It is hard not to feel personally threatened, particularly when the aftermath of a disaster becomes the focus of worldwide attention and non-stop media coverage. After such news, we are reminded yet again of the fragility of life and the love we feel for friends and family.

In these days of uncertainty, it’s reassuring to learn that some of our worst-case scenarios will not necessarily come true. It’s nonetheless true that the likelihood of being involved in a terrorist incident is remarkably low. One is more likely to get killed crossing the street. Siegel has compiled a remarkable response to what he calls our “new-found vulnerability” and the “ongoing doom-and-gloom of the daily news”.

He has conducted an intensive study of the ramifications of living in a time of pervasive fear, when we are constantly threatened with the prospect of biological or nuclear warfare.

With so much attention showered on what we can’t control, it is easy to lose sight of those factors that clearly impact the quality of our lives. With the help of blow-by-blow analysis of some of the most sensational false alarms, he shows how fear-mongers manipulate our most primitive instincts.