The Gift of Fear

The Gift of Fear
by Gavin De Becker

The Gift of Fear
List Price: $15.00
Category: Book
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Book Summary Information

Author: Gavin De Becker
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1999-05-11
ISBN: 0440508835
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Dell
Product features:

Book Reviews of The Gift of Fear

Book Review: The Gift of Fear
Summary: 5 Stars

An excellent book that every parent should read and learn for their child. Especially if they have a daughter. The book is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Summary of The Gift of Fear

True fear is often a signal that can save your life. Are you listening?

  • The baby-sitter you've just hired makes you uneasy--what should you do?
  • You sense you are being followed --do you confront the stranger...or run?
  • A fired employee says "You'll be sorry"--should you take him seriously?
  • A person in the elevator you are about to enter just doesn't look right--do you wait for the next car?

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.


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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