SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes And Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life ...
The New York Times best-selling Freakonomics was a worldwide sensation, selling over four million copies in thirty-five languages and changing the ...
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Aug 29, 2011
Jim
rated it: 
Mostly more of the same as Freakonomics with riffs on Malcolm Gladwell's books thrown in. The glaring difference is the chapter on climate change which attempts to go waaay beyond the author's expertise in behavioral economics and contains unfortunate misrepresentations of climate science. For a detailed critique, I'd recommend: http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/sci... Still, there's no denying that convincing the public to recognize the need to curb CO2 emissions is an almost impossible tas
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Sep 08, 2011
Khaya
rated it: 
A reluctant 3 stars. I'll give this book the benefit of the doubt and say that it probably would have worked better for me had I read it rather than listening to it. While I love the fact that audiobooks allow me to multi-task, it means that I'm less focused when I'm listening to them. That's fine if it's a book like Savannah Blues but this book demanded more concentration, especially since the writing style was highly tangential to begin with.
Those who read “Freakonomics” are fam More...
Those who read “Freakonomics” are fam More...
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 19, 2010
Ann
rated it: 
TABLE OF CONTENTS (close to verbatim):
Intro--In which the global financial meltdown is entirely ignored in favor of more engaging topics:
the perils of walking drunk
the unlikely savior of Indian women
drowning in horse manure
what is freakonomics
toothless sharks & bloodthirsty elephants
things you always thought you knew but didn't
Chapter 1--In which we explain the various costs of being a woman:
LaShanna, part-time prostitute
One More...
Intro--In which the global financial meltdown is entirely ignored in favor of more engaging topics:
the perils of walking drunk
the unlikely savior of Indian women
drowning in horse manure
what is freakonomics
toothless sharks & bloodthirsty elephants
things you always thought you knew but didn't
Chapter 1--In which we explain the various costs of being a woman:
LaShanna, part-time prostitute
One More...
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Apr 14, 2011
Ryan
rated it: 
Ugh, pop culture trash masquerading as economics (in turn masquerading as hard science).
There were so many glaring flaws in the authors' assumptions, "logic", and conclusions that within just the introduction they had already lost all credibility.
Right up front the authors declare that fears about global warming are overblown because the issue will likely be solved by technological innovation and then offer as proof the fact that cars eliminated the problems cau More...
There were so many glaring flaws in the authors' assumptions, "logic", and conclusions that within just the introduction they had already lost all credibility.
Right up front the authors declare that fears about global warming are overblown because the issue will likely be solved by technological innovation and then offer as proof the fact that cars eliminated the problems cau More...
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Feb 09, 2012
Kerry
rated it: 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a quick read, partially because of the subject matter, and partially because it is just over 200 pages long. I think what is especially cool about “Super Freakonomics” is that you never quite know what you’re going to read about next. The chapters deal with seemingly disconnected (but all interesting) topics and even within the course of a single chapter a half dozen different topics might be touched upon. This also means that it isn’t necessary to have read
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Dec 08, 2011
Justine
rated it:
As a card carrying MBA I hereby admit that in the course of my long and expensive education, I have taken a total of 2 economics courses. One of them was with Kevin Murphy, so I feel like it should get bonus points, but in reality, it just means I was super confused most of the time. I’m not fundamentally opposed or disinterested in this fancy social science—rather, in the wide world of all the subjects in the world, my inner intellectual magpie (lobster biology! Prehistoric humans! Jewish pi
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Nov 21, 2011
Kelsey
rated it:
I liked Freakonomics. I checked this out from the library in hopes that it would be similar. It wasn't.
Here's what I think went wrong: the authors were more interested in shocking readers than with informing them. Freakonomics felt like the authors had come to sincere conclusions about data that was surprising yet true (or at least they believe it to be so; I know lots of people dispute it). Superfreakonomics felt like the authors dug up very little data and presented it in a way to More...
Here's what I think went wrong: the authors were more interested in shocking readers than with informing them. Freakonomics felt like the authors had come to sincere conclusions about data that was surprising yet true (or at least they believe it to be so; I know lots of people dispute it). Superfreakonomics felt like the authors dug up very little data and presented it in a way to More...
Sep 24, 2011
Justine
rated it:
If you liked 'Freakonomics' then you will enjoy this sequel. I couldn't help but chuckle at some of the quirky economics-driven [read incentive vs cost/penalty] insights revealed in this book, such as:
* Letting a friend walk home drunk being infinitely more dangerous than letting him drive home drunk;
* Pimps being more valuable than real-estate agents;
* People who would have died from heart disease are now living long enough to die from cancer instead;
* A disproportiona More...
* Letting a friend walk home drunk being infinitely more dangerous than letting him drive home drunk;
* Pimps being more valuable than real-estate agents;
* People who would have died from heart disease are now living long enough to die from cancer instead;
* A disproportiona More...
Sep 14, 2011
Lindsey
rated it:
I'll be honest and say that I didn't make it past the first chapter-partially because Brian stole it and partially because I didn't care to finish it. I thought that in his last book that he had some pretty unconventional conclusions from the information he came across but he didn't try to talk you into anything and he had respect for the other point of view. In the first chapter he talks about how being a prostitute is the best way for a woman to make good money. He quotes his "study subj
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Aug 28, 2011
Jesse
rated it:
the first few chapters were just a continuation of the first book in terms of ideas, tone and excecution; thus, i was feeling pretty satisfied that i was reading such a book and becoming more of a "cold-blooded economist", than a "warm-blooded humanist" (or whatever condescending, self-congratulatory phrases they used were). and then these guys got derailed, in a very sad, strange and self-defeating way. they did this weird about face, where in one chapter they talk about
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Jul 29, 2011
Grampa
rated it:
I really enjoy reading books that challenge you to question conventional wisdom. If you like Malcolm Gladwell I definitely recommend this book. HOWEVER, many of the topics are covered it Gladwell's books The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, so be prepared to hear some regurgitation (the brutal murder in queens with 38 onlookers who didn't call the cops, how the month you were born greatly affects your ability to play professional sports, and many others that have been covered in other more
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Jun 28, 2011
Trpnstn
rated it:
coming from a research background heavy in statistics, I immediately recognized the interpretive errors contained in Freakenomics. Initially I found it amusing to see the absurd conclusions made through cherry picking outlier results based on correlational and/or poorly designed research studies. Half way through the book, I got bored but continued through just so I could quote my concerns first hand during debates with the many non-scientists that became so excited about the book. The second
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Jun 14, 2011
D
rated it:
subtitled: Global Colling, Patriotric Prostituties and why Suicide Bombers shoudl buy LIfe Insurance
For those of you who read their first book, Freakonomics, which was a best-seller for months and months, this book is just as fascinating as the first. One of the authors is an economist by trade; the other is a journalist. This combination makes for some fascinating reading. Interesting facts and stories, combined with great writing. Excellent! Engrossing non-fiction--I love that.
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For those of you who read their first book, Freakonomics, which was a best-seller for months and months, this book is just as fascinating as the first. One of the authors is an economist by trade; the other is a journalist. This combination makes for some fascinating reading. Interesting facts and stories, combined with great writing. Excellent! Engrossing non-fiction--I love that.
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Jun 11, 2011
John-Philip
rated it:
A few years ago I read Freakonomics
. I loved the stats and conclusions so much I started considering studying behavioral economics. Not long ago they released a sequel, SuperFreakonomics
. It's my first book for Kindle
and it was gifted to my by a friend on Christmas Eve. (If you don't have an e-reader I highly recommend it!)Like the first book, its common theme is finding out the real reason for why people do the things they do - usually by following the money. The most memor More...
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Mar 28, 2011
Nick
rated it:
Interesting tidbits. Engagingly written. A fun, quick, interesting read.
It was fun to read about all of this data analysis, as I'm starting to do that myself at work.
p31:
It was fun to read about all of this data analysis, as I'm starting to do that myself at work.
p31:
More than 150 years ago, the French economist Frederic Bastiat wrote "The Candlemaker's Petition", said to represent the interests of ... "Generally Everything Connected with Lighting."More...
These industries, Bastiat complained, "are suffering from the ruinous competition of a fo
Feb 02, 2011
Evan
rated it:
Okay, I haven't finished the book yet. I plan to. But I have to say, within the first example of freakonomics in this book, I realized it was going to have the same problems as the last one: i.e. it would completely eschew any interest in morality or consequence or even tangible data in favor of getting shocking results.
The drunk driving vs. drunk walking example. Basically, through some flimsy conjecture (assuming 1 in every 140 miles walked is walked drunk...just because that's the r More...
The drunk driving vs. drunk walking example. Basically, through some flimsy conjecture (assuming 1 in every 140 miles walked is walked drunk...just because that's the r More...
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Jan 24, 2011
Blog on Books
rated it:
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and for the authors of the blockbuster series “Freakonomics,” the pictures, graphs and charts contained in their new illustrated edition are proof of that concept big-time.
“SuperFreakonomics: *The Super-Deluxe, Super Illustrated Edition Thereof,” (yes, that’s its title!) prides itself on comparing and contrasting empirical data grabs against information from seemingly unrelated categories to create thought-provoking mash-ups of information More...
