Review: Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr

Fear is something we all experience. Whether it be of heights, of the dark, of death, fear is something we cannot avoid.  Yet, though we accept the existence of fear, as humans we often put ourselves in situations with the intention of inducing fear.  Haunted Houses. Roller Coasters. Sky-diving.  All of these make us feel as though we are just moments from death, yet we intentionally put ourselves in these situations. Why?

Margee Kerr is a sociologist who studies fear. She works year-round at ScareHouse, one of the country's most renowned haunted houses. her job? To observe visitors of the haunted house for their reactions in an attempt to make the attractions scarier.  This led her to a first-of-its kind study on how the human body and mind responds to fear.  To do so, she goes on a tour of the most terrifying attractions known to man, from a long abandoned prison to Japan’s mysterious “suicide forest.” Using her own personal experiences, combined with scientific data on fear, she combines all of this data into quite the thrill-ride of a read.

I felt it quite appropriate to launch Murder, Monsters & Mayhem with a book that studies the science of fear.  Obsessed with all things terrifying, I find fear to be an extremely intriguing subject.  Following Dr. Kerr on her adventures to understand fear also made me feel safe, for there are certain things that I myself am terrified of, refusing to address or overcome (heights!).  In this book, Kerr uses her own experiences, tracking her own responses, to numerous fear-inducing situations. She doesn’t shy away when her body and mind tells her to flee. Essentially, Margee Kerr is my superwoman.

I found this book to be incredibly educational, both in understanding what terrifies us but also receiving validation for my own fears. Though I have made attempts to overcome my fear of heights, knowing that there is biological/psychological reason behind it help me understand it, and perhaps appreciate it, more.

The feeling and concept of fear is addressed immediately upon holding this book in your hands. As if the cover isn’t chilling enough, it actually glows in the dark! Don’t let any of this prevent you from reading this book, for while some of the settings Kerr puts herself in are terrifying (dangling from the side of a skyscraper!?), the information gained from reading is certain to outweigh any fear. Highly, highly recommended.

Photo credit: Emily Ellsworth