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Summary: this book is a gift.....
Review: Although I first read this several years ago (and recently re-read) it remains in my TOP TEN FAVORITES of all time. Cannot recommend enough. I've bought this for many friends and family, and all have the same reaction. Worth re-reading every year. Thank you Gavin de Becker for writing this most important book.
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Summary: Excellent advice
Review: I heartily recommend The Gift of Fear to anyone who is interested in a common-sense approach to personal and community safety. Mr. de Becker balances his factual information with true stories that make for a compelling read. I especially recommend this book to my fellow women, who I think too frequently doubt the sage advice to trust their instincts for fear (!) of hurting someone's feelings or worse, not being liked. The advice in this book is excellent and well worth heeding.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: This was such a great book. I recommend this book to everyone,especially women. It is so important for us all to realize our own survival skills and learn to use them instead of denying them. Giving specific examples and relating situations to everyday life really helps the reader understand and identify with what the author is saying.
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Summary: This is an important book
Review: This is one of the most influencial books that I have ever read. I often give copies to friends, coworkers and clients. I would recommend this book to anyone that works with young people and violence prevention. DeBecker's words are extreamly insightful and powerful...and ever so important coming from a man. DeBecker is an outstanding role model for men in this country.
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Summary: Follow your gut instincts
Review: A excellent book. He could have used more examples in the book from real life, rather than threats to celebrities and famous people. However the main focus of the book, telling people that they need to trust their instincts is true. Being in law enforcement I know that the little "hunches" that we have often are the only thing we have to go on to stay safe.
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Summary: De Becker is a genious.
Review: I think that this book was really great. I think that the author is great at relating statistics to an everyday person. He makes things a lot easier than a huge number of statistics that you can not relate to, instead he will say for example that A woman is being beat by her husband right now as you read this review, and another is being beat right now, and again now. That is a lot more understandable than a huge number that one hears by a statistical analysis.
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Summary: A Troubling View Of Society
Review: The author heads a private security agency that supports Government agencies, public figures, and private citizens. He discusses why people perform violent acts, and how his agency works with the authorities to prevent violent acts.This book is troubling because it immerses the reader in fear. Mr. de Becker discusses the types of potentially violent cases that his agency receives. The author does list advance signals indicating when individuals *might* fear for their safety, an extremely useful discussion. But many of his examples concern public figures who purposefully maintain high media visibility (e.g., celebrities and government officials). Often these examples do not reflect threats faced by private citizens.
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Summary: A Troubling View Of Society
Review: The author heads a security agency that supports Government agencies, public figures, and private citizens. Mr. de Becker discusses the violence that his agency fights: terrorism, attempted assassinations, death threats, rapes, stalkings, domestic violence, child abuse, and children who shoot their parents. Mr. de Becker discusses why people perform these violent acts, how the authorities attempt to prevent these violent acts, and warning signals that precede these violent acts. Mr. de Becker's book is troubling because it is an "Encyclopedia of Violent Acts" that immerses the reader in fear. Mr. de Becker does list advance signals indicating *when* individuals should fear for their safety, an extremely useful discussion. But many of Mr. de Becker's examples concern public figures who purposefully maintain high media visibility (e.g., celebrities and government officials). These illustrative examples do not always represent the life of a private citizen.
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Summary: Required reading for all security professionals
Review: I have been in the protection business for over twenty years, guarding high-level government officials. Throughout my career, I suffered from all of the common myths about public figure protection: "a determined assassin cannot be stopped...there is a profile of the assassin...explicit threateners are of greatest concern," and so on. That is, until I read de Becker's book. In the murky world of violence prediction, The Gift of Fear cuts through the fog like a halogen light. De Becker's easy-reading style and common-sense approach will keep the reader turning the pages and saying, "that makes sense!" This book is must-reading for anyone in the protection business.
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Summary: This Book Will Change Your Life...
Review: I visited Amazon today to buy two copies of this book (as gifts for people I work with) - I know it sounds silly to say reading a book changed my life, but this one did. You learn how to let go of needless worries and anxieties and instead listen to your natural insticts, which can truly protect you from harm. The book is a great tool for both men and women, but women especially can identify with the stories and content. Ever had a stalker, or even just an ex-boyfriend who won't go away? You can learn what you're unintentionally doing to still encourage him, girls, and learn how to rid your life of these sort of harmful people for once and for all. All the stories and info are true, but written like a thriller...the celebrity protection tales are utterly riveting. Once you're done with this book, you will know everything from how to screen-out potentially unbalanced employees to how to walk to your car in a deserted garage at night. A terrific must-read!
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