Gavin de Becker

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

Gavin de Becker

Gavin de Becker's "The Gift of Fear" argues that our intuitive, often subconscious, feelings of unease serve as vital survival mechanisms against potential danger. He explains how to distinguish between intuition and irrational anxiety, empowering readers to trust their internal warning systems to navigate and avoid threatening situations. The book provides practical strategies for recognizing and responding to "red flags" in interpersonal interactions and environments, ultimately fostering a greater sense of personal safety.

The Gift of Fear

Gavin de Becker

1997

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 Hollywood's top celebrities -- Madonna, Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, Brooke Shields, and John Travolta, among others, according to press reports -- 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 -- and act on -- our own intuitions. For everyone who's ever felt threatened, this book is essential reading.