The Unthinkable (Revised and Updated)

Who Survives When Disaster Strikes--and Why

By: Amanda Ripley

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Unlock the secrets of survival with this riveting expedition into the science of disaster—now revised and updated to address the pandemic, the role of social media in disaster response, and more—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Smartest Kids in the World

Disaster can come in many forms, from earthquakes and avalanches to catastrophic machine failure and acts of terror. And afterwards, when the dust settles and the survivors emerge, we can't help but wonder: why them? Why did they live when so many others perished?

In The Unthinkable, Prize-winning journalist Amanda Ripley, who has covered some of the most devastating disasters of our age, sets out to find the answers. To understand the human reaction to chaos and imminent danger, she 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. Along the way, we learn about crowd psychology, the neurobiology of fear, and the many other invisible factors that can make the difference between death and survival.

Seamlessly marrying neuroscience, firsthand accounts, and thrilling investigative journalism, The Unthinkable is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered how they would respond in a life-or-death situation—or wanted to increase their odds of surviving one. This revised and updated edition updates all the original research and expands on enormous, slow-moving disasters like pandemics to bring Ripley’s lessons on survivorship into the modern day.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF including the Appendix, Selected Bibliography, and Notes sections.

Excellent information

This is a very informative book. I felt the author was a bit fawning on the part about the Hajj, though she does criticize the government's response. Overall, a good book. If talk of an aggressive, colonizing religion bothers you, just skip about 5 minutes.

Real Life Stories and Players

I had to read this book for a Disaster, Crisis and Emergency Management class. What I most enjoyed and why held my attention were the stories about real life disasters and some of the people were experienced the incident first hand or had actually survived the actual incident. Ex. 911, Virginia Tech Incident and even the Potomac Bridge Plane crash.

Trust is essential for disaster survival

I’m recommending the book to friends and family and using it as a discussion starter.

Almost!

Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley is an engaging read, diving deep into how people react in crisis situations. The book’s strength lies in its well-researched examples and analysis, which provide fascinating insights into human behavior during disasters. Ripley’s storytelling makes complex topics accessible and compelling.

However, as the book approaches recent events, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, it takes a turn. Ripley’s stance on masks and vaccines, especially the assertion that vaccines alone saved lives, comes across as heavy-handed.

This bias detracts from the book’s objectivity and leaves readers feeling lectured rather than informed. For those looking for a balanced perspective on crisis response, this book has great moments but ultimately loses some credibility due to personal bias.