5.06.2006
Book 27
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden State of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
2005: William Morrow
232 pages
Recommended by Joseph Luft
Began: 1 May 2006
Finished: 8 May 2006
Almost three summers ago I read a feature on an economist in the New York Times Magazine that had me calling friends and feel like I was playing a complicated game of logic. When last summer it seemed like everyone in New York City was reading Freakonomics, I spent my time asking "Is that the guy I read about in the New York times back when?" I wasn't aware that the co-author was the Times Magazine writer and that the book that became the phenomenon was an expansion of what started from the article. Economics fascinates me partly because it is as foreign as another language to meant Levitt makes this science an art of observing, data collecting, analysis and flipping things upside their heads. This book was a clever romp and while I still don't know if I am, or should be, offended by parts of this book but I do know I am jealous of the thought process and connections these authors were able to make. I feel like I should scramble what I know and come up with a new reality. Or else just ask Levitt to be my pen pal.
Quote: "(If you identify strongly with either person number one or person number two, the following exercise might strike you as offensive, and you may want to skip this paragraph and the next.)" ¶ 17:47
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden State of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
2005: William Morrow
232 pages
Recommended by Joseph Luft
Began: 1 May 2006
Finished: 8 May 2006
Almost three summers ago I read a feature on an economist in the New York Times Magazine that had me calling friends and feel like I was playing a complicated game of logic. When last summer it seemed like everyone in New York City was reading Freakonomics, I spent my time asking "Is that the guy I read about in the New York times back when?" I wasn't aware that the co-author was the Times Magazine writer and that the book that became the phenomenon was an expansion of what started from the article. Economics fascinates me partly because it is as foreign as another language to meant Levitt makes this science an art of observing, data collecting, analysis and flipping things upside their heads. This book was a clever romp and while I still don't know if I am, or should be, offended by parts of this book but I do know I am jealous of the thought process and connections these authors were able to make. I feel like I should scramble what I know and come up with a new reality. Or else just ask Levitt to be my pen pal.
Quote: "(If you identify strongly with either person number one or person number two, the following exercise might strike you as offensive, and you may want to skip this paragraph and the next.)" ¶ 17:47
