The Unthinkable
by Ripley, Amanda
It lurks in the corner of our imagination, almost beyond our ability to see it: the possibility that a tear in the fabric of life could open up without warning, upending a house, a skyscraper, or a civilization. Today, nine out of ten Americans live in places at significant risk of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorism, or other disasters. Tomorrow, some of us will have to make split-second choices to save ourselves and our families. How will we react? What will it feel like? Will we be heroes or victims? Will our upbringing, our gender, our personality--anything we've ever learned, thought, or dreamed of--ultimately matter? Amanda Ripley, an award-winning journalist for Time magazine who has covered some of the most devastating disasters of our age, set out to discover what lies beyond fear and speculation. In this magnificent work of investigative journalism, Ripley retraces the human response to some of history's epic disasters, from the explosion of the Mont Blanc munitions ship in 1917--one of the biggest explosions before the invention of the atomic bomb--to a plane crash in England in 1985 that mystified investigators for years, to the journeys of the 15,000 people who found their way out of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Then, to understand the science behind the stories, Ripley turns to leading brain scientists, trauma psychologists, and other disaster experts, formal and informal, from a Holocaust survivor who studies heroism to a master gunfighter who learned to overcome the effects of extreme fear. Finally, Ripley steps into the dark corners of her own imagination, having her brain examined by military researchers and experiencing through realistic simulations what it might be like to survive a plane crash into the ocean or to escape a raging fire. Ripley comes back with precious wisdom about the surprising humanity of crowds, the elegance of the brain's fear circuits, and the stunning inadequacy of many of our evolutionary responses. Most unexpectedly, she discovers the brain's ability to do much, much better, with just a little help.The Unthinkable escorts us into the bleakest regions of our nightmares, flicks on a flashlight, and takes a steady look around. Then it leads us home, smarter and stronger than we were before.From the Hardcover edition.
Reviews
Review this book!
Available Copies
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- First edition
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Edmonton, Alberta, CAN
- Item Price
-
NZ$29.73
Show Details
Description:
New York: Crown, 2008. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo. pp. 266, ""It lurks in the corner of our imagination, almost beyond our ability to see it: the possibility that a tear in the fabric of life could open up without warning, upending a house, a skyscraper, or a civilization. Today, nine out of ten Americans live… Read more about this item Item Price
NZ$29.73
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- New
- Published
- 2009-06-16
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780307352903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Fairfax Station, Virginia, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$17.54
Show Details
Description:
Harmony, 2009-06-16. Paperback. New. Item Price
NZ$17.54
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used: Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2008-06-10
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$23.04
Show Details
Description:
Crown Awards, 2008-06-10. First Edition. hardcover. Used: Good. Item Price
NZ$23.04
The Unthinkable: Who survives when disaster strikes - and why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781847945273
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
NZ$5.96
Show Details
Description:
Hardback. Very Good. Item Price
NZ$5.96
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$16.50
Show Details
Description:
Crown Archetype. First Edition. Good. Good. Ship within 24hrs. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed. APO/FPO addresses supported Item Price
NZ$16.50
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes--And Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.08
Show Details
Description:
Crown Publishing Group (NY), 2008. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
NZ$15.08
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- UsedVeryGood
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
RALEIGH, North Carolina, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.09
Show Details
Description:
UsedVeryGood. Clean, great binding. Cover shows light wear from reading/handling. Dog-Eared Books is a small, women owned and operated business. Item Price
NZ$15.09
Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - good
- Binding
- QPB
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Arvada, Colorado, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$9.91
Show Details
Description:
QPB. good. PSY-SH Item Price
NZ$9.91
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2008-06-10
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Layton, Utah, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.06
Show Details
Description:
Crown Archetype, 2008-06-10. hardcover. Good. 6x1x10. good condition, pages are clean and free of markings, light wear to corners and edges, has dust jacket where applicable, ships same or next business day Item Price
NZ$15.06
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used: Good
- Published
- 2008-01-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781847945273
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$65.79
Show Details
Description:
Random House, 2008-01-01. Hardcover. Used: Good. Item Price
NZ$65.79
The Unthinkable: Who Survives when Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Very Good in Very Good+ dust jacket
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Fayetteville, New York, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$12.39
Show Details
Description:
Crown Archetype. Very Good in Very Good+ dust jacket. 2008. Hardcover. 0307352897 . Fep is slightly wrinkled; a few small stains on boards; 6.5 X 1 X 10 inches; 288 pages . Item Price
NZ$12.39
The Unthinkable
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780099525721
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Uxbridge, Greater London, GBR
- Item Price
-
NZ$22.27
Show Details
Description:
Paperback / softback. New. New Book; Fast Shipping from UK; Not signed; Not First Edition; It was 8.46 a.m. on 9/11 when Elia Zedeño, who had worked in the World Trade Center for twenty-one years, heard a booming explosion and felt the building lurch violently to the south. Item Price
NZ$22.27
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.08
Show Details
Description:
Crown Publishing Group, The, 2008. Hardcover. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. The dust jacket is missing. At ThriftBooks, our motto… Read more about this item Item Price
NZ$15.08
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Like New
- Published
- 2009-06-16
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780307352903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Fairfax Station, Virginia, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$23.47
Show Details
Description:
Harmony, 2009-06-16. Paperback. Like New. Item Price
NZ$23.47
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$14.81
Show Details
Description:
Crown Publishing Group, The. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
NZ$14.81
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780307352903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$17.22
Show Details
Description:
Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
NZ$17.22
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.08
Show Details
Description:
Crown Publishing Group, The, 2008. Hardcover. Very Good. Disclaimer:May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
NZ$15.08
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- As New
- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780307352897
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$15.08
Show Details
Description:
Crown Publishing Group, The, 2008. Hardcover. As New. Disclaimer:An apparently unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact; pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
NZ$15.08
The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why
by Amanda Ripley
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 2009
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780307352903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$10.39
Show Details
Description:
Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale, 2009. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
NZ$10.39
Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why
by Ripley, Amanda
- Condition
- New
- Published
- 2009
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780099525721
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Exeter, Devon, GBR
- Item Price
-
NZ$21.29
Show Details
Description:
Arrow Books Ltd, 2009. Paperback. New. 304 pages. 7.80x5.08x0.79 inches. Item Price
NZ$21.29