The Gift of Fear

"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.

"
~ Written on 2008-11-28

"Do your teenager a great service by giving her this book. Pass it along to every woman in your life. "
~ Written on 2008-11-16

"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."
~ Written on 2008-10-24

"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."
~ Written on 2008-10-09

"This book is a must have for your daughters, mothers, gf's, and anyone you want kept safe!"
~ Written on 2008-09-30