Title: The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from ViolenceAuthor: Gavin de Becker
First Published: January 1, 1997
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 402
Genre: Non-Fiction, Science, Self-Help, True Crime
Format: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Rating:
Synopsis:
A carjacker lurking in a shopping mall parking lot. An abusive husband pounding on the door. A disgruntled employee brandishing a gun. These days, no one is safe from the specter of violence. But according to Gavin de Becker, everyone can feel safer, act safer, be safer — if they learn how to listen to their own sixth sense about danger.
De Becker has made a career of protecting people and predicting violent behavior. His firm handles security for many of the leading figures in Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and his computerized risk-assessment system helps analyze threats to members of Congress and the Supreme Court. Now, in this unprecedented guide, de Becker shares his expertise with everyone. Covering all the dangerous situations people typically face — street crime, domestic abuse, violence in the workplace — de Becker provides real-life examples and offers specific advice on restraining orders, self-defense, and more. But the key to self-protection, he demonstrates, is learning how to trust our own intuitions. For everyone who's ever felt threatened, this book is essential reading.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
I struggled to articulate my feelings on this book to write a proper review, it’s an incredible book that I still think about a decade after I first read it. This book is regularly brought up on online discussions about abuse and how victims can protect themselves, which is how I found it, and I’m thankful for it. I couldn’t put the book down! Despite the book’s age, it remains relevant today.
The singular message of this book is to trust your instincts, especially in situations that could be potentially dangerous, and to never disregard any uncomfortable feelings. The author tries to separate fear from anxiety and highlight how our natural fear response is often our best weapon in predicting outcomes. He uses both personal experience from the myriad of cases he’s worked on, along with high-profile celebrity cases to illustrate his points, and discusses the failures of the justice system in preventing crime.
This book is packed with practical advice on how to handle issues of abuse, stalking, harassment, and avoiding conflict. It’s made me rethink the “self-help” genre, which tends to be packed with empty motivational books. At times the book could be a little bit repetitive, but it was only to reiterate the important pieces, particularly about trusting yourself. I feel comfortable saying that if you only read one self-help book ever, it should be this one.
Quote
“As the most powerful people in history, we have climbed to the top of the world food chain, so to speak. Facing not one single enemy or predator who poses to us any danger of consequence, we’ve found the only prey left: ourselves.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Gavin de Becker
Gavin de Becker is an expert on the prediction and management of violence. He has served on President’s Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Governor’s Advisory Board at the California Department of Mental Health; he now runs a consulting firm which advises government agencies, universities, police departments, corporations, and media figures on the assessment of threats and hazards.
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