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Freakonomics Book Recommendations: Uncovering Hidden Side of Everything
Are you ready to challenge your assumptions and explore the unexpected connections hidden within everyday life? Then dive into the fascinating world of Freakonomics! This isn't your typical economics textbook; it's a captivating journey into the surprising power of incentives, hidden patterns, and unconventional thinking. This post provides comprehensive Freakonomics book recommendations, delving into the series' most compelling titles, offering detailed analyses, and guiding you to find the perfect read to satisfy your curiosity. We'll also explore the core themes and unique insights each book offers, ensuring you get the most out of your Freakonomics experience. Get ready to unlock a new perspective on the world around you.
Understanding the Freakonomics Phenomenon
The Freakonomics series, spearheaded by economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen J. Dubner, has captivated millions worldwide. Their unique approach combines rigorous economic analysis with engaging storytelling, revealing hidden truths behind seemingly unrelated events. They explore topics ranging from the surprising effectiveness of incentives to the unexpected correlations between seemingly disparate phenomena. This approach allows readers to see familiar situations from a fresh, insightful perspective, challenging conventional wisdom and fostering a deeper understanding of human behavior. The books aren't just about economics; they are about using economic principles to understand the complexities of the human experience.
Top Freakonomics Book Recommendations: A Deep Dive
Beyond the original Freakonomics, the series has expanded to explore a wide range of topics. Here's a closer look at some of the most highly-regarded titles:
#### 1. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Introduction: Sets the stage by introducing the unconventional approach to analyzing everyday phenomena using economic principles. It establishes the core premise of using incentives, data, and unconventional thinking to uncover hidden truths.
Main Chapters: Explores a diverse range of topics, including: the connection between a sumo wrestler's performance and cheating, the impact of incentives on real estate agents, the surprising effectiveness of naming strategies, and the role of economics in understanding crime rates.
Conclusion: Reinforces the central theme of the book – that by using unconventional economic analysis, we can gain valuable insights into the complexities of human behavior and societal patterns.
Detailed Analysis of Freakonomics: This seminal work introduces the core methodology of the series. The authors brilliantly illustrate how seemingly unrelated events are often connected through the underlying power of incentives. The chapter on real estate agents, for example, reveals how the structure of their compensation influences their actions in surprising ways. Similarly, the analysis of sumo wrestling exposes the intricate web of incentives and cheating that operate within this seemingly honorable sport. The book’s power lies in its ability to make complex economic concepts accessible and engaging for a broad audience.
#### 2. SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
Introduction: Sets the stage for exploring even more unconventional topics, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of human behavior and the power of unconventional solutions.
Main Chapters: Explores a wider array of topics than the original, including the impact of global cooling, the economics of prostitution, and the surprising logic behind suicide bombing. It also delves into the potential of innovations like self-driving cars and the economic aspects of climate change.
Conclusion: Reiterates the importance of unconventional thinking and the power of economic principles in solving complex problems, highlighting the unexpected connections between seemingly disparate fields.
Detailed Analysis of SuperFreakonomics: This sequel expands upon the original's success by delving even deeper into the unconventional. The exploration of seemingly taboo topics, such as prostitution and suicide bombing, is handled with a sensitivity and rigorous analysis that avoids sensationalism. The inclusion of cutting-edge technologies and future predictions adds another layer of intrigue, showcasing the authors' forward-thinking approach. The book successfully demonstrates the versatility of economic principles in understanding a diverse range of human actions and societal challenges.
#### 3. Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
Introduction: Focuses on the methodology and mindset behind the Freakonomics approach, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and unconventional problem-solving.
Main Chapters: Provides a practical guide to applying the Freakonomics principles in everyday life. It explores various topics, illustrating how to identify hidden incentives, analyze data effectively, and overcome cognitive biases.
Conclusion: Encourages readers to adopt a "freakonomist" mindset, promoting creative problem-solving and a more critical approach to understanding the world around them.
Detailed Analysis of Think Like a Freak: This book shifts the focus from specific case studies to the underlying methodology. It's a more practical guide, equipping readers with the tools and frameworks to apply the Freakonomics approach in their own lives and professions. The emphasis on overcoming cognitive biases and identifying hidden incentives provides invaluable insights for decision-making in any field. This book serves as a valuable companion to the other titles, providing a deeper understanding of the how behind the what.
Why You Should Read Freakonomics
The Freakonomics series offers much more than just entertaining reads. They provide a valuable toolkit for critical thinking, challenging assumptions and fostering a deeper understanding of human behavior. The books promote a data-driven approach to problem-solving, encouraging readers to question conventional wisdom and seek out unconventional solutions. This approach is valuable not only in academic settings but also in everyday life, empowering readers to make better decisions and navigate the complexities of the modern world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are Freakonomics books suitable for non-economists? Absolutely! The authors excel at making complex economic concepts accessible and engaging for a broad audience.
2. What is the overall tone of the Freakonomics books? The tone is generally lighthearted and engaging, though the underlying analysis is rigorous.
3. Are there any controversial aspects to the Freakonomics books? Some of the conclusions drawn may be controversial, sparking debate and discussion.
4. Do the books offer practical advice? Think Like a Freak specifically focuses on practical applications of the Freakonomics methodology.
5. What kind of reader would enjoy the Freakonomics series? Anyone interested in human behavior, unconventional thinking, and surprising connections between seemingly unrelated events.
6. Are the statistics and data presented reliable? The authors are meticulous in their research, citing sources and supporting their claims with data.
7. Are the books suitable for students? Yes, they can be highly beneficial for students studying economics, sociology, and related fields.
