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|  | Authors: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Publisher: Harper Perennial
List Price: $15.99
Buy New: $7.98
as of 11/25/2009 06:10 CST details
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Seller: cseereader
Rating:  1697 reviews
Sales Rank: 75
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 352
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0060731338
Dewey Decimal Number: 330
EAN: 9780060731335
ASIN: 0060731338
Publication Date: September 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Showing reviews 1681-1685 of 1697
 Numbers, analysis, Freakonomics April 18, 2005
Samuel C.
17 out of 23 found this review helpful
I like it when someone is creative enough to look at what may seem like disjointed information, do an analysis based on various methodologies, and make conclusions based on the resulting information. Levitt makes an attempt to do this in several areas. I thought the book was interesting in its approach and and usage of microeconomics to describe various situations. I just read another book called The System by Roy Valentine that has somethat of a similar approach in defining a methodology/process to pick up girls. Both books are very well done, interesting, and a must buy for anyone looking for a good and interesting read.
Insightful and entertaining April 18, 2005
Steven Kurson (Chicago)
40 out of 45 found this review helpful
Steven Levitt has a remarkable gift for using the tools of traditional economics to illuminate completely un-traditional problems. While some of the topics covered in FREAKONOMICS are loosely connected to business (the chapter on crack gangs is especially interesting in this regard), the real delight of this book is the light it sheds on issues that many of us have perhaps thought about but never considered rigorously: What effect does a kid's name have on his or her future? Do teachers graded on how well they prepare kids to take tests cheat? What accounts for the precipitous decline in crime in the U.S. in the 1990s? Levitt's answers are not always perfect or completely provable, but they are always intriguing.
The book is not perfect: the prose is sometimes too glib, and the authors occasionally embark on digressions that aren't really all that compelling. Nor should you expect a coherent through-line to the book: the only real connection between the various subjects is that Levitt worked on them. But in the end this doesn't really take away from the pleasure of reading the book. It's enormously enjoyable, as well as being provocative. If you like counterintuitive thinking like Malcolm Gladwell's THE TIPPING POINT or James Surowiecki's THE WISDOM OF CROWDS, you're pretty much guaranteed to love this.
Not your typical economics textbook! April 18, 2005
R. Jaffe (Bellingham, WA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Books on economic theories and trends have never been on the top of my "to read" list because they seemed rather dry and academic-Mr. Leavitt has made me change my mind! Economics can be fascinating, especially when imbued with Mr. Leavitt's nontraditional take on how things work. His seemingly off-the-wall comparisons (who else would ever compare teachers and sumo wrestlers to illustrate a point?) really do make sense and they are definitely attention grabbers.
Mr. Leavitt's training in academic economics, his research and review of the literature make up the informative core of the book and Mr. Dubner's agility with the written word make this a very reader-friendly look at economic principles that are part of what make our world work.
Really Makes You Think April 17, 2005
Stuart Gardner (Fair Lawn, NJ)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
The authors make micro economics exciting (actually it's a little bit narrow to say this book is about micro economics, it has a far wider scope and application). This book encourages the rational and logical analysis of everyday problems and issues.
I do not agree with every analysis the authors put forward. For example, the authors do prove a correlation between abortion and decreasing crime (Roe v. Wade). They do not, however, prove an actual (quantifiable) relationship - it could/may be; but the jump is too great based on the information provided in the book. Other examples are clear cut: the incentive for realtors to opt for a quick sale rather than maximizing sale price is made.
The book is exciting to read. It encourages an analytical approach to problem solving while encouraging creativity of thought. This is a rare combination. Likely to be of value to anyone who has to adopt an analytical approach in their work.
Thought-Provoking April 17, 2005
Scott Dunham (chicago, il)
19 out of 21 found this review helpful
Freakonomics is filled with a few fascinating studies that will likely make you a bit more skeptical of the way data is interpreted and theories fed to us as fact by the "experts". The trick to most of the puzzles is simply asking the right questions. For example, if the drug trade is so profitable, Levitt wonders, why do most dealers still live at home with their mothers? Often, the answers to Levitt's questions involve incentives. Why would your real estate agent encourage you to take a low bid instead of holding out another week for a better offer? Would she do things differently if she were selling her own home? Freakonomics answers these questions and inspires the reader to look creatively in one's own life to find questions and answers.
It is an incredibly breezy book, especially for one dealing with Economics. But there are no dense calculations here. The authors spend considerable time defining the difference between causation and correlation, so it's pretty clear they're aiming for a general audience. Levitt rather disingenuously says that he's "not good at math" and doesn't "know how to do theory." Unlikely, but math-phobics should have no fear of this book. It is formula-free.
But it is certainly not controversy-free. In one sure-to-be-hotly-dicussed chapter, Levitt ties Roe vs. Wade to the unexpected drop in crime experienced in the 90's. Another chapter discusses the trends and discrepancies in the names parents choose for their children and what it bodes. Levitt breaks it down by race, wealth, and education. These are the interesting things few of us ever think about that make reading this book so worthwhile.
Ultimately, the book reads like six short articles from a quality magazine (like the New Yorker), which makes the $25.95 list a little steep. But it's entertaining and thought-provoking and worth the price, given the fact that it will likely change the way you view the world around you.
Showing reviews 1681-1685 of 1697
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