The Unthinkable - Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why by Amanda Ripley

Most fiction is really about the personal disasters of life. Conflict springs from impossible situations for which our protagonists are ill-equipped. In The Unthinkable, Amanda Ripley presents the reactions of people who have faced deadly situations ranging from September 11th to stampedes at Mecca.  Interspersed among the personal stories are reports of scientific studies which cast light on the human behaviors which lead to both panic and survival.  It's a fascinating read with great insights into cultural psychology.