The Toolbox: Books

"A New Species of Trouble:  Explorations in Disaster, Trauma, and Community," by Kai Erikson.  From the book jacket:  "In the stories and feelings of the victims of these disasters, the author finds striking similarities.  Fear, self-doubt, the erosion of a sense of security - the author finds these too among people who have suffered prolonged homeless-ness.  These human experiences, the author says, add up to a form of trauma extending not just to individuals but to whole communities... The author shows how risks to indiviuals and the social fabric have heightened in the modern age.  The seven gripping accounts in this book are his impassioned pleas that we recognize this new species of troube and do more to protect people from it."

"Ascension: Connecting With the Immortal Masters and Beings of Light," by Susan Shumsky.  The counterfear relevance of this book is noted in the epilogue of the blog post "I Took the Red Pill: Why I'm on the Counterfear Path."

"Beyond the Storms," Strengthening Homeland Security and Disaster Management to Achieve Resilience," by Dane S. Egli.  Also see this USA Today article.

"Broken Open:  How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow," by Elizabeth Lesser.

"Citizen You:  Doing Your Part to Change the World," by Jonathan M. Tisch.  The author's introduction to the book is in this article, and a one-page PDF interview is available here.

"Collapse:  How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed," by Jared Diamond.  A TED talk is available here, and posted to videos.

"Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Homefront - or, One Woman's Solutions to Finding Abundance for Your Family while Coming to Terms with Peak Oil, Climate Change, and Hard Times," by Sharon Astyk.  A Sharon Astyk blog is here.  Check out this book review from homestead.org.nnHere is an excerpt from another review at The Blogging Bookworm, "Astyk's book is a reminder of the power of individuals to make a difference in the world during times of crisis. In New Orleans in 2005, it was Hurricane Katrina. Now we face... climate chaos, war, and energy depletion... People are struggling to hold on to their homes, to pay for their groceries, to know what to do next...  If you are like me, this book will make you rethink your assumptions about population, about the separation of public and private, about the global impact of creating local economies. As Green Bean said in her recent review, Depletion and Abundance is both troubling and reassuring. It will make you have moments of panic and it will also make you commit to creating a just and meaningful life."  The Blogging Bookworm review author says "I finished the book with a feeling not only of hope, but also with a feeling of radical responsibility."

Get a FREE PDF of this book at the link above.  More about the report and initiative at this site: Disaster Resilience in America: Launching A National Conversation.

"Everybody Matters:  My Life Giving Voice," by Mary Robinson.  Also see the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice website.

"Four Perfect Pebbles:  A Holocaust Story," by Lila Perl and Marion Blumenthal Lazan.  Also see video of Ms. Blumenthal Lazan speaking here.

"Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide," by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.  The parent website at the link has a number of video and other resources as well.  The site linked above says, "Through these stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential."  For this reason, items tagged "half the sky" on http://counterfear.com/ reference women, girls, and related topics.  #HalfTheSky

"Journey of Souls:  Case Studies of Life Between Lives," by Michael Newton.  From the website:  "Now a best-selling classic, Journey of Souls summarizes Dr. Michael Newton’s research and work with individuals whom he placed in a state of deep hypnosis during which they recalled their experiences between lives as eternal spirits."  The Newton Institute is also listed as a Counterfear resource - check it out to find related additional books, resources, and contacts.

"Lucid Dreaming - Plain and Simple:  Tips and Techniques for Insight, Creativity, and Personal Growth," by Robert Waggoner and Caroline McCready.  From the website:  "Aimed at beginners, Lucid Dreaming, Plain and Simple shows the reader how to enter and fully experience the lucid dream."  Iowa author Robert Waggoner has been the co-editor of the online magazine The Lucid Dreaming Experience for the past ten years.  Waggoner has been a lucid dreamer since 1975, and has logged over 1,000 lucid dreams.

"Originals:  How Non-Conformists Move the World," by Adam Grant.  From the book jacket, "Using surprising studies and stories spanning the worlds of business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant debunks the common belief that successful non-conformists are born leaders who boldly embrace risk.  Originals explains now anyone can spot opportunities for change, recognize a good idea, overcome anxiety and ambivalence, and make suggestions without being silenced."

Check out this book by Eben Alexander, M.D., "Proof of Heaven:  A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife."  Videos also available on the author's website.

"Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life," by Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL.

"Rising Strong:  The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution." by Brene Brown, PhD, LMSW.  Brene Brown also has a number of classic videos and TED talks that will be available on The Counterfear Toolbox videos page (coming soon) or on the Google.

"Stress-Free Sustainability:  Leverage Your Emotions, Avoid Burnout, and Influence Anyone," by Adam Hammes, an Iowa author based in Des Moines.  Interview here.

"The 9/11 Commission Report:  Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States."

"The Big Pivot:  Radically Practical Strategies for a Hotter, Scarcer, and More Open World," by Andrew S. Winston.  See video also at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxYKO7oICiw.