8. Are the books suitable for casual readers? Yes, the engaging narrative and surprising insights make them compelling reads for anyone.
9. Can I read the books out of order? While each book builds on the previous one, you can read them in any order.
Related Articles
1. The Impact of Incentives on Human Behavior: This article explores the core concept of incentives, illustrating how they shape actions and choices.
2. Unconventional Economic Analysis: A Deep Dive: This article examines the unique methodology of the Freakonomics series, highlighting its strengths and limitations.
3. The Power of Data in Understanding Society: This article explores the role of data analysis in revealing hidden patterns and insights.
4. Cognitive Biases and Decision-Making: This article delves into the impact of cognitive biases on decision-making and how to overcome them.
5. Applying Economic Principles to Everyday Life: This article provides practical examples of applying economic principles to real-world scenarios.
6. The Role of Storytelling in Communicating Economic Ideas: This article discusses the importance of storytelling in making economic concepts accessible and engaging.
7. Critiques and Controversies of Freakonomics: This article examines some of the criticisms leveled against the Freakonomics methodology and conclusions.
8. The Future of Freakonomics: Exploring New Frontiers: This article discusses potential future directions for the series and similar research.
9. Comparing and Contrasting the Freakonomics Books: This article offers a comparative analysis of the different books in the Freakonomics series, highlighting their unique strengths and contributions.
| freakonomics book recommendations: Think Like a Freak (Republish) Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, 2018-07-18 Apa rahasia juara dunia lomba makan hot dog asal Jepang yang makan 50 hot dog dalam 12 menit? - Apa alasan seorang dokter asal Australia rela menelan setumpuk bakteri berbahaya? - Bagaimana bisa calon teroris terdeteksi melalui rekening bank di Inggris? - Mengapa penipu melalui e-mail sering menyatakan diri berasal dari Nigeria? - Mengapa orang dewasa justru mudah ditipu daripada anak-anak? Buku ini memaparkan pemikiran yang tidak biasa, aneh, dan jarang terpikir oleh orang kebanyakan. Disertai contoh-contoh menarik, cerita yang memikat, dan analisis yang tidak lazim, kedua penulis mendorong kita agar mampu berpikir jauh lebih rasional, lebih kreatif, dan lebih produktif. Cara baru yang revolusioner ini telah terbukti menyelesaikan berbagai masalah, baik masalah kecil ataupun global. Anda pun bisa mempraktikkannya di berbagai bidang, mulai dari bisnis, olahraga, hingga politik. [Mizan, Noura Books, Nourabooks, Motivasi, Pengembangan Diri, Remaja, Dewasa, Indonesia] |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Discover Your Inner Economist Tyler Cowen, 2008-05-27 One of America’s most respected economists presents a quirky, incisive romp through everyday life that reveals how you can turn economic reasoning to your advantage—often when you least expect it to be relevant. Like no other economist, Tyler Cowen shows how economic notions—such as incentives, signals, and markets—apply far more widely than merely to the decisions of social planners, governments, and big business. What does economic theory say about ordering from a menu? Or attracting the right mate? Or controlling people who talk too much in meetings? Or dealing with your dentist? With a wryly amusing voice, in chapters such as “How to Control the World, The Basics” and “How to Control the World, Knowing When to Stop” Cowen reveals the hidden economic patterns behind everyday situations so you can get more of what you really want. Readers will also gain less selfish insights into how to be a good partner, neighbor and even citizen of the world. For instance, what is the best way to give to charity? The chapter title “How to Save the World—More Christmas Presents Won’t Help” makes a point that is every bit as personal as it is global. Incentives are at the core of an economic approach to the world, but they don’t just come in cash. In fact, money can be a disincentive. Cowen shows why, for example, it doesn’t work to pay your kids to do the dishes. Other kinds of incentives—like making sure family members know they will be admired if they respect you—can work. Another non-monetary incentive? Try having everyone stand up in your next meeting if you don’t want anyone to drone on. Deeply felt incentives like pride in one’s work or a passing smile from a loved one, can be the most powerful of all, even while they operate alongside more mundane rewards such as money and free food. Discover Your Inner Economist is an introduction to the science of economics that shows it to be built on notions that are already within all of us. While the implications of those ideas lead to Cowen’s often counterintuitive advice, their wisdom is presented in ordinary examples taken from home life, work life, and even vacation life… How do you get a good guide in a Moroccan bazaar? |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Superfreakonomics Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, 2010-06-24 Here at last is the long awaited sequel to the international bestselling phenomenon, Freakonomics. Steven Levitt, the original rogue economist, and Stephen Dubner have been working hard, uncovering the hidden side of even more controversial subjects, from charity to terrorism and prostitution. And with their inimitable style and wit, they will take us on another even more gripping journey of discovery. Superfreakonomics will once again transform the way we look at the world. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Empty Pot Demi, 2007-10-16 The Empty Pot is Demi's beloved picture book about an honest schoolboy A long time ago in China there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom. The Emperor loved flowers too. When it was time to choose an heir, he gave a flower seed to each child in the kingdom. Whoever can show me their best in a year's time, he proclaimed, shall succeed me to the throne! Ping plants his seed and tends it every day. But month after month passes, and nothing grows. When spring comes, Ping must go to the Emperor with nothing but an empty pot. Demi's exquisite art and beautifully simple text show how Ping's embarrassing failure is turned triumphant in this satisfying tale of honesty rewarded. