Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why (41 page)

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10, no. 5 (1987).

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The Washingtonian
, Sept. 1984, 148–149.

“Young Polish Man’s Dream of New Life Ends in Tragedy.”
Wexford People
, Feb. 15, 2007, General News Section.

More Praise for Amanda Ripley’s
The Unthinkable

“
Reading
The Unthinkable
will be life-changing.
We live in an age of anxiety that has too many of us rocked back on our heels. Once you’ve feasted on the rich insights and wisdom of this remarkable book, you’ll be standing tall again. While our politicians and media have been keen to exploit and fan our worst fears,
Amanda Ripley makes clear that individually and collectively we can meet head-on the hazards that periodically befall us.
We need not be afraid!”

—S
TEPHEN
F
LYNN,
Senior Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, and author of
The Edge of Disaster: Rebuilding a Resilient Nation

“
A fascinating, in-depth look at human behavior under extreme pressure.
Its gut-wrenching stories span the full spectrum of action under duress, from panic to heroism.
Not only is this book fast-paced and engrossing, it’s illuminating.
”

—M
ICHAEL
T
OUGIAS,
author of
Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea

“Reveals why, under the same circumstances, some people caught up in a disaster survive and others do not. Why some are hopelessly immobilized by fear and crippled by panic, and others are filled with strength, endurance, reactions, and the other intrinsic stuff of which Homeric heroes are made. How can we ensure which we will be?
In her well-crafted prose, Amanda Ripley shows us all how to prepare to meet danger and increase our chances of surviving the unthinkable.
”

—B
RUCE
H
ENDERSON,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Down to the Sea
and
True North

“
Rich in information about the subconscious ways we face danger
. In the event that someday you face a sudden life-or-death situation, reading this book will increase the odds that the outcome will be life.”

—D
AVID
R
OPEIK,
coauthor of
Risk!: A Practical Guide for Deciding What’s Really Safe and What’s Really Dangerous in the World Around You

“When a disaster occurs, we invariably learn the ‘what’ of the event—how many died, how many survived…
Amanda Ripley’s riveting
The Unthinkable
provides genuine insight into the ‘why’ behind the numbers. This remarkable book will not only change your life, it could very well save it.
”

—G
REGG
O
LSEN,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Deep Dark: Disaster and Redemption in America’s Richest Silver Mine

Copyright © 2008 by Amanda Ripley

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

www.crownpublishing.com

C
ROWN
is a trademark and the Crown colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ripley, Amanda.

The Unthinkable: who survives when disaster strikes and why / Amanda Ripley.

Includes bibliographical references.

1. Resilience (Personality trait) 2. Disasters—Psychological aspects. 3. Disaster relief. 4. Preparedness. 5. Risk management. 6. Emergency management. 7. Crisis intervention (Mental health services) 8. Disaster victims—Mental health. 9. Disasters—Risk assessment. I. Title.

BF698.35.R47R57 2008

155.9'35—dc22 2007040315

eISBN: 978-0-307-44927-6

v3.0