Nerve: Book Review & Giveaway!

 
I am very open about the fact that I have struggled with anxiety all my life. I have never known a time when I wasn’t worrying about something. At times, it’s been motivating (which is obviously a good thing), while there have been other times in my life when it’s held me back a great deal from doing things I want to do.

I just finished reading Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool by Taylor Clark. Clark’s book discusses fear, anxiety, and stress, which I had always used synonymously, but learned that they are very different. Clark uses examples in our history to illustrate when people have maintained calm under the most extreme pressure as well as other times when people have choked or frozen. I have always wondered why some people are able to perform the most amazing feats or work under the most incredibly stressful conditions. Clark also wondered this, which lead him to write this book. Nerve discusses the physiological process of fear and uses the research that has been conducted to explain how our brains interpret messages and then send signals to a person’s body which initiate the feeling of fear.

As I said, I do experience anxiety constantly for different reasons. This book was wonderful for me to read. It explains fear, anxiety, and stress in understandable terms, instead of jargon. I love the fact that Clark discusses major historical events to support his points. They instantly gripped me and captivated my attention. I was drawn to keep reading because I have been trying to understand my anxiety for years and Nerve was presenting the information on a silver platter for me!

Thank you very much to the Hachette Book Group for allowing me the opportunity to read Nerve. The Hachette Book Group has also generously offered to giveaway THREE copies of Nerve to my readers!

Here are the details of the giveaway:

Win It: Three winners will each receive one copy of Nerve. Please leave a comment for each entry. Please also leave your email address with each comment.

Mandatory entry: Please share something that you are afraid of (it can be something silly!)

Bonus Entries:
1. Follow Tidbits From A Mom publicly on Google Friend Connect. (1 entry)
2. Follow my other blog, Dearheart Designs publicly on Google Friend Connect. (1 entry)
3. Leave a comment on any of my reviews on my blog and leave a comment and let me know which review you commented on. (2 entries)
4. Follow me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter (1 entry each)
5. Grab my button and let me know where you placed it (3 entries)
6. Subscribe to Tidbits From A Mom through RSS feed or email (3 entries)
7. Enter another one of my giveaways (1 entry each)

This giveaway ends on  April 9, 2011 at 12:00 am EST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. The winner will be notified through email and will have 48 hours to respond.  This contest is only open to residentts in U.S. and Canada.  No P.O. Box addresses please.  Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule.

*Disclaimer: I was not provided monetary compensation for this post.  The opinions expressed here are solely my own.  I received a free copy of this book for the purposes of review.