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice. An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: New York, New York, New York Thomas Dyja, 2021-03-16 A New York Times Notable Book A lively, immersive history by an award-winning urbanist of New York City’s transformation, and the lessons it offers for the city’s future. Dangerous, filthy, and falling apart, garbage piled on its streets and entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble; New York’s terrifying, if liberating, state of nature in 1978 also made it the capital of American culture. Over the next thirty-plus years, though, it became a different place—kinder and meaner, richer and poorer, more like America and less like what it had always been. New York, New York, New York, Thomas Dyja’s sweeping account of this metamorphosis, shows it wasn’t the work of a single policy, mastermind, or economic theory, nor was it a morality tale of gentrification or crime. Instead, three New Yorks evolved in turn. After brutal retrenchment came the dazzling Koch Renaissance and the Dinkins years that left the city’s liberal traditions battered but laid the foundation for the safe streets and dotcom excess of Giuliani’s Reformation in the ‘90s. Then the planes hit on 9/11. The shaky city handed itself over to Bloomberg who merged City Hall into his personal empire, launching its Reimagination. From Hip Hop crews to Wall Street bankers, D.V. to Jay-Z, Dyja weaves New Yorkers famous, infamous, and unknown—Yuppies, hipsters, tech nerds, and artists; community organizers and the immigrants who made this a truly global place—into a narrative of a city creating ways of life that would ultimately change cities everywhere. With great success, though, came grave mistakes. The urbanism that reclaimed public space became a means of control, the police who made streets safe became an occupying army, technology went from a means to the end. Now, as anxiety fills New Yorker’s hearts and empties its public spaces, it’s clear that what brought the city back—proximity, density, and human exchange—are what sent Covid-19 burning through its streets, and the price of order has come due. A fourth evolution is happening and we must understand that the greatest challenge ahead is the one New York failed in the first three: The cures must not be worse than the disease. Exhaustively researched, passionately told, New York, New York, New York is a colorful, inspiring guide to not just rebuilding but reimagining a great city. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Biggest Bluff Maria Konnikova, 2020-06-23 The New York Times bestseller! A New York Times Notable Book “The tale of how Konnikova followed a story about poker players and wound up becoming a story herself will have you riveted, first as you learn about her big winnings, and then as she conveys the lessons she learned both about human nature and herself.” —The Washington Post It's true that Maria Konnikova had never actually played poker before and didn't even know the rules when she approached Erik Seidel, Poker Hall of Fame inductee and winner of tens of millions of dollars in earnings, and convinced him to be her mentor. But she knew her man: a famously thoughtful and broad-minded player, he was intrigued by her pitch that she wasn't interested in making money so much as learning about life. She had faced a stretch of personal bad luck, and her reflections on the role of chance had led her to a giant of game theory, who pointed her to poker as the ultimate master class in learning to distinguish between what can be controlled and what can't. And she certainly brought something to the table, including a Ph.D. in psychology and an acclaimed and growing body of work on human behavior and how to hack it. So Seidel was in, and soon she was down the rabbit hole with him, into the wild, fiercely competitive, overwhelmingly masculine world of high-stakes Texas Hold'em, their initial end point the following year's World Series of Poker. But then something extraordinary happened. Under Seidel's guidance, Konnikova did have many epiphanies about life that derived from her new pursuit, including how to better read, not just her opponents but far more importantly herself; how to identify what tilted her into an emotional state that got in the way of good decisions; and how to get to a place where she could accept luck for what it was, and what it wasn't. But she also began to win. And win. In a little over a year, she began making earnest money from tournaments, ultimately totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. She won a major title, got a sponsor, and got used to being on television, and to headlines like How one writer's book deal turned her into a professional poker player. She even learned to like Las Vegas. But in the end, Maria Konnikova is a writer and student of human behavior, and ultimately the point was to render her incredible journey into a container for its invaluable lessons. The biggest bluff of all, she learned, is that skill is enough. Bad cards will come our way, but keeping our focus on how we play them and not on the outcome will keep us moving through many a dark patch, until the luck once again breaks our way. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Levels of the Game John McPhee, 2011-04-01 Levels of the Game is John McPhee's astonishing account of a tennis match played by Arthur Ashe against Clark Graebner at Forest Hills in 1968. It begins with the ball rising into the air for the initial serve and ends with the final point. McPhee provides a brilliant, stroke-by-stroke description while examining the backgrounds and attitudes which have molded the players' games. This may be the high point of American sports journalism- Robert Lipsyte, The New York Times |
| freakonomics book recommendations: IIMA-Day To Day Economics Satish Y Deodhar, 2016-03-01 The economy isn’t just for the economists to debate on. All of us are affected by its ups and downs—global recession, rise in interest rates, or hike in food prices. But do we understand the principles at work and how and why they really affect us? Day to Day Economics is an enjoyable, accessible, and extremely user-friendly book that explains the modern day Indian economy to the layperson. In this relevant book, Professor Deodhar explains the role of the government and its involvement in different aspects of the economy; the need for the RBI and its functions; and how taxes, stock markets, and recessions work. Day to Day Economics will help you go beyond the facts and figures in the budget and connect the trends to your daily life. As with all IIMA Business Books, it comes illustrated with numerous Indian examples and case studies making this the ultimate rookie’s guide to the Indian economy. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: When to Rob a Bank Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, 2015-05-05 Why don't flight attendants get tipped? If you were a terrorist, how would you attack? And why does KFC always run out of fried chicken? Over the past decade, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have published more than 8,000 blog posts on Freakonomics.com. Now the very best of this writing has been carefully curated into one volume, the perfect solution for the millions of readers who love all things Freakonomics. Discover why taller people tend to make more money; why it's so hard to predict the Kentucky Derby winner; and why it might be time for a sex tax (if not a fat tax). You'll also learn a great deal about Levitt and Dubner's own quirks and passions. Surprising and erudite, eloquent and witty, Freaks and Friends demonstrates the brilliance that has made their books an international sensation. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Ring Jonathan Yardley, 2001 Sportswriter, storyteller, humorist - Ring Lardner was an American original. In this affectionate, entertaining, and authoritative biography, critic Jonathan Yardley gives us a new look at Lardner's all too short life and career.