[Crispy]

Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner - Freakonomics

Anybody else who's reading/read this book? ;]

I've been wanting to read it for a while now -- my sister just gave it to me as a birthday present! ;D

Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? What kind of impact did Roe v. Wade have on violent crime?

I'm only two chapters in so far, but it's great.
I used to wonder to myself how things in this world actually work -- not how people say things work, but why they actually happen. Or conversely, why things don't happen.
Levitt uses his unique grasp on economics, and the tools it provides, in an attempt to answer such questions.

When reading the various correlations in this book, you'll feel almost as if you're uncovering mysteries, one by one, in classic Sherlock Holmes-fashion.

New York Times Bestseller and a definite recommendation.

[VersusVillain]

I've been wanting to read this book for a while. I've heard so many good things about it, but I'd sort of forgotten about it until reading your post! I'll have to look for it next time I'm at B&N.

[vc1188]

I just bought the revised&expanded version but I haven't read it yet. I'm REALLY anxious to though

[Misao]

haha it looks interesting kinda like the book why does men have nipples? well, i just requested it from my local library(:

[kkkkk]

i read this directly after i read 'blink, the power of thinking without thinking', and i think this one pales in comparison. blink was more interesting in my opinion.

it was only last year that i read it, and now i have absolutely no recollection of it, unfortunately.

[Crispy]

i read this directly after i read 'blink, the power of thinking without thinking', and i think this one pales in comparison. blink was more interesting in my opinion.

it was only last year that i read it, and now i have absolutely no recollection of it, unfortunately.

Haven't read Blink yet, unfortunately, but I'll see if I can get around to it sometime soon.
But, if I'm not mistaken, the purpose of Blink is to delve into the unconscious mind and explore the nuances of human instinct.
In other words, Blink attempts to answer, or elaborate upon, a question or topic.
Contrariwise, Freakonomics is a guideline on how to answer questions. (using the basic principles of economics)
Like Blink, it uses several examples strewn throughout history to reinforce assertions, but it goes beyond that.
The purpose of Freakonomics isn't to merely answer vapid, trivial questions, but to teach others a method of answering any question.

I'm not saying that one is better than the other ("My book is better than your book! Nyeh, nyeh!"), but just stating that they're different in that regard.

In fact, I'll even put forward one thing that has been somewhat irking about the book... it seems to be a tad self-serving, at times.
Levitt is a genius -- in his unique way -- and he seems to know it. I wouldn't say he's cocky, but his confidence is definitely apparent.
But then again, Dubner was the writer... so, any high regards towards Levitt in the book may have stemmed solely from Dubner's admiration of him.

[melkimx]

^ haha... in the original version, in between the useful stuff, there was all this praise for levitt the genius... and i think they took it out in the revised version because people were complaining it seemed so egomaniacal.

i waited over a year for the paperback to come out (i don't like hardcovers and they usually stop being sold nine months after release date) but i finally had to cave in when i realized this book is so successful it can get away with prolonging the paperback release for who knows how long. of course it's a great book and so much fun to read. i bet even people who hate to read would like this book, honestly, because the content is just fascinating and easy to understand.

if i had to, i'd say i more connect freakonomics to the tipping point, not blink... but even then it's just because gladwell and levitt presented different arguments to explain an identical situation (crime rate drop in NYC, i think). otherwise i think both the tipping point and blink present a single argument throughout (well, blink didn't seem that cohesive to me, but i guess i wouldn't know), whereas freakonomics was just a collection of disparate essays... if they were all meant to connect to each other, i didn't get that out of it. but that's actually all right. better for people with short attention spans, like me.

[kkkkk]

Haven't read Blink yet, unfortunately, but I'll see if I can get around to it sometime soon.
But, if I'm not mistaken, the purpose of Blink is to delve into the unconscious mind and explore the nuances of human instinct.
In other words, Blink attempts to answer, or elaborate upon, a question or topic.
Contrariwise, Freakonomics is a guideline on how to answer questions. (using the basic principles of economics)
Like Blink, it uses several examples strewn throughout history to reinforce assertions, but it goes beyond that.
The purpose of Freakonomics isn't to merely answer vapid, trivial questions, but to teach others a method of answering any question.

I'm not saying that one is better than the other ("My book is better than your book! Nyeh, nyeh!"), but just stating that they're different in that regard.

In fact, I'll even put forward one thing that has been somewhat irking about the book... it seems to be a tad self-serving, at times.
Levitt is a genius -- in his unique way -- and he seems to know it. I wouldn't say he's cocky, but his confidence is definitely apparent.
But then again, Dubner was the writer... so, any high regards towards Levitt in the book may have stemmed solely from Dubner's admiration of him.

thats.. great. i'm sorry if i had offended you in any way. i myself dont like to have favourite books being criticised, so i'm sorry for bringing up that comparatively, i prefer blink more.

actually, i dont read much nonfiction, any recommendations? you sound like you're quite well-read.

[SmiLeeGirl]

I am almost done but got caught up with some other things.

I found it interesting

especially
...What Sumo wrestlers and teachers have in common and why drug dealers still live with their mom's.


I must have the revised edition. I would have probally gotten irritated at the extra stuff

[Crispy]

^ haha... in the original version, in between the useful stuff, there was all this praise for levitt the genius... and i think they took it out in the revised version because people were complaining it seemed so egomaniacal.

