This book and the conference out of which much of it arose have been dedicated to the memory of a man who, perhaps more than anyone this century, committed his professional life to the understanding of psychopathy. Hervey Cleckley recognized the profound intrapsychic deficit which lies below the psychopath's facade of calm and confidence. Sometimes he carried out his work in the halls of academe. More often he was involved in psychiatric practice, with the people - patients and families - at the center of the practical issues.
