The next book in my recommendations is “The Gift of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence” By Gavin DeBecker.
Gavin DeBecker is a threat analysis specialist and, in this book, he takes a strong look at the natural warning signs often ignored in a civilized society.
I always recommend this book when I teach women’s self defence, but it applies to all self defence. There is so much in this book but let me give you an example. We can say that person is charming. But that person isn’t charming that person is using charm to get something they want. Charm is not a characteristic it is a tool. Now most of the time that charm is being used to get something harmless, but it can also be used to get past our instinctive self defence barriers. He has a great section on the tools used to get past those protective barriers.
DeBecker talks a lot about fear being a natural warning signal and how we should always pay attention to it. Not to let fear rule our lives with unrealistic fears but to make sure we do not brush away something our instinct is shouting at us to pay attention to.
I find this book an essential part of self defence reading because it reminds us of why humans have survived this long.