Ahaha... then I must have the unrevised version. ;p
It's the hard-cover? Does the revised version say "revised" on the cover anywhere?

thats.. great. i'm sorry if i had offended you in any way. i myself dont like to have favourite books being criticised, so i'm sorry for bringing up that comparatively, i prefer blink more.

actually, i dont read much nonfiction, any recommendations? you sound like you're quite well-read.

Ahahaha, nahhhh. Me, offended? Guffawwww. ;]
I'll probably search out Blink and Tipping Point next, on your recommendation.

And I had you fooled! ;D
I'm pretty good at making people think I'm smart. ;p
Nothing could be further from the truth, my friend.
I love non-fiction -- well, all books -- but none are coming to mind at this moment. I'll let you know if I find another good one. ;]

[melkimx]

Ahaha... then I must have the unrevised version. ;p
It's the hard-cover? Does the revised version say "revised" on the cover anywhere?

haha yeah... the revised version says REVISED in big letters on the cover. if you remember reading a lot of stuff about an anti-KKK guy who was brought up by an african-american maid (or something), then you have the original version, because most of that section was taken out as it turned out the facts couldn't be verified. and the revised version has additional short essays tacked onto the end, none of which are as interesting as the original content.

i'd love to read another book that's like this. for some reason i can't get into fiction these days.

[Crispy]

haha yeah... the revised version says REVISED in big letters on the cover. if you remember reading a lot of stuff about an anti-KKK guy who was brought up by an african-american maid (or something), then you have the original version, because most of that section was taken out as it turned out the facts couldn't be verified. and the revised version has additional short essays tacked onto the end, none of which are as interesting as the original content.

i'd love to read another book that's like this. for some reason i can't get into fiction these days.

Mmm... I guess you're referring to the Stetson Kennedy section?
I actually loved that section. ... maybe because Stetson Kennedy rocks. ;p
Seriously. What a guy. He was white -- in no danger of discrimination -- and could have led an easy life, but instead decided to fight for what was right.
And the Superman idea was truly a stroke of GENIUS. What part of the Kennedy section couldn't be verified? I've heard everything that I read in the book before in my old AP American History class. o_o

Hm. Do you have any good recommendations of non-fiction books that you think might quench my thirst for absolute power knowledge? ;]

[melkimx]

Mmm... I guess you're referring to the Stetson Kennedy section?
I actually loved that section. ... maybe because Stetson Kennedy rocks. ;p
Seriously. What a guy. He was white -- in no danger of discrimination -- and could have led an easy life, but instead decided to fight for what was right.
And the Superman idea was truly a stroke of GENIUS. What part of the Kennedy section couldn't be verified? I've heard everything that I read in the book before in my old AP American History class. o_o

Hm. Do you have any good recommendations of non-fiction books that you think might quench my thirst for absolute power knowledge? ;]

hmm i'm not quite sure, but when i read the revised version i just noticed the kennedy bio was really condensed. most of his personal info, like how he was raised by his maid and grew up hating segregation, was gone. also i think there wasn't so much mention about how he infiltrated the klan. but i'm sure he's a really admirable person nonetheless.

haha i was actually kinda disappointed at the omission... even though it might be more accurate this way, it isn't nearly as interesting.

[aikomidori]

Freakonomics was awesome! I planned to read it but never really got around to it, then I had to write about a book for a class and I chose this. I had alot of fun reading it and it's refreshing in the way that it looks at issues differently and gets you thinking..

[.moony.]

Hehe I loved this book. I had to read it last summer for my econ class
and it was fantastic ^^ kept me goin non stop <3

[broken.wings]

I want to read this book. I heard it's interesting.

[D_K]

Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner - Freakonomics

Anybody else who's reading/read this book? ;]

I've been wanting to read it for a while now -- my sister just gave it to me as a birthday present! ;D
I'm only two chapters in so far, but it's great.
I used to wonder to myself how things in this world actually work -- not how people say things work, but why they actually happen. Or conversely, why things don't happen.
Levitt uses his unique grasp on economics, and the tools it provides, in an attempt to answer such questions.

When reading the various correlations in this book, you'll feel almost as if you're uncovering mysteries, one by one, in classic Sherlock Holmes-fashion.

New York Times Bestseller and a definite recommendation.

Read it. Quite entertaining. Levitt is a pretty damn good economist. Never knew he had this kind of sense of humour.

[taehyunee]

wow..I love books like that, I don't know why, but it gets me thinking. I haven't read it, but I saw the book when my cousin came over and he had it. all the posts are making me want to go to the library and check it out now! haha.

the only books that ever gotten me thinking on a specific aspect was a book recommended by one of my formal professor. it was called Expecting Adam, it was quite good but I believe it is fiction but based on a true story. I am definately going to check out Freakonomics and Blink. I couldn't bring myelf to read Tipping Point last year since it is available to me whenever(I used to work in a bookstore), I don't know why..but I will give it another try since it is summer.

[Trungy]

Hm. Do you have any good recommendations of non-fiction books that you think might quench my thirst for absolute power knowledge? ;]

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert is a pretty good book. I hate to reach one that's on the NYT Bestseller (some people seem to think that a book is only good when it is on a big list), but it really is an interesting book. It is in the same mold as Freakonomics and Blink.

The other two books I like are Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam and The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz. There are issues with both books (Bowling Alone can be wordy at times, and it is a really thick book, and The Paradox of Choice can be very preachy), but both books have good things to offer that makes reading them worth it.



That's what she said!!!

[h0ney]

im learning microeconomics at school and we read chapters of it for hw...
IT REALLY INTERESTING!!
compared to all my other textbooks.. its so much more fun to read
got really good exmaples .. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!