Amanda Ripley Takes The Unthinkable Online

Amanda Ripley is kind of awesome. She's a reporter for Time magazine, so she travels all over the world to research and report on interesting things. And in her spare time? Well, lately she's spent it writing a book about what happens in your brain when you're faced with a disaster -- and how to survive.

See what I mean? Kind of awesome.

So, when she asked us to build her a web site that would showcase her book and give her a solid presence on the web, we were happy to oblige.

We worked with her to define a clean, simple, well-organized site that represents the content of the book and the broader context of Amanda's research. It features a section about the book, including reviews (mostly from bestselling non-fiction authors), an interactive diaster alert map from RSOE EDIS, and, most importantly, a blog where Amanda can publish the stories behind the stories in her signature narrative style.

We think it came out pretty well. Just ask Brian:

"Amanda's been great to work with. Her book covers a fascinating topic, and coming up with the right strategy for what her web site should be in relation to the book launch was a cool challenge. Our approach was to create something that would last, and I think we've achieved that goal."

And Amanda told us:

"Having never done this before, I went into this process with a lot of vague ideas about tricks and toys that might be 'great!' on a web site. Luckily, I was in good, patient hands. April and the rest of the team at Viget listened to my ideas and then reminded me of my goals (to sell books and continue to build a brand as a storyteller and journalist); Samantha created a modern, smart look; and everyone implicitly understood the importance of avoiding sensationalism or frivolity, given that I am publicizing a book about disasters. I am very proud of the end result."

To learn more about diaster survival or The Unthinkable book, check out the site.