"The Culture of Fear - Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things:  Crime, Drugs, Minorities, Teen Moms, Killer Kids, Mutant Microbes, Plane Crashes, Road Rage, & So Much More."  Good summary of the book and the point of it here.  The major take-away from this resource is about some of the un-necessity of much of the fear we experience, and why that happens.  I do disagree with some of the specific case studes, and some are out-dated.  The primary point, however, makes it worthwhile as a resource.

"The Edge of Disaster:  Rebuilding a Resilient Nation," by Stephen Flynn.  A cornerstone book to resilience thinking in the United States.  Review by Paul Stockton from Homeland Security affairs.  Reference to the book from the Council on Foreign Relations.

"The Fear Cure:  Cultivating Courage as Medicine for the Body, Mind, and Soul," by Lissa Rankin, M.D.

"The Four Agreements:  A Toltec Wisdom Book," by Don Miguel Ruiz.  The Four Agreements are an excellent foundation for partnership and community.  These are useful at the beginning of a gathering or teamwork experience, and to revisit throughout the work.  These are useful for any partnership or agreement, used for anything from homeland security or mutual aid to a small spiritual gathering.  A summary of the agreements is here.

"The Gift of Fear: and Other Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence," by Gavin de Becker.

"The Great Disruption:  Why the Climate Crisis Will Bring On the End of Shopping and the Birth of a New World," by Paul Gilding.  This is a Counterfear Anchorpoint.  From the author's website:  "It’s time to stop just worrying about climate change, says Paul Gilding.  We need instead to brace for impact because global crisis is no longer avoidable.  This Great Disruption started in 2008, with spiking food and oil prices and dramatic ecological changes, such as the melting ice caps.  It is not simply about fossil fuels and carbon footprints.  We have come to the end of Economic Growth, Version 1.0, a world economy based on consumption and waste, where we lived beyond the means of our planet’s ecosystems and resources.  The Great Disruption offers a stark and unflinching look at the challenge humanity faces-yet also a deeply optimistic message.  The coming decades will see loss, suffering, and conflict as our planetary overdraft is paid; however, they will also bring out the best humanity can offer:  compassion, innovation, resilience, and adaptability."

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," by Douglas Adams.  The first of five books in the "increasingly inaccurately named 'Hitchhiker's Trilogy.'"  The classic science-fiction-comedy that created the mini-genre.  One counterfear tool derived from the series is the "Somebody Else's Problem Field," in the "Sphere of Control" blog post.

"The Power of Resilience: How the Best Companies Manage the Unexpected," by Dr. Yossi Sheffi of MIT.  An excerpt from the website summary:  "The interconnectedness of the global economy today means that unexpected events in one corner of the globe can ripple through the world’s supply chain and affect customers everywhere.  In this book, Yossi Sheffi shows why modern vulnerabilities call for innovative processes and tools for creating and embedding corporate resilience and risk management.  Sheffi offers fascinating case studies that illustrate how companies have prepared for, coped with, and come out stronger following disruption."

From author Chris McGoff in Part 1 of the book:  "How do some people, organizations, and coalitions thrive in uncertain times?  What enables them to appear so certain and take decisive action amid ambiguity about the future?"  The PRIMES website says "The PRIMES are universal patterns of group behavior that outfit you to work with any group to solve any problem - especially the big ones."  The PRIMES book notes "... Here's the deal.  Almost all the tame problems have been solved.  We get to solve the wicked problems.  Wicked problems affect a lot of peple and it takes a lot of people, all with their own agendas, to collaborate and solve them. ... The people who, amid uncertainty, successfully lead large problem-solving groups share these characteristics.  First, they are clear about what they are up to and how they spend their precious time.  Second, they are intentional and willing to go first.  Finally, they have mastered the art of enrolling others to join them."  The PRIMES website also has short videos and info about each of The PRIMES.  Another core counterfear resource is Chris McGoff's TEDx Rock Creek talk on "Quad4: Realm of Your Highest Impact and Highest Risk."  The author's company The Clearing has done significant work on wicked problems in many counterfear focus areas.

"The Resilient Enterprise:  Overcoming Vulnerability for Competitive Advantage," by Yossi Sheffi.  Also check out this video.

"The Shock Doctrine:  The Rise of Disaster Capitalism," by Naomi Klein.

"The Tipping Point:  How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference," by Malcolm Gladwell.  Gladwell also asks the question "Are You a Connector" in this piece.  More here and here on Connectors, Mavens, and Salespersons.

This LA Times book review provides an excellent summary for a book that has been getting some attention in 2016.  The book review article cites the last chapter of the book as stating, "the extent to which our government and the media participate in this endemic paranoia is damaging in that, apart from doing the terrorists' job for them, which is to terrorize, it helps crowd out more serious issues the planet faces. Climate change is far less telegenic than jihad."