--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Voltage Effect John A. List, 2022-02-01 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A leading economist answers one of today’s trickiest questions: Why do some great ideas make it big while others fail to take off? “Brilliant, practical, and grounded in the very latest research, this is by far the best book I’ve ever read on the how and why of scaling.”—Angela Duckworth, CEO of Character Lab and New York Times bestselling author of Grit ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—Men’s Journal “Scale” has become a favored buzzword in the startup world. But scale isn't just about accumulating more users or capturing more market share. It's about whether an idea that takes hold in a small group can do the same in a much larger one—whether you’re growing a small business, rolling out a diversity and inclusion program, or delivering billions of doses of a vaccine. Translating an idea into widespread impact, says University of Chicago economist John A. List, depends on one thing only: whether it can achieve “high voltage”—the ability to be replicated at scale. In The Voltage Effect, List explains that scalable ideas share a common set of attributes, while any number of attributes can doom an unscalable idea. Drawing on his original research, as well as fascinating examples from the realms of business, policymaking, education, and public health, he identifies five measurable vital signs that a scalable idea must possess, and offers proven strategies for avoiding voltage drops and engineering voltage gains. You’ll learn: • How celebrity chef Jamie Oliver expanded his restaurant empire by focusing on scalable “ingredients” (until it collapsed because talent doesn’t scale) • Why the failure to detect false positives early on caused the Reagan-era drug-prevention program to backfire at scale • How governments could deliver more services to more citizens if they focused on the last dollar spent • How one education center leveraged positive spillovers to narrow the achievement gap across the entire community • Why the right set of incentives, applied at scale, can boost voter turnout, increase clean energy use, encourage patients to consistently take their prescribed medication, and more. By understanding the science of scaling, we can drive change in our schools, workplaces, communities, and society at large. Because a better world can only be built at scale. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Eat Like a Fish Bren Smith, 2019-05-14 JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER IACP Cookbook Award finalist In the face of apocalyptic climate change, a former fisherman shares a bold and hopeful new vision for saving the planet: farming the ocean. Here Bren Smith—pioneer of regenerative ocean agriculture—introduces the world to a groundbreaking solution to the global climate crisis. A genre-defining “climate memoir,” Eat Like a Fish interweaves Smith’s own life—from sailing the high seas aboard commercial fishing trawlers to developing new forms of ocean farming to surfing the frontiers of the food movement—with actionable food policy and practical advice on ocean farming. Written with the humor and swagger of a fisherman telling a late-night tale, it is a powerful story of environmental renewal, and a must-read guide to saving our oceans, feeding the world, and—by creating new jobs up and down the coasts—putting working class Americans back to work. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: THE ECONOMIC NATURALIST Robert H. Frank, 2018-07-03 Why do the keypads on drive-up cash machines have Braille dots? Why are round-trip fares from Orlando to Kansas City higher than those from Kansas City to Orlando? For decades, Robert Frank has been asking his economics students to pose and answer questions like these as a way of learning how economic principles operate in the real world-which they do everywhere, all the time. Once you learn to think like an economist, all kinds of puzzling observations start to make sense. Drive-up ATM keypads have Braille dots because it's cheaper to make the same machine for both drive-up and walk-up locations. Travelers from Kansas City to Orlando pay less because they are usually price-sensitive tourists with many choices of destination, whereas travelers originating from Orlando typically choose Kansas City for specific family or business reasons. The Economic Naturalist employs basic economic principles to answer scores of intriguing questions from everyday life, and, along the way, introduces key ideas such as the cost-benefit principle, the no cash on the table principle, and the law of one price. This is as delightful and painless a way to learn fundamental economics as there is. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Armchair Economist Steven E. Landsburg, 2012-05-10 Air bags cause accidents, because well-protected drivers take more risks. This well-documented truth comes as a surprise to most people, but not to economists, who have learned to take seriously the proposition that people respond to incentives. In The Armchair Economist, Steven E. Landsburg shows how the laws of economics reveal themselves in everyday experience and illuminate the entire range of human behavior. Why does popcorn cost so much at the cinema? The 'obvious' answer is that the owner has a monopoly, but if that were the whole story, there would also be a monopoly price to use the toilet. When a sudden frost destroys much of the Florida orange crop and prices skyrocket, journalists point to the 'obvious' exercise of monopoly power. Economists see just the opposite: If growers had monopoly power, they'd have raised prices before the frost. Why don't concert promoters raise ticket prices even when they are sure they will sell out months in advance? Why are some goods sold at auction and others at pre-announced prices? Why do boxes at the football sell out before the standard seats do? Why are bank buildings fancier than supermarkets? Why do corporations confer huge pensions on failed executives? Why don't firms require workers to buy their jobs? Landsburg explains why the obvious answers are wrong, reveals better answers, and illuminates the fundamental laws of human behavior along the way. This is a book of surprises: a guided tour of the familiar, filtered through a decidedly unfamiliar lens. This is economics for the sheer intellectual joy of it. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Letters to a Young Athlete Chris Bosh, 2021-06-01 A legendary NBA player shares his remarkable story, infused with hard-earned wisdom about the journey to self-mastery from a life at the highest level of professional sports Chris Bosh, NBA Hall of Famer, eleven-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and the league’s Global Ambassador, had his playing days cut short at their prime by a freak medical condition. His extraordinary career ended “in a doctor’s office in the middle of the afternoon.” Forced to reckon with moving forward, he found himself looking back over the course he'd taken, to the pinnacle of the NBA and beyond. Reflecting on all he had learned from a long list of basketball legends, from LeBron and Kobe to Pat Riley and Coach K, he saw that his important lessons weren’t about basketball so much as the inner game of success—right attitude, right commitment, right flow within a team. Now he shares that journey, giving us a view from the inside of what greatness feels like and what it takes. Letters to a Young Athlete offers a proven path for taming your inner voice and making it your ally, through the challenges of failure and success alike. