It's hard to quantify if I'm actually safer after reading this book, but I am far more aware of my intuition now. Trying to get out of a relationship with an unstable person? Read this book. Have a coworker who makes you uneasy? Read this book. Later, a friend in law enforcement suggested this book and I read it in one sitting. 'Tell them to find a woman who looks like a mommy and ask her for help.' After all, how often is a policeman around? This pragmatic, common sense approach stuck with me. I first encountered de Becker when he was on Oprah years ago, talking about what to teach your child if they get lost in a public place. Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. 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. 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. But we can protect ourselves, by learning to trust-and act on-our gut instincts. The threat of violence surrounds us every day. A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers unsolicited help. The new nanny gives a mother an uneasy feeling.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker