Anyone picked up "Freakonomics" yet?

[jandrok]

I'm thinking about picking it up. Anyone read it yet?

[applegrove]

1. Nope. Tell me how it is. n/t

[stevebreeze]

2. interesting read.

Discusses just a few issues in depth. Fast read. I ripped through in just a couple of days( I am a very slow reader, and don't always have much time to devote to reading)

[jandrok]

3. Thanks for the info.

I thumbed through it at the bookstore the other day and was kind of interested, but not interested enough to pick it up. I got more interested after researching it a little. It did look like a quick read. Thanks for the input.

[Richardo]

4. Fantastic book.

I put it as a staff rec at the bookstore.

I recommend "Blink" as a good companion piece. A little heavier, but just as thought provoking.

My capsule review here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=209x1692

[jandrok]

5. Excellent!

Thanks for the link to the capsule review. Looks like I'll have to pick this one up.

[NewHampshireDem]

6. Just finished it ...

I listened to it as a auidobook, read by the author. Very engrossing, if you like "gee-never-thought-of-that" types of insights into so-called conventional wisdom. If you're the kind of person who's addicted to "Harper's Index," you'll really love it.

[jandrok]

8. Thanks for the input! (n/t)

[lazarus]

7. exceptional book

I found that it changed the way I look at the world, which is what a book should do.

[jandrok]

9. High praise, indeed.

I'm ordering it online with a couple of other books. Thanks for the response.

[MsAnthropy]

10. I'm reading it now and I love it

It is written on a level I can understand (as a math phobic) and incredibly interesting. For instance, they trace the reduction in the crime rate--which is indeed falling every year, no matter how the right scares us with crime--to Roe v. Wade, since the people who had been giving birth to criminals aren't having as many of them anymore. They basically say "Don't believe everything you're told."

[Czolgosz]

11. One more vote to say it's a very interesting book you should read.

[Tracer]

12. The author was on Book Events yesterday.

n/t

[hel]

13. It's mostly trivia but very interesting read

I heard some people don't like it because the authors didn't get into the ethical discussions involving the issues they are talking about, but I did like the geeky "scientific objectivity" of the book. Doesn't have much what I would call 'useful' knowledge, but is very much fun to read/listen to.

[ramapo]

14. Got it for Father's Day

It's in the to-read pile. It'll be awhile until and get to it and can report back.

[Hamlette]

15. Great read, move it to the top of the stack

I read it months ago in advance copy. I loved it. I agree Blink is a good companion piece but Freak is easier and in some ways a funner read. It'll blow your mind.

[LiberalEconomist]

16. I highly recommend it

It is the type of work that I wish more economists would try. There is a huge disconnect between class room theory, particularly rational choice theory, and the everyday world. I would say that Levitt did a nice job applying economic tools to bridge that gap.

[Richardo]

17. Nice to hear that from an economist

High praise indeed! :thumbsup:

[On the Road]

18. I Read it On Vacation and Liked the Authors' Approach

Their point had a certain amount of validity. However, the claim that money does not decide election I thought could have been deeper. The authors argument was that contributions are correlated with victories but more money does not have that much to do with winning an election -- there are some politicians who are just more appealing to voters. The possibility that money buys media which can create or destroy voter appeal was not adequately dealt with. And politicians certainly act as if money is important by allowing their votes to be influenced. There's more going on there than the book dealt with.

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

19. Yeah, it was good

A bit on the "pop" side, but very quick read and easy to understand the concepts. Not sure about buying hardcover/full price, but if you don't mind paying $25 or so, go ahead.