- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Allen Lane; First Edition edition (7 July 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0713998067
- ISBN-13: 978-0713998061
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.8 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (244 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 161,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Freakonomics
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Product Description
Wall Street Journal
‘Freakonomics reads like a detective novel … has you chuckling one minute and gasping in amazement the next’
Sunday Telegraph
‘A sensation … you’ll be stimulated, provoked and entertained. Of how many books can that be said?’
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and fun, but ultimately light on content,
By A. K. Johnston "(www.andrewj.com/books)" (LEATHERHEAD United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Paperback)
This book does two important things - it challenges the reader to really think about the causes of things, and it makes modern economic thinking interesting and accessible to the mass audience. It's also a good, fun read, and for all these reasons it should be applauded.
In this book Steven Levitt develops ideas about a number of aspects of economic and social development which challenge received wisdom. He then both challenges traditional analyses, and offers solid support for his theories using detailed analysis of a number of unusual but highly reliable data sources. For example, he attributes the dramatic fall of crime rates in the USA in the 1990s to greater access to abortion 20 years earlier, rather than traditional explanations like better policing. Drawing on a number of unimpeachable data sources he provides strong support for his hypothesis over more common ones. Another fascinating chapter analyses the economics of drug dealing, and concludes that most crack dealers would be better off with regular minimum-wage jobs. However, these are the high points, and towards the end the book starts to feel like the authors didn't have enough material for a 200 page book. There's a fair amount of repetition, and the later chapters start to feel a bit light. The last chapter, on trends in children's names, is really rather boring and tells us very little of interest. This is a shame, because the core of the book is excellent. It will hold your interest, but don't expect a lot of pages for your money. Maybe the authors are genuinely very clever.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but a bit light,
By
This review is from: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Paperback)
As mentioned at several points, this book is an expansion of a newspaper article that the authors wrote together. It is a very interesting gallop through new and sometimes extraordinary research by both the author and other new economists. The work on drug gangs is particularly good.However, the book is quite short and the style of writing is US magazine-lite. As a bright introduction to some of the more surprising uses of economics and statistics, it's a very good, quick read but it's all over very quickly.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So glad I borrowed my boyfriend's copy!,
By
This review is from: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Paperback)
I would have never picked this book myself; I wouldn't have even stumbled upon it. My boyfriend bought it in the airport book shop as we went on holiday and was so entertained that he kept reading bits to me. I decided to read it myself, even though I can't say I have any understanding of economics whatsoever. I found I learned quite a bit and was very entertained by the insights into society and the chances people are given or make for themselves.
I particularly enjoyed the parts about babies names having an impact on their employment chances and the organisation of drug gangs being simiar to McDonalds! I think it gives a very modern and enjoyable view of what I would (rightly or 'wrongly') consider a very stuffy subject. I found myself surprised I had never thought of the topics covered before and questionning the organisation of certain parts of society. It's great for anyone who likes dark humour and irony and feels very fresh and hip.
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