23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Storytelling of Science, March 14, 2011
This review is from: Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool (Hardcover)
How does a school principal stare down the barrel of a rifle with no fear, or Laurence Olivier deliver a soliloquy without stage fright? The answer is, they don't. A scientific subject is discussed with storytelling skills in the book, Nerve, subtitled, Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool.
Taylor Clark is entertaining and humorous as he writes about fear, anxiety, and stress, and how the seemingly fearless actually handle fear with heroism. Clark's thesis, embracing fear and working with it to discover cool under pressure, is a theme we have heard before. But Nerve is very readable, full of case studies that brim with the personalities of the subjects and of Clark himself. His humorous footnote at the bottom of one page, "Incidentally, most of what we know about the science of fear comes from tormenting rats," is indicative of his writing style.
As someone who is hit with a fair amount of anxiety, I have read numerous books on the subject, many dry, and few helpful. Clark's Nerve is not a bombshell cure for fear and anxiety, but rather an engaging look at the science, stories, and mechanisms behind fear and cool. His suggested reading list at the end probably holds more answers for dealing with one's own fear and anxiety, but Nerve is a good, easy read that stimulated the pleasure center of my brain.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Counterintuitive--but convincing., March 15, 2011
This review is from: Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool (Hardcover)
Taylor Clark's NERVE is a wonderfully written investigation of stress, fear and anxiety and how our fears can either paralyze or liberate us. That our fears can be a good thing is surprising to read--at first. But Clark shows how the folks who stay cool under the most extreme circumstances do so precisely because they are afraid, not because they are placid. Think of a raft on a river: without a current, you're not getting anywhere. Fear can be that current, but that doesn't mean you don't have to navigate. NERVE gives us the perspective and tools necessary to hit the rapids. And it is lots of fun to read! Highly recommended.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
humor and accuracy, March 8, 2011
This review is from: Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool (Hardcover)
It is a joy to read a book that brings sophisticated science into precise layperson's language and applies it to our everyday lives with humor and wit. The book is a serious stress reliever. Again and again we hear that we modern people deal with higher levels of stress than previous generations, and Taylor Clark provides us with some insights that help us to see ourselves with clearer eyes and enjoy doing it.
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