I have a gmail at needyouradviceplease@gmail.com (I've used it for an anonymous question before but I don't mind the connection).

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Books and information about pathological liars / con-artists?

Help me stop being a liar.