“SuperFreakonomics: *The Super-Deluxe, Super Illustrated Edition Thereof,” (yes, that’s its title!) prides itself on comparing and contrasting empirical data grabs against information from seemingly unrelated categories to create thought-provoking mash-ups of information More...
Jan 09, 2011
Josh
rated it:
I really enjoyed this sequel to Freakonomics. Levitt's unflinching and dispassionate analysis of often highly charged political issues is always enlightening. I sometimes wonder at the validity of his statistics, but he's the professional, not me.
In this book, in particular, I like the fact that he is really able to highlight the essential fallibility and humanity of the police force when dealing with prostitutes. Too often, we put our armed forces and protective services on such a ped More...
In this book, in particular, I like the fact that he is really able to highlight the essential fallibility and humanity of the police force when dealing with prostitutes. Too often, we put our armed forces and protective services on such a ped More...
Jan 06, 2011
Brian
rated it:
Similiar in approach to the first book, challenging conventional wisdom. We assume reasons for outcomes that really aren't even close to the actual reasons on various different occurances in life.
Why aren't people stopped from walking while drunk when they are 8 times more likely to get killed walking than driving? Hmmm what is the government doing about walking?
Did cars save the ozone, the answer may be one that will surprise all you treehuggers.
The authors More...
Why aren't people stopped from walking while drunk when they are 8 times more likely to get killed walking than driving? Hmmm what is the government doing about walking?
Did cars save the ozone, the answer may be one that will surprise all you treehuggers.
The authors More...
Dec 15, 2010
Loren
rated it:
“In the United States especially, politics and economics don’t mix well. Politicians have all sorts of reasons to pass all sorts of laws that, as well-meaning as they may be, fail to account for the way real people respond to real-world incentives.”
Wow…. Either these people are extremely naïve or they are the worst of serious system junkies. If I need to sit and dissect that statement for you and all the levels of Manchurian bullshit, then there’s really no helping you. I especially More...
Wow…. Either these people are extremely naïve or they are the worst of serious system junkies. If I need to sit and dissect that statement for you and all the levels of Manchurian bullshit, then there’s really no helping you. I especially More...
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Dec 10, 2010
J.j.
rated it:
When Freakonomics was published in 2006, I gulped it down in a single sitting. Then I dipped back into it, savoring its provocative blend of anecdote and analysis. Although I've always been intrigued by the 'dismal science' of economics, in Freakonomics, I was also entertained, especially with Levitt & Dubner's unusual choice of examples ranging from Sumo wrestling to drug-dealing to the effects of legalized abortion on crime rates. Because of this, I check out the Freakonomics Blog on a daily b
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Nov 15, 2010
Jeff
rated it:
Most economics books talk about Supply and Demand, Price Elasticity, and Opportunity Cost. SuperFreakonomics! by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner is not one of those books. Instead, the book discusses economics from the perspective of the common-man.
The book focuses around overarching questions that, while very interesting, are quite obscure in their answer. This format makes for gargantuan chapters that, while easy to begin, are hard to finish. Despite the long chapters, the book i More...
The book focuses around overarching questions that, while very interesting, are quite obscure in their answer. This format makes for gargantuan chapters that, while easy to begin, are hard to finish. Despite the long chapters, the book i More...
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Nov 09, 2010
Karen
rated it:
The sequel is better than the original.
My favorite chapter was "The Fix is In--and It's Cheap and Simple."
pg. 133: "It is a fact of life that people love to complain, particularly about how terrible the modern world is compared with the past. They are nearly always wrong. On just about any dimension you can think of--warfare, crime, income, education, transportation, worker safety, health--the twenty first century is far more hospitable to the average human tha More...
My favorite chapter was "The Fix is In--and It's Cheap and Simple."
pg. 133: "It is a fact of life that people love to complain, particularly about how terrible the modern world is compared with the past. They are nearly always wrong. On just about any dimension you can think of--warfare, crime, income, education, transportation, worker safety, health--the twenty first century is far more hospitable to the average human tha More...
Oct 17, 2010
Jennifer
rated it:
2 words that describe the book―Freaky Economics (Duh!)
3 characters I met
* Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft executive, is one of the co-founders of Intellectual Ventures (IV)—an invention company that has come up with a variety of creative and affordable fixes for a variety of problems, ranging from hurricanes (they could literally stop them!) and global warming. It boggled my mind that a group of people like those found at IV exist—and they’ve found solutions for huge prob More...
3 characters I met
* Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft executive, is one of the co-founders of Intellectual Ventures