The book, "Fearful Symmetry" by Jack Novick and Kerry Kelly Novick, is an excellent book about the development of a masochistic personality deriving from traumatic events in early childhood. It is well-written, clearly stated with plenty of evidence based on childhood observational research and clinical examples. The chapter, "Masochism and the Delusion of Omnipotence" describes very lucidly the psychodynamic underpinnings of the masochistic personality. I recommend this book highly, to clinicians working with self undermining and self endangering patients who seem to delight in thwarting the clinician's every attempt to empathize with them and help them to grow out of their pain-oriented identity.
Highly Recommended!