Friedman M Archer-Ellison Inc., 2002 274 pages, $19.95 Everyday Crisis Management reviews and organizes a subject on which most emergency physicians consider themselves experts. This book is relevant to emergency physicians because, although we practice crisis management, most of us have not put much thought into the subject. The principles of crisis management are used to teach a unique approach to this subject. Each concept is analyzed and explained, its relationship to the process is examined, and real-life examples are used to illustrate the concept in practice. Friedman suggests that the way emergency physicians manage patients in the emergency department can be expanded to crises in everyday life. “Anyone who can learn to think critically and rapidly and then act decisively—like an emergency physician—will gain a competitive edge.” Everyday Crisis Management is a thorough, 274-page primer on the topic. The cover is sensationalistic, although as the title suggests, it was not chosen for marketing to the professional. Rather, the content and presentation are for the lay public. The level of detail and writing are appropriate for the intended audience. The initial chapters review topics of definition, recognition, prediction, and prevention of crises, followed by sections on planning, event management, and the resolution phase. The final chapters bring closure to the examples provided earlier in the book and reinforce the teaching points. The first 16 chapters discuss individual important concepts, illustrated by real-life examples. The examples are gleaned from the author's experiences and from national and international events. These chapters conclude with exercises designed to solidify the information. The last 3 chapters look at the broader concepts of fear in the face of terrorism, disasters as crises and crisis timing, avoidance, and conflict management. In addition, the appendices, References, and resources provide information and checklists for first aid kits, family disaster plans, and further study. Examples used to highlight and emphasize points are true-to-life and appropriate. The book is timely in that it includes examples of crises stemming from the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks and America's war on terror. Because emergency physicians practice crisis management on a daily basis, I was initially skeptical this group would benefit from this book. However, daily success in managing crises does not necessarily imply an understanding of the processes involved. It does not mean that improved skills will follow, nor does it mean that the emergency physician will excel at management of crises outside the emergency department. The distillation of successful practices into fundamental principles is worthy of study even by (or especially by) those tasked with mastering crisis management. I would recommend Everyday Crisis Management to both the layperson and the emergency physician. Both groups will find a straightforward foundation on which to prepare for and base decisions during crises both mundane and monumental.