a book

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

Name: The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence
Rating: 5 (9 reviews)
Author: Gavin de Becker
ISBN: 9780440508830

Gavin de Becker · 2000 · 384 pages

True fear is a gift.
Unwarranted fear is a curse.
Learn how to tell the difference.

A date won't take "no" for an answer. The new nanny gives a mother an uneasy feeling. A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers unsolicited help. The threat of violence surrounds us every day. But we can protect ourselves, by learning to trust--and act on--our gut instincts.

In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the nation's leading expert on violent behavior, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger--before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including...how to act when approached by a stranger...when you should fear someone close to you...what to do if you are being stalked...how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls...the biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person...and more. Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. It might just save your life.

recommended by 9 people

sourced from public statements

Mike Rowe
“"If you’re wondering what to do to protect yourself... he can tell you that, too. In fact, he told us 25 years ago, in a terrific book called The Gift of Fear, which just happens to be more relevant today than it was then."”↗
Anna Kendrick
“I don’t read a lot of self-help books, but I buy a lot of them. I usually give up when the first chapter hasn’t magically transformed me into someone wonderful. The one exception is Gavin de Becker’s “The Gift of Fear.” It should be required reading for all women, and men for that matter. Maybe men would then get why we reject their advances in poorly lit parking lots — it’s not because we’re bitches, it’s because we don’t want to get murdered.”↗
Lexi Alexander
“@JonZilla___ Get a book called “The Gift of Fear””↗
Nicholas C. Zakas
“If I had a daughter, girlfriend, or wife, I’d highly recommend this book to them. Less useful for men unless you have reason to fear assassination, but an interesting read nonetheless.”↗
Tim Ferriss
David Heinemeier Hansson
Ramit Sethi
Whitney Cummings
Tanya Selvaratnam