The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence

These days, no one in America feels immune to violence. But now, in this extraordinary groundbreaking book, the nation's leading expert on predicting violent behavior unlocks the puzzle of human violence and shows that, like every creature on earth, we have within us the ability to predict the harm others might do us and get out of its way. Contrary to popular myth, human violence almost always has a discernible motive and is preceded by clear warning signs. Through dozens of compelling examples from his own career, Gavin de Becker teaches us how to read the signs, using our most basic but often most discounted survival skill - our intuition. The Gift of Fear is a remarkable, unique combination of practical guidance on leading a safer life and profound insight into human behavior.

Amazon.com Review
Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.

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, as water coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is the cornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychology of violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Gift of Fear, 2008-12-02
A must read for every women. Never live in fear again by learning to trust your inner instinct.The Gift of Fear


1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Somewhat helpful to women, but too much anti-gun propaganda, 2008-11-28
I'll keep this review short and sweet:

I bought this book not only to get some insight into how/when I need to go into "defensive" mode regarding strangers and their intentions, but also to give it to my attractive younger single sister who is now living alone in a big city.

For her, it may be of some help, though she's a pretty smart cookie and is naturally suspicious of men and their motives. Some of the stories are irrelevant, and unless you are a celebrity or are protecting one, I don't understand why so much time was devoted to that minority of the population and their particular issues.

However, the glaring and unnecessary parts about firearms was what elicited this review and the low rating it got. This is NOT supposed to be a book extolling or criticizing the use of firearms. There are other more detailed and scholarly works that go into this. Whether you are for or against the use of a firearm for self-defense is irrelevant here - the author uses his book as a soapbox to give his personal opinions on the matter, and uses flawed logic and bias to push his own views, which could get someone killed. He waits until the end of the book, after he has won you over with his words and deeds and gained your trust. Then he tells you that firearms are always bad, that you should do things to them if you DO decide to keep them around that render them totally useless to you if you should need them. He offers no mention of the fact that they are used successfully to war off attacks millions of times a year - he simply relates a few stories where perhaps they may have been inappropriate to the situation, and even these examples are pretty far-fetched and weak.




0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

should be required reading in high school , 2008-11-16
Do your teenager a great service by giving her this book. Pass it along to every woman in your life.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

A great book for all!, 2008-10-24
Gavin De Becker has written a seriously important book for all people, especially women, to read.

Although its content is that of a text book, which should be mandatory reading in all schools, it also written in an engaging style which makes it really easy to read. It's a page-turner.

Ultimately, its message is that people should listen to the inner voice they are born with when encountering all situations and people they encounter throughout their lives. De Becker goes a step further by giving advice as to how to deal with the intricacies of various life situations.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

The Gift of Fear Is the Gift of Awareness, 2008-10-09
Our intuition has been honed through a million years of awareness - from mastodons to murderers. As `sophisticated human beings', we have almost been trained to ignore those signals about danger - the hairs on the back of our neck, the tingling in our fingers, that shortness of breath. This sense of fear is our first signal that all is not right with our world. But we need to acknowledge and pay attention to these physical indications and bring them into our conscious awareness. The author has significant experience in security work, particularly in predicting violent behavior. If we can recognize this `code of violence, then we might be able to prevent it from happening to us. The books is a great `How To" in a unique field of violence prediction and avoidance. deBecker's clients include federal agencies, judges, police and more. He believes that violence is as gradual as boiling water - you just have to know what to do to turn down the heat.

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