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Risk:

the science and politics of fear
Front Cover
10 Reviews
Virgin Books, 2009 - Fear - 422 pages
We are the safest humans who ever lived - the statistics prove it. And yet the media tells a different story with its warnings and scare stories. How is it possible that anxiety has become the stuff of daily life?In this ground-breaking, compulsively readable book, Dan Gardner shows how our flawed strategies for perceiving risk influence our lives, often with unforseen and sometimes-tragic consequences. He throws light on our paranoia about everything from paedophiles to terrorism and reveals that the most significant threats are actually the mundane risks to which we pay little attention.Speaking to psychologists and scientists, as well as looking at the influence of the media, Gardner uncovers one of the central puzzles of our time: why are the safest people in history living in a culture of fear?

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Review: Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear

User Review  - Caroline - Goodreads

. Okay, I'll own up. Deep down, and not so deep down, I'm the sort of gal who could walk up and down Oxford Street with a placard on my back saying “THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH”. My outlook is ... Read full review

Review: Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear

User Review  - Kate - Goodreads

Mostly an enjoyable read. It's a little numbers heavy and starts to feel repetitive towards the end. A bit of extra editing to streamline it a bit would have helped, but Dan Gardner's writing style is smooth and goes down pretty easily. All in all, a very worthwhile read. Read full review

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About the author (2009)

Dan Gardner is a columnist and senior writer for the Ottawa Citizen, specializing in criminal justice and other investigative issues. Trained in history and law, Gardner worked as a senior policy adviser to the premier and the minister of education before turning to journalism in 1997. His writing has received numerous awards, including the National Newspaper Award, Amnesty Internationals Media Award, and others. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.

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