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Hidden Order David D. Friedman, 1996 David Friedman has never taken an economics class in his life. Sure, he's taught economics at UCLA. Chicago, Tulane, Cornell, and Santa Clara, but don't hold that against him. After all, everyone's an economist. We all make daily decisions that rely, consciously or not, on an acute understanding of economic theory--from picking the fastest checkout tine at the supermarket to voting or not voting, from negotiating the best job offer to finding the right person to marry. Hidden Order is an essential guide to rational living, revealing all you need to know to get through each day without being eaten alive. Friedman's wise and immensely accessible book is perfect for amateur economists, struggling economics students, young parents and professionals--just about anyone who wants a clear-cut approach to why we make the choices we do and a sensible strategy for how to make the right ones. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory Caitlin Doughty, 2014-09-15 Morbid and illuminating (Entertainment Weekly)—a young mortician goes behind the scenes of her curious profession. Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life’s work. She cared for bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humor and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead (San Francisco Chronicle). |
| freakonomics book recommendations: General Theory Of Employment , Interest And Money John Maynard Keynes, 2016-04 John Maynard Keynes is the great British economist of the twentieth century whose hugely influential work The General Theory of Employment, Interest and * is undoubtedly the century's most important book on economics--strongly influencing economic theory and practice, particularly with regard to the role of government in stimulating and regulating a nation's economic life. Keynes's work has undergone significant revaluation in recent years, and Keynesian views which have been widely defended for so long are now perceived as at odds with Keynes's own thinking. Recent scholarship and research has demonstrated considerable rivalry and controversy concerning the proper interpretation of Keynes's works, such that recourse to the original text is all the more important. Although considered by a few critics that the sentence structures of the book are quite incomprehensible and almost unbearable to read, the book is an essential reading for all those who desire a basic education in economics. The key to understanding Keynes is the notion that at particular times in the business cycle, an economy can become over-productive (or under-consumptive) and thus, a vicious spiral is begun that results in massive layoffs and cuts in production as businesses attempt to equilibrate aggregate supply and demand. Thus, full employment is only one of many or multiple macro equilibria. If an economy reaches an underemployment equilibrium, something is necessary to boost or stimulate demand to produce full employment. This something could be business investment but because of the logic and individualist nature of investment decisions, it is unlikely to rapidly restore full employment. Keynes logically seizes upon the public budget and government expenditures as the quickest way to restore full employment. Borrowing the * to finance the deficit from private households and businesses is a quick, direct way to restore full employment while at the same time, redirecting or siphoning |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Investing in Yourself Giovanni Rigters, Become wealthy instead of just rich. Why would you invest your time and energy working for a company, while you could easily focus on becoming wealthy instead. Do you think you are too broke, don't have the knowledge, or are not smart enough to get wealthy? Let me help you break through all those barriers of self doubt and show you the steps towards wealth building. Finally live the life you always wanted, with the freedom to go and do whatever you please, with no one telling you what to do. A life where you are your own boss, which allows you to go on as many exotic vacations as you want. A changed mindset and a plan of action are where we will begin and managing your wealth is where we will end. Hurry! This book is on sale right now, but the price will go up soon. Buy it now! |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Devil You Know Charles M. Blow, 2021-01-26 INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A New York Times Editor’s Choice | A Kirkus Best Nonfiction Book of the Year The Inspiration for the HBO Original Documentary South to Black Power From journalist and New York Times bestselling author Charles Blow comes a powerful manifesto and call to action, a must-read in the effort to dismantle deep-seated poisons of systemic racism and white supremacy (San Francisco Chronicle). Race, as we have come to understand it, is a fiction; but, racism, as we have come to live it, is a fact. The point here is not to impose a new racial hierarchy, but to remove an existing one. After centuries of waiting for white majorities to overturn white supremacy, it seems to me that it has fallen to Black people to do it themselves. Acclaimed columnist and author Charles Blow never wanted to write a “race book.” But as violence against Black people—both physical and psychological—seemed only to increase in recent years, culminating in the historic pandemic and protests of the summer of 2020, he felt compelled to write a new story for Black Americans. He envisioned a succinct, counterintuitive, and impassioned corrective to the myths that have for too long governed our thinking about race and geography in America. Drawing on both political observations and personal experience as a Black son of the South, Charles set out to offer a call to action by which Black people can finally achieve equality, on their own terms. So what will it take to make lasting change when small steps have so frequently failed? It’s going to take an unprecedented shift in power. The Devil You Know is a groundbreaking manifesto, proposing nothing short of the most audacious power play by Black people in the history of this country. This book is a grand exhortation to generations of a people, offering a road map to true and lasting freedom. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Fated Alyson Noel, 2012-05-24 Strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, glowing people appear from nowhere. Worried that Daire's having a breakdown, her mother sends her to stay with the grandmother she's never met, who lives on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico.There Daire crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes. Her grandmother recognizes Daire's episodes for what they are - a call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, a person who can navigate between the living and the dead. Guided by her grandmother, Daire must be quick to learn how to harness her powers, because Dace's brother is an evil shape-shifter, out to steal them. Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and discover whether Dace is the guy she's meant to be with . . . or if he's allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Home Game Michael Lewis, 2009-06-04 Here, with his remorseless eye for the truth, the bestselling author of Liar's Poker turns his sights on his own domestic world. The result is a wickedly enjoyable cautionary tale. Lewis reveals his own unique take on fatherhood, dealing with the big issues and challenges of new-found paternity: from discovering your three-year-old loves to swear to the ethics of taking your offspring gambling at the races, from the carnage of clothing and feeding to the inevitable tantrums - of both parent and child - and the gradual realization that, despite everything, he's becoming hooked. Home Game is probably the most brazenly honest and entertaining book about parenting ever written. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Confessions of a Hero-Worshiper Stephen J. Dubner, 2009-10-13 As a boy, Stephen J. Dubner's hero was Franco Harris, the famed and mysterious running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. When Dubner's father died, he became obsessed—he dreamed of his hero every night; he signed his school papers Franco Dubner. Though they never met, it was Franco Harris who shepherded Dubner through a fatherless boyhood. Years later, Dubner journeys to meet his hero, certain that Harris will embrace him. And he is . . . well, wrong. Told with the grit of a journalist and the grace of a memoirist, Confessions of a Hero-Worshiper is a breathtaking, heartbreaking, and often humorous story of astonishing developments. It is also a sparkling meditation on the nature of hero worship—which, like religion and love, tells us as much about ourselves as about the object of our desire. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Bad Paper Jake Halpern, 2014-10-14 The Federal Trade Commission receives more complaints about rogue debt collecting than about any activity besides identity theft. Dramatically and entertainingly, Bad Paper reveals why. It tells the story of Aaron Siegel, a former banking executive, and Brandon Wilson, a former armed robber, who become partners and go in quest of paper—the uncollected debts that are sold off by banks for pennies on the dollar. As Aaron and Brandon learn, the world of consumer debt collection is an unregulated shadowland where operators often make unwarranted threats and even collect debts that are not theirs. Introducing an unforgettable cast of strivers and rogues, Jake Halpern chronicles their lives as they manage high-pressure call centers, hunt for paper in Las Vegas casinos, and meet in parked cars to sell the social security numbers and account information of unsuspecting consumers. He also tracks a package of debt that is stolen by unscrupulous collectors, leading to a dramatic showdown with guns in a Buffalo corner store. Along the way, he reveals the human cost of a system that compounds the troubles of hardworking Americans and permits banks to ignore their former customers. The result is a vital exposé that is also a bravura feat of storytelling. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat Samin Nosrat, 2017-04-25 Now a Netflix series New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the 2018 James Beard Award for Best General Cookbook and multiple IACP Cookbook Awards Named one of the Best Books of 2017 by: NPR, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Rachel Ray Every Day, San Francisco Chronicle, Vice Munchies, Elle.com, Glamour, Eater, Newsday, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Seattle Times, Tampa Bay Times, Tasting Table, Modern Farmer, Publishers Weekly, and more. A visionary new master class in cooking that distills decades of professional experience into just four simple elements, from the woman declared America's next great cooking teacher by Alice Waters. In the tradition of The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything comes Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, an ambitious new approach to cooking by a major new culinary voice. Chef and writer Samin Nosrat has taught everyone from professional chefs to middle school kids to author Michael Pollan to cook using her revolutionary, yet simple, philosophy. Master the use of just four elements--Salt, which enhances flavor; Fat, which delivers flavor and generates texture; Acid, which balances flavor; and Heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food--and anything you cook will be delicious. By explaining the hows and whys of good cooking, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will teach and inspire a new generation of cooks how to confidently make better decisions in the kitchen and cook delicious meals with any ingredients, anywhere, at any time. Echoing Samin's own journey from culinary novice to award-winning chef, Salt, Fat Acid, Heat immediately bridges the gap between home and professional kitchens. With charming narrative, illustrated walkthroughs, and a lighthearted approach to kitchen science, Samin demystifies the four elements of good cooking for everyone. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes--and dozens of variations--to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs. Featuring 150 illustrations and infographics that reveal an atlas to the world of flavor by renowned illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will be your compass in the kitchen. Destined to be a classic, it just might be the last cookbook you'll ever need. With a foreword by Michael Pollan. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Scorecasting Tobias Moskowitz, L. Jon Wertheim, 2012-01-17 In Scorecasting, University of Chicago behavioral economist Tobias Moskowitz teams up with veteran Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim to overturn some of the most cherished truisms of sports, and reveal the hidden forces that shape how basketball, baseball, football, and hockey games are played, won and lost. Drawing from Moskowitz's original research, as well as studies from fellow economists such as bestselling author Richard Thaler, the authors look at: the influence home-field advantage has on the outcomes of games in all sports and why it exists; the surprising truth about the universally accepted axiom that defense wins championships; the subtle biases that umpires exhibit in calling balls and strikes in key situations; the unintended consequences of referees' tendencies in every sport to swallow the whistle, and more. Among the insights that Scorecasting reveals: • Why Tiger Woods is prone to the same mistake in high-pressure putting situations that you and I are • Why professional teams routinely overvalue draft picks • The myth of momentum or the hot hand in sports, and why so many fans, coaches, and broadcasters fervently subscribe to it • Why NFL coaches rarely go for a first down on fourth-down situations--even when their reluctance to do so reduces their chances of winning. In an engaging narrative that takes us from the putting greens of Augusta to the grid iron of a small parochial high school in Arkansas, Scorecasting will forever change how you view the game, whatever your favorite sport might be. