Interview with Amanda Ripley,
Author of "The Unthinkable"

Date: 4 August 2008; Length: 29:47

This show features an interview with Time Magazine senior writer Amanda Ripley, author of the book "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes And Why."

Amanda has traveled the world, writing about and studying a number of disasters, including the attacks of 9/11, and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. She currently covers both risk and homeland security issues for Time Magazine.

She has written for a number of other publications, including Congressional Quarterly, New York Times Magazine, Time Out, and Washington Monthly.

Audio: MP3

The Unthinkable: Who Survives
When Disaster Strikes - And Why

by Amanda Ripley

Half of Americans have personally experienced a disaster of some kind. In almost every case, regular people are the first and most important rescuers on the scene. But very few of us know what to expect until it is too late.

By combining the stories of survivors with research into how the brain works under extreme duress, THE UNTHINKABLE tries to bring light into civilization's darkest moments. Why do we freeze in the middle of a fire? How can we override this instinct? Why do our senses of sight and hearing change during a terrorist attack? Why are most heroes men?

In this inspiring mix of narrative, science and participatory journalism, award-winning TIME Magazine senior writer Amanda Ripley reveals how human fear circuits and crowd dynamics work, why our instincts sometimes misfire in modern calamities, and how we can do much, much better.

Buy the Book Today!

Additional Resources
Other Work by Amanda Ripley
Fear of Flying Resources
Other AirSafe.com Podcast Episodes

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