Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Freakonomics
by Steven Levitt and
rev. by R. Kapture
Steven Levitt is the youngest professor to be granted tenure at the University of Chicago. He’s been named the best American economist under the age of 40. And he’s co-authored a twisty little book called “Freakonomics: a Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything”.
Stephen J. Dubner, a writer whose interest in Steven Levitt’s considerable talent for trend-watching engendered a feature for the New York Times Magazine, convinced the unassuming economist that his impulse toward explaining human behavior through the application of economic theory would make an appealing and fascinating book.
Mr. Dubner was right. Their teamwork has produced a hilarious and always quirky little book all about Steven Levitt, who applies his superb critical thinking skills to such odd and unrelated subjects as “What do high school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?”, “Is a swimming pool more dangerous than a loaded pistol?” and my personal favorite, “Does a prostitute have a larger income than an architect?” (The answer is “Arrrgh, Yes”).
Marrying his boundless talent for statistical thinking with sensitive behavioral observation, Steven Levitt brings brilliant, unnerving clarity to some Gordian-knottish behavioral misunderstandings.
Mr. Levitt’s findings have spawned raging debate and the book has a “Ripley’s” readability – and that works in favor of “Freakonomics”. The book is anything but the dry, dusty tome the word “economics” conjures. It holds charm, firm scholarship, amazing interest and an object lesson for everyone who is interested in challenging what society believes about how society works. In the end, “Freakonomics” reveals some stunningly complex and unexpected answers to questions concerning what we are willing to accept as the truth.
rev. by R. Kapture
Steven Levitt is the youngest professor to be granted tenure at the University of Chicago. He’s been named the best American economist under the age of 40. And he’s co-authored a twisty little book called “Freakonomics: a Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything”.
Stephen J. Dubner, a writer whose interest in Steven Levitt’s considerable talent for trend-watching engendered a feature for the New York Times Magazine, convinced the unassuming economist that his impulse toward explaining human behavior through the application of economic theory would make an appealing and fascinating book.
Mr. Dubner was right. Their teamwork has produced a hilarious and always quirky little book all about Steven Levitt, who applies his superb critical thinking skills to such odd and unrelated subjects as “What do high school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?”, “Is a swimming pool more dangerous than a loaded pistol?” and my personal favorite, “Does a prostitute have a larger income than an architect?” (The answer is “Arrrgh, Yes”).
Marrying his boundless talent for statistical thinking with sensitive behavioral observation, Steven Levitt brings brilliant, unnerving clarity to some Gordian-knottish behavioral misunderstandings.
Mr. Levitt’s findings have spawned raging debate and the book has a “Ripley’s” readability – and that works in favor of “Freakonomics”. The book is anything but the dry, dusty tome the word “economics” conjures. It holds charm, firm scholarship, amazing interest and an object lesson for everyone who is interested in challenging what society believes about how society works. In the end, “Freakonomics” reveals some stunningly complex and unexpected answers to questions concerning what we are willing to accept as the truth.
