Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool

Nerves make us bomb job interviews, first dates, and SATs. A looming presentation at work can rob us of sleep for days. Fear paralyzes seasoned concert musicians and freezes rookie cops. And yet not everyone cracks. Soldiers keep their heads in combat; firemen rush into burning buildings; unflappable trauma doctors patients. It's not that these people feel no fear; often, in fact, they're riddled with it. In NERVE, Taylor Clark draws upon cutting-edge science and painstaking reporting to explore the very heart of panic and poise. Using a wide range of case studies, Clark overturns the popular myths about anxiety and fear to explain why some people thrive under pressure, while others falter-and how we can go forward with steadier nerves and increased confidence