The Unthinkable (2008) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“EVERYONE needs to read this book!”

• Rated 3 stars

“The author looks at biological and sociological explanations for the different ways people react to emergencies and disasters. Unfortunately, her advice is that you can't exactly predict how you will act but the best approach is to repeatedly practice the actions you will need to take in certain situations. But how do you effectively simulate a fire? a robbery? a tornado? Still, the book provides interesting insight into every type of response from panic, to playing dead, to heroism via real life stories.”

• Rated 3 stars

“Very interesting stories of survival. The science behind some of it also was quite interesting. The only thing I found lacking was more about how to use the information to survive future disasters.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Fascinating read about how people react in a disaster, and how preparedness matters.”

• Rated 4 stars

“I think this is a must read for all people, but especially anyone who is working in the public service field (firefighter, nurse, doctor, EMT, etc.) There is a lot of good information in this book, and it makes you realize that people aren't always rational in emergency situations, and training and forethought is so important to coming out in one piece.”

• Rated 5 stars

“from 911, to Katrina....”

• Rated 4 stars

“Unthinkable: Who survives when Disaster Strikes – and Why
Amanda Ripley

At this point, you’re asking yourself, “Has he gone all post-apocalyptic and tin foil hatted on us?” No I haven’t, but I am on a survival reading jag. I’m finding that the mental strategies used by people to overcome tremendous adversity have great application to normal people on normal days. She makes many of the same observations as Ben Sherwood in The Survivors Club, but organizes some of the stages of response to adversity better. She is very clear in her emphasis on PRACTICE for success. This is good advice for us all. And the stories are just as good as Sherwood’s. Quibble: Her observations are very good. Her interpretations are suspect. She argues consistently from an evolutionary biology standpoint and then makes the statement, “We can make ourselves evolve faster.” This comment will make Stephen Jay Gould (the naturalist and evolution apologist) spin in his grave. It shows both her ignorance of a theory that she posits as the bedrock her interpretations.
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• Rated 5 stars

“For any person interested in emergency preparedness, disasters, how people respond and the inner workings of the human brain then this is a must read. Amanada touches any the small things that are important to us all but rarely thought about until it is too late. I will read this book again.”

• Rated 4 stars

“This is a readable book about why some people survive disasters and others don't. I liked that is was written for lay people. It taught me that it is better to let things remain behind and get yourself out of danger. Things can be replaced, people can't.”

• Rated 2 stars

“Full of common sense and the obvious. Quite the boring read.”