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Summary: You MUST read this book!
Review: This is a fantastic, riveting book that lists some behaviors to watch out for in people who mean you harm. Women especially need to read this book, because they are so often the victims of violence. This book gives you tools that can help you avoid that. Read this book -- you won't be sorry.
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Summary: The Gift of Fear
Review: I purchased the audio taped version of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. De Becker uses unfortunate, yet eye opening situations that he has dealt with in his life to help better explain our natural tool of fear and how to better use it. De Becker is the narrator and speaks very clearly, distinctly and uses layman's language. I recommend this book for anyone that wishes to better distinguish paranoia from fear and possibly save their life because of it.
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Summary: A worthwhile read for all
Review: I was intrigued by the premise of the book, but I avoided it for a long time. I was suspicious that the author could advocate fear as a useful tool, but he vindicates himself beautifully. He distinguishes fear from worry and anxiety. True fear alerts you to danger and drives you to action, while worry and anxiety simply drain your energy over trivial concerns. Readers will actually feel less worry as they gain a more realistic understanding of how manipulators work and how we can defuse and escape their tactics. Readers will gain peace of mind knowing that violence is predictable,and they do have the innate ability to perceive it and react intelligently. On top of everything, de Becker is an excellent writer. You will be captivated with both the subject matter and its presentation.
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Summary: If you Love Anyone - BUY THIS BOOK !
Review: Gavin De Becker is simply briliant. I have been teaching Personal Defense Tactics and Rape Prevention for 27 years. This book is REVOLUTIONARY. Buy this book for your self, your safety and your piece of mind. If you have a wife, a parent, a child, anyone you care about... But this book, read it, and give it to your loved one. (Or better yet, buy them a copy - and read the book again and again !!!) It's that simple - this book is required reading for living in Western Culture !
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Summary: A must read for everyone from teenagers to seniors!
Review: As a fellow personal protection professional, I found Mr. DeBecker's book to be extremely informative and well written. An absolute must as a training manual for the executive protection field. More importantly, it would be an excellent source for the general public as well. Not only educational but very entertaining to read. It is one of those books you just can't put down. As a crime prevention practitioner and lecturer, I recommend his book to everyone I speak to. Everyone needs the information in this book.
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Summary: Lifesaving information for women AND the men who love us.
Review: In the Gift Of Fear, de Becker provides us insight into our own abilities to avoid potentially dangerous situations. He gives us permission to listen to and hear our intuition. Every person who has been victimized wants to know how they could have avoided being a victim, de Becker provides some knowledgeable insight. Yet, he does not blame the victims of crime for failing to listen, the blame belongs to our culture and the paternalistic minimizing of intuition as merely "inconsequential...feminine stuff." As a crime victim advocate for more than 22 years, I highly recommend this book, not only to crime victims and survivors, but to those who want more tools to minimize their chance of being victims. Further, I highly recommend this book to men who want to end our culture of male violence and who want to understand how they can help the women they love, and ultimately all of us, to be safer.
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Summary: "Gift of Fear" shows the reader how fear can be a benefit...
Review: While fear is a subject that we all can relate to, Gavin DeBecker's book; The Gift Of Fear, changes its perception. Through definitive terms, DeBecker breaks fear down to its most basic components and offers the reader the knowledge to deal with each component on a realistic level. The real stories used as examples are alarming and completely believable. DeBecker offers his own experience to draw the reader into his own personal and vast insight into the subjects of violence and fear. If the purpose of this book is to show us and then arm us with realistic tools to deal and use fear to our advantage, then its mark is met dead on. This is a must read for anyone who believes that they will find themselves in the grips of fear, and as DeBecker teaches, we are all statistically future or past victims.
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Summary: THE BEST MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT
Review: I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND HAVE BEEN FOR 15 YEARS. THE INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK IS SO, SO ACCURATE AS TO THE HUMAN SENSE OF FEAR AND DANGER. I HAVE EXPERIENCED MANY OF THESE "FEELINGS" AS I AM EXPOSED TO THEM EVERY DAY. THE TOPICS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING HAD ME CONSTANTLY NODDING MY HEAD IN AGREEMENT. GAVIN IS SO ACCURATE IN HIS DOCUMENTATION OF VICTIM ACCOUNTS THAT IT WAS LIKE HE READ SOME OF MY CRIME REPORTS! I HAVE HANDLED ALL TYPES OF CRIMES FROM PETTY THEFT TO MURDER AND IN MANY, MANY CASES THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF "FEAR SIGNAL" WHICH PRECEEDED THE INCIDENT THAT PEOPLE RECALL. OFTEN PEOPLE COULD PREVENT FALLING VICTIM IF THEY JUST LISTENED TO THEIR INSTINCTS. I HAVE BECOME MORE AWARE THAT MY FEELINGS OF FEAR ARE LEGITIMATE AND HAVE STOPPED RATIONALIZING THEM AWAY. GREAT JOB!
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Summary: A book that dispells crime prevention myths
Review: Few crime prevention experts emphasize intuition. Instead, they talk about staying alert to crime. Sometimes crime prevention experts generate more fear than they alleviate. Gavin deBecker, on the other hand, makes intuition and freedom from fear the focus of his philosophy. Instead of imagining the bad things that could happen, he says, live without worry of crime. He also says to stop watching the news. It only generates needless worry and gives one a distorted view of the world. I have been teaching these same concepts for years as a black belt in karate, so it was refreshing to read them from someone else. I avoid newspapers and TV news--it only darkens our view of the world. It only makes crime seem worse. Give up news for two weeks and notice how your outlook improves. As a teacher of women's self-defense, I've heard many stories of intuition. Some people call it the "back ground music," because it is like the music that plays in a movie before something bad happens. As deBecker writes, act upon your survival signals (run, search your house in the middle of the night, stay away from an individual, etc.), even if you feel foolish doing so. Shed the fears in your life, because fear clouds the survival signals. Those who live in fear of crime are already victims. Some of the book is difficult to read, such as chapters on child abuse. But the book is still worth it. Buy copies for yourself and friends. If you spend time worrying about crime, this book could change your life.
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Summary: A "must read" for parents in protecting our children
Review: I have read both of Mr. deBecker's books (hard cover editions). Both have reminded me that my "uncomfortable feelings" in situations are there for a reason. We must start listening to our instincts to protect ourselves and our children in potentially threatening situations. Instincts, as Mr. deBecker has repeated in both books, are there for a reason - they are a "first line defense" of what we should pay attention to. I appreciate Mr. deBecker's honesty and willingness to take on these issues. Safety issues with our children are increasing-we must pay attention to what goes on in this world and teach our children that they need to listen to their "feelings" when something just doesn't seem right. If you care about your children these books should be a first priority to read and start teaching your children how to take care of themselves. My children are now "listening" to their instincts and realizing when something isn't right with situations they've encountered. Mr. deBecker deserves praise for putting these issues before all of us. He knows what he is talking about and does a wonderful job getting the issues across. Thank you, Mr. deBecker!
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