Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - Steven Levitt

About the Author(s) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Steven D.Levitt is an Economics Professor at the University of Chicago.His idiosyncratic economic research into areas as varied as guns and game shows has triggered debates ..He has received the American Association's John Bates Clark Medal, awarded every two years to the best American economist under forty. In fact Levitt's work has been criticised widely by a fair number of Economists, who might not even recognise his work as economics, but at the same time , his thinking has influenced many others, including Senators,Prisoners,CIA and scores of people from different walks of life. As Levitt sees it, ...  Read the complete review

If the thought of the local chavs dressing up this Halloween and demanding sweets with menaces does not fill you with dread then maybe the thought of reading a book based on the application of Economic statistical analysis just might, however in reality your fears would be misplaced because just as the chav is just someone’s son (all be it probably illegitimate) so this book is an entertaining and thought provoking read which merely takes the tools of Economic theory and applies them to a whole range of issues and questions. Now the last time I read an Economics book was over 19 years ago for my degree but I had read a couple of reviews of this book and ...  Read the complete review

What's in a name? How does it affect your chances in life if your parents call you by a name like Winner, for example, or Loser? Or even Shithead? These are just a few of the questions that this intriguing book attempts to answer. What's in a name? How does it affect your book's chances of success if you call it by a catchy, contrived word like Freakonomics, rather than by a name that would more accurately reflect its contents? Freakonomics is a good and stimulating book, but before reviewing what it has to say, I have a gripe to get off my chest. What is it about the Americans - and increasingly about the British - that they seem unable to present ...  Read the complete review