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Thinking Better Marcus Du Sautoy, 2021-10-19 One of the world's great mathematicians shows why math is the ultimate timesaver—and how everyone can make their lives easier with a few simple shortcuts. We are often told that hard work is the key to success. But success isn’t about hard work – it’s about shortcuts. Shortcuts allow us to solve one problem quickly so that we can tackle an even bigger one. They make us capable of doing great things. And according to Marcus du Sautoy, math is the very art of the shortcut. Thinking Better is a celebration of how math lets us do more with less. Du Sautoy explores how diagramming revolutionized therapy, why calculus is the greatest shortcut ever invented, whether you must really practice for ten thousand hours to become a concert violinist, and why shortcuts give us an advantage over even the most powerful AI. Throughout, we meet artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs who use mathematical shortcuts to change the world. Delightful, illuminating, and above all practical, Thinking Better is for anyone who has wondered why you should waste time climbing the mountain when you could go around it much faster. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Behavioral Economics For Dummies Morris Altman, 2012-02-28 A guide to the study of how and why you really make financial decisions While classical economics is based on the notion that people act with rational self-interest, many key money decisions—like splurging on an expensive watch—can seem far from rational. The field of behavioral economics sheds light on the many subtle and not-so-subtle factors that contribute to our financial and purchasing choices. And in Behavioral Economics For Dummies, readers will learn how social and psychological factors, such as instinctual behavior patterns, social pressure, and mental framing, can dramatically affect our day-to-day decision-making and financial choices. Based on psychology and rooted in real-world examples, Behavioral Economics For Dummies offers the sort of insights designed to help investors avoid impulsive mistakes, companies understand the mechanisms behind individual choices, and governments and nonprofits make public decisions. A friendly introduction to the study of how and why people really make financial decisions The author is a professor of behavioral and institutional economics at Victoria University An essential component to improving your financial decision-making (and even to understanding current events), Behavioral Economics For Dummies is important for just about anyone who has a bank account and is interested in why—and when—they spend money. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Boy with Two Belly Buttons Stephen J. Dubner, 2007-10-01 Solomon never thinks it's strange that he has two belly buttons—until he finds out that no one else does. Is having that extra belly button good or bad? Things look worse and worse until an unexpected encounter makes Solomon appreciate what it means to be a little bit different. This one-of-a-kind story from bestselling author Stephen J. Dubner (Freakonomics) and illustrator Christoph Niemann will strike a chord with anyone who feels like an exception to the rule. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: WTF?! Peter T Leeson, 2017-10-17 “The most interesting book I have read in years. . . . WTF?! is like Freakonomics on steroids.” —Steven D. Levitt, New York Times–bestselling coauthor of Freakonomics Did you know that “pre-owned” wives were sold at auction in nineteenth-century England? That today, in Liberia, accused criminals sometimes drink poison to determine their fate? How about the fact that, for 250 years, Italy criminally prosecuted cockroaches and crickets? Do you wonder why? Then this book is for you! Introducing us to a cast of colorful characters, economist Peter T. Leeson explains how to use economic thinking to reveal the hidden sense behind seemingly senseless human behavior—including your own. Leeson shows that far from “irrational” or “accidents of history,” humanity’s most outlandish rituals are ingenious solutions to pressing problems—developed by clever people, driven by incentives, and tailor-made for their time and place. A fascinating tour of some of the world’s strangest customs and behaviors, led by a brilliant, funny, and eccentric tour guide dedicated to the proposition that no matter how strange it looks, there’s always a reason for it—and a lesson to be learned by discovering that reason.” —Steven E. Landsburg, author of The Armchair Economist |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Dangerous Language — Esperanto and the Decline of Stalinism Ulrich Lins, 2017-02-09 This is Volume 2 of Dangerous Language. This book examines the rise of the international language Esperanto, launched in 1887 as a proposed a solution to national conflicts and a path to a more tolerant world. The chapters in this volume examine the position of Esperanto in Eastern Europe during the Cold War; in particular it explores Stalin’s final years and the gradual re-emergence of the Esperanto movement. At first, its revival was limited to the satellite countries, especially Bulgaria and Poland, but, with Stalinism’s gradual retreat, Esperanto organizations reappeared in most East European countries and eventually in the Soviet Union itself. The progress was uneven, and its details reveal the stresses and strains that became apparent as the solidarity of the Soviet bloc declined. This book will appeal to a wide readership, including linguists, historians, political scientists and others interested in the history of the twentieth century from the unusual perspective of language. This volume is complemented by the sister volume Dangerous Language — Esperanto under Hitler and Stalin which offers a concentration on the creation and early emergence of Esperanto as an international language. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Choosing My Religion Stephen J. Dubner, 2006-11-07 Choosing My Religion is a luminous memoir, crafted with the eye of a journalist and the art of a novelist by New York Times Magazine writer and editor Stephen J. Dubner. By turns comic and heartbreaking, it tells the story of a family torn apart by religion, sustained by faith, and reunited by truth. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Cost Disease William J. Baumol, 2012-09-25 Traces the fast-rising prices of health care and education in the United States and other major industrial nations, examining the underlying causes which have to do with the nature of providing labor-intensive services. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers Mary Roach, 2004-04-27 A look inside the world of forensics examines the use of human cadavers in a wide range of endeavors, including research into new surgical procedures, space exploration, and a Tennessee human decay research facility. