SuperFreakonomics - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

SuperFreakonomics

BySteven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

  • Release Date: 2009-10-20
  • Genre: Economics
Score: 4
4
From 386 Ratings

Description

Freakonomics lived on the New York Times bestseller list for an astonishing two years. Now authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with more iconoclastic insights and observations in SuperFreakonomics—the long awaited follow-up to their New York Times Notable blockbuster. Based on revolutionary research and original studies, SuperFreakonomics promises to once again challenge our view of human behavior and the way the world really works.

Applying their signature economic approach, Levitt and Dubner tackle a new set of provocative questions:
Behavioral Economics: Why do street prostitutes have more in common with a department-store Santa than you’d think, and what can monkeys teach us about the stock market?Counterintuitive Thinking: Explore the real data behind life-and-death decisions, from whether it’s safer to walk drunk or drive drunk to why a suicide bomber might buy life insurance.Unintended Consequences: Discover how the arrival of cable TV empowered women in rural India and why the invention of the car seat may not be the simple lifesaver we assume it is.Cheap and Simple Fixes: From a simple hand-washing protocol that saved thousands of lives to a garden hose that could reverse global warming, learn why the best solutions are often the easiest.

Reviews

  • Good book

    4
    By CoachMetz
    This is a great supplement to the podcast ... Or are the podcasts a great supplement to the book? Regardless, I have become a big fan of Freakonomics ... The books, the documentary, and the podcasts ... Read and enjoy the hidden side of a bunch of things!

  • A fantastic read

    5
    By viewfinder
    Like the predecessor, Superfreakonomics is a stellar read. It explains why people act the way they do, and it's told in a unique and interesting way. A must read!

  • Very smart

    4
    By mactoro
    I really liked this book! The only thing I was disappointed in was that it's not longer. I especially liked the section on geoengineering.

  • One word.... Amazing

    5
    By Elpepe369
    This has to be one of the most interesting books I have ever read. As a student of economics myself I found it easy to see the connections there were making. It was also exciting to be able to relate what I learned in class to this book and be able to see the picture these authors were painting so clearly. This is not to say that anyone can't just pick up this book and have a blast. The authors do a amazing job of taking complex theories and breaking them down to terms that normal people would understand and be able to enjoy. 5 stars Amazing!!!!!!!!!

  • Disappointing...

    2
    By rayray1079
    Was expecting the same quality as the first book. Did not get it. Maybe the novelty is simply gone??

  • Not bad. Slow read.

    3
    By Clay&Jenn
    At times they labored on a topic for awhile and it became boring. Overall, not a bad read.

  • not nearly as interesting as the first

    2
    By abvwer
    The first book, Freakonomics, consisted of a series of chapters devoted to novel or interesting subjects analyzed using a series of data mining and statistical techniques. It often posed interesting questions combined with either unexpected results or results that confirmed our "common sense" answer, but in an unusual way.

    This new book has almost none of that. It mainly consists of a bunch of "blog-quality" chapters with almost no supporting analysis nor in-depth logic. Gone are the in-depth discussions on how people in society might work. Overall it reads as a bunch of short rants about the author's current annoyances with global warming taking the brunt of his criticism. If the authors provided a detailed analysis to support their claims then might have been an interesting read. But instead it felt like I was stuck at a cocktail party talking to a drunk that is sure he is right, but is mostly just drunk.

  • Good. But not as good as the first.

    3
    By Shrip
    There are a couple of errors. The chapters wander a bit from their original subjects. The authors find a way to connect back to the original topics in each chapter, but it is sometimes a stretch. I think they could have pulled some of the commentary apart into multiple unique chapters/storylines. Was a little difficult to follow at times.

    But overall, a recommended entertaining and thought provoking read. Just make sure to checkout their first Freakonomics, too.

  • Mind blowing....

    5
    By jspeciner
    Probably the most interesting and more importantly, thought provoking set of books I've read in years... Already waiting on and wishing for a third.

  • An okay follow-up to the original, but still worth a read

    4
    By Branman900
    Felt a bit shorter than the original and, outside of the final chapter on geo engineering, the subjects just didn't hold my interest like the first book.

    Regardless, it's a smart read that makes you think about the everyday decisions we make in a totally different way.

    I'd definitely recommend to readers of the first book & would advise new readers to check out the original first.

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