The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence
by: Gavin De Becker
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Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and everyfew seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffershooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed withguns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usuallyfeel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. Theymay distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that savestheir lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Beckerbelieves we can all learn to recognize these signals of the"universal code of violence," and use them as tools to helpus survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of apotential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with theproblem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies aregripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similarsituations.
People don't just "snap" and become violent,says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies,celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women."There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, aswater coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is thecornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychologyof violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price
Product Description:
A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers to help carrya woman's groceries. Is he a good Samaritan or is he after somethingelse? A fired employee says "You'll be sorry." Will he return with agun? After their first date, a man tells a woman it is their "destiny"to be married. What will he do when she won't see him again? A motherhas an uneasy feeling about the nice babysitter she's justhired. Should she not go to work today?
These days, no one in America feels immune to violence. But now, inthis extraordinary groundbreaking book, the nation's leading expert onpredicting violent behavior unlocks the puzzle of human violence andshows that, like every creature on earth, we have within us theability to predict the harm others might do us and get out of itsway. Contrary to popular myth, human violence almost always has adiscernible motive and is preceded by clear warning signs. Throughdozens of compelling examples from his own career, Gavin de Beckerteaches us how to read the signs, using our most basic but often mostdiscounted survival skill - our intuition. The Gift of Fear is aremarkable, unique combination of practical guidance on leading asafer life and profound insight into human behavior.
Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and everyfew seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffershooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed withguns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usuallyfeel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. Theymay distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that savestheir lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Beckerbelieves we can all learn to recognize these signals of the"universal code of violence," and use them as tools to helpus survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of apotential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with theproblem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies aregripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similarsituations.
People don't just "snap" and become violent,says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies,celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women."There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, aswater coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is thecornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychologyof violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price
Product Description:
A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers to help carrya woman's groceries. Is he a good Samaritan or is he after somethingelse? A fired employee says "You'll be sorry." Will he return with agun? After their first date, a man tells a woman it is their "destiny"to be married. What will he do when she won't see him again? A motherhas an uneasy feeling about the nice babysitter she's justhired. Should she not go to work today?
These days, no one in America feels immune to violence. But now, inthis extraordinary groundbreaking book, the nation's leading expert onpredicting violent behavior unlocks the puzzle of human violence andshows that, like every creature on earth, we have within us theability to predict the harm others might do us and get out of itsway. Contrary to popular myth, human violence almost always has adiscernible motive and is preceded by clear warning signs. Throughdozens of compelling examples from his own career, Gavin de Beckerteaches us how to read the signs, using our most basic but often mostdiscounted survival skill - our intuition. The Gift of Fear is aremarkable, unique combination of practical guidance on leading asafer life and profound insight into human behavior.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- A dose of necessary realism and practical wisdom.Information that could save your life.
I think just the fact that this book has over 325 high reviews by a wide of variety of people including law enforcement, psychologists, etc., speaks more loudly than anything I could write here.However,I would like to add my two cents that it is a book with information that could literally save your life.It is interesting, engaging and full of real life stories.A complimentary book for those that are dating is Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That ... Read More
Rating: - A flaw in Western Rationalism, ignoring legitimate Fear
Western Culture is filled with rationalists who despise superstition and emotionalism, and while we have had great success in applying Reason to science and logic, there is a great danger in making Reason the measure of all things.
In this book, De Backer makes the case that there is another part of our mind that we should listen to besides reason, our survival intuition.He likens it to a computer program that runs unseen in the background, picking up on details of our environment that ... Read More
Rating: 
- The Gift of Fear
I bought this book for myself and as a graduation gift for a young women. Excellent information, it should be mandatory reading for all young women.
Rating: - Going with your gut...
As the author points out, there are (usually) warning signs indicating that a violent event may occur.Arguably, teaching someone to recognize these signs (or 'trust their gut' if you will) may save his/her life one day.From that perspective, what do you have to lose (besides, well...).In fact, the premise of this work actually forms the foundation of several 'defensive response' training programs across the country (such as police training).
Clearly, learning to recognize potential ... Read More
Rating: - Better than any self defense class
I've heard the principle behind karate is that ideally you should never have to use it. That's great, so the real question is, "If I don't want to get mugged, and I ideally I shouldn't use karate, what the heck should I use?!"
The answer is in this book.
Simply put: Learn to use your instincts, to sharpen your awareness of your own fear, to recognize real potential danger, and to avoid it.
The book is easy to understand, it dives into the psychology of fear without ... Read More
- A dose of necessary realism and practical wisdom.Information that could save your life.I think just the fact that this book has over 325 high reviews by a wide of variety of people including law enforcement, psychologists, etc., speaks more loudly than anything I could write here.However,I would like to add my two cents that it is a book with information that could literally save your life.It is interesting, engaging and full of real life stories.A complimentary book for those that are dating is Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That ... Read More
- A flaw in Western Rationalism, ignoring legitimate FearWestern Culture is filled with rationalists who despise superstition and emotionalism, and while we have had great success in applying Reason to science and logic, there is a great danger in making Reason the measure of all things.
In this book, De Backer makes the case that there is another part of our mind that we should listen to besides reason, our survival intuition.He likens it to a computer program that runs unseen in the background, picking up on details of our environment that ... Read More
- The Gift of FearI bought this book for myself and as a graduation gift for a young women. Excellent information, it should be mandatory reading for all young women.
- Going with your gut...As the author points out, there are (usually) warning signs indicating that a violent event may occur.Arguably, teaching someone to recognize these signs (or 'trust their gut' if you will) may save his/her life one day.From that perspective, what do you have to lose (besides, well...).In fact, the premise of this work actually forms the foundation of several 'defensive response' training programs across the country (such as police training).
Clearly, learning to recognize potential ... Read More
- Better than any self defense classI've heard the principle behind karate is that ideally you should never have to use it. That's great, so the real question is, "If I don't want to get mugged, and I ideally I shouldn't use karate, what the heck should I use?!"
The answer is in this book.
Simply put: Learn to use your instincts, to sharpen your awareness of your own fear, to recognize real potential danger, and to avoid it.
The book is easy to understand, it dives into the psychology of fear without ... Read More