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Essays of Warren Buffett Lawrence A. Cunningham, Warren E. Buffett, 2013-03-15 In the third edition of this international best seller, Lawrence Cunningham brings you the latest wisdom from Warren Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. New material addresses: the financial crisis and its continuing implications for investors, managers and society; the housing bubble at the bottom of that crisis; the debt and derivatives excesses that fueled the crisis and how to deal with them; controlling risk and protecting reputation in corporate governance; Berkshire’s acquisition and operation of Burlington Northern Santa Fe; the role of oversight in heavily regulated industries; investment possibilities today; and weaknesses of popular option valuation models. Some other material has been rearranged to deepen the themes and lessons that the collection has always produced: Buffett’s “owner-related business principles” are in the prologue as a separate subject and valuation and accounting topics are spread over four instead of two sections and reordered to sharpen their payoff. Media coverage is available at the following links: Interviews/Podcasts: Motley Fool, click here. Money, Riches and Wealth, click here. Manual of Ideas, click here. Corporate Counsel, click here. Reviews: William J. Taylor, ABA Banking Journal, click here. Bob Morris, Blogging on Business, click here. Pamela Holmes, Saturday Evening Post, click here. Kevin M. LaCroix, D&O Diary, click here. Blog Posts: On Finance issues (Columbia University), click here. On Berkshire post-Buffett (Manual of Ideas), click here. On Publishing the book (Value Walk), click here. On Governance issues (Harvard University blog), click here. Featured Stories/Recommended Reading: Motley Fool, click here. Stock Market Blog, click here. Motley Fool Interviews with LAC at Berkshire's 2013 Annual Meeting Berkshire Businesses: Vastly Different, Same DNA, click here. Is Berkshire's Fat Wallet an Enemy to Its Success?, click here. Post-Buffett Berkshire: Same Question, Same Answer, click here. How a Disciplined Value Approach Works Across the Decades, click here. Through the Years: Constant Themes in Buffett's Letters, click here. Buffett's Single Greatest Accomplishment, click here. Where Buffett Is Finding Moats These Days, click here. How Buffett Has Changed Through the Years, click here. Speculating on Buffett's Next Acquisition, click here. Buffett Says “Chief Risk Officers” Are a Terrible Mistake, click here. Berkshire Without Buffett, click here. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Summary of Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner QuickRead, Alyssa Burnette, The study of economics can be wilder than you think. Have you ever wondered why we make the money mistakes that we do? With such a wealth of financial advice available, it seems stunning that we could make such bad investments or foolhardy purchases. Freakonomics uses the principles of economic analysis to unpack this concept for us and explain why we make the choices we do. And through Levitt and Dubner’s critical study, you’ll learn the surprising truth about how we can apply economics to every facet of our lives from dating to big purchases! Do you want more free book summaries like this? Download our app for free at https://www.QuickRead.com/App and get access to hundreds of free book and audiobook summaries. DISCLAIMER: This book summary is meant as a preview and not a replacement for the original work. If you like this summary please consider purchasing the original book to get the full experience as the original author intended it to be. If you are the original author of any book on QuickRead and want us to remove it, please contact us at hello@quickread.com. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Two Lucky People Milton Friedman, Rose D. Friedman, 1999-06 This rich autobiographical and historical panorama (Wall Street Journal) provides a memorable and lively account of the lives of the Friedmans: their involvement with world leaders and many of this century's most important public policy issues. 26 photos. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Turbulent Souls: Stephen J. Dubner, 1999-10-01 The son of Catholic converts from Judaism chronicles his own return to the Jewish faith after being raised as an altar boy and a devout Christian. Reprint. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: Where's Halmoni? Julie Kim, 2017-10-03 “. . . features two young Korean American siblings who take a trip through a magical portal into a land filled with characters from old Korean fables. . . Kim is making a statement about the loss of culture among children of immigrants while also writing a book that returns some of that to them.” —Jay Caspian King, The New York Times Beautifully illustrated and told by debut author Julie Kim, this authentic voices picture book in graphic-novel style follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox. Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a window, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar fantastical world, and their adventure begins. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into a world of Korean folklore, meeting a number of characters who speak in Korean along the way, and learn more about their cultural heritage. This beautifully illustrated graphic picture book is filled with a number of Easter eggs for readers of all ages to discover, and is inspired by the Korean folktales that author and illustrator Julie Kim heard while growing up. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end. |
| freakonomics book recommendations: The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet Barbara Rolls, Mindy Hermann, 2012-04-10 The founder of the #1 New York Times–bestselling Volumetrics diet combines new findings, user-friendly tools, and dozens of fabulous and filling recipes to help you lose weight without feeling hungry in this full-color diet book/cookbook. In The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet, Dr. Barbara Rolls expands on her time-tested message with new findings, recipes, and user-friendly tools. Dr. Rolls's twelve-week program supports readers step-by-step as they develop new habits to help them lose weight and keep it off—and her 105 delicious recipes, divided into thirty-five food categories, provide a foundation for personalizing and preparing everything from breakfast favorites to main courses to desserts. The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet also features: Budget- and time-saving tips for losing weight Myth busters shattering common beliefs about diets and dieting Food shopping strategies and options for saving time or saving money Game plans for eating out, including menu buzz words, key questions, calorie labeling, and more New tips for feeding the family and camouflaging veggies in favorite dishes Concise charts with nutritional information for personalizing meals Before-and-after photos comparing standard and Volumetrics recipes, with tips on how they were adapted to provide more food for the calories |
