Freakonomics (edit title)

• Rated 5 stars

“Outstanding.”

• Rated 3 stars

“a little simplistic, but a good read. Similar to Malcolm Gladwell's writing”

• Rated 0 stars

“Just started... it's brilliant.

Using Roe vs Wade in a discussion of crime stats is a brilliant eye-catcher.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Economics for layman..”

• Rated 2 stars

“The hype surrounding this book resulted in a disappointing read for me personally. The extended title says "A rogue economist explores the hidden side of EVERYTHING". The Wall Street Journal - "Genius...has you gasping in amazement."

The book is a collection of one intriguing and interesting analysis, a bunch of random factoids, a few poorly argued commentaries and tons of homilies.

The chapter on the role played by abortion in declining crime is undoubtedly thought-provoking. I was actually enjoying the read halfway through that section, looking up the cited statistics at the home page of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Then it went downhill very quickly. For example, the author knocks the Brady Act and then promptly acknowledges that enforcement of stiff punishment for possession of an illegal gun is a crime deterrent. Did it really escape them that the Brady Act is supposed to prevent criminals from purchasing guns legally, forcing them into the illegal market and then getting "deterred" by the stiff prison time?

The material got even more tedious when it came to advice on not accepting conventional wisdom. The reader is strung along expecting unconventional wisdom only to get a poor rehash of well known arguments.

Then came the chapters on parenting that were so poorly written that I was ready to set the book down. The innumerable self-contradicting arguments without any direction or conclusion is a waste of precious reading time.

I believe that this would be a thought-provoking book for young adults between the ages of 15 and 19. They will learn about the hidden side of SOME things.

I was gasping in amazement that the main lesson I learned from this book: do not judge a book by its cover. Wait - may be that was the "hidden side" of this book.”

• Rated 4 stars

“The book has intresting ideas. I really liked the approach of analyzing the numbers to understand social trends. In some areas I felt that authors are afraid of stating their conclusions and the reader needs to read it between the lines.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Some really thought-provoking ideas. It is interesting how unintended consequences can come from a particular action or decision. Unfortunately the book ended with less of a bang then it astarted with.”

• Rated 4 stars

“In one word this book is "different".
Fresh and compelling, Freakonomics challenges the way we view facts; orienting our thoughts at little details that would have otherwise passed unnoticed. Levitt looks beyond what appears to be. It will get you excited to do the same.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Very interesting. Many cute examples”

• Rated 4 stars

“Absolutely fascinating. It really gets you thinking and is fully of incredibly interesting tidbits, anecdotes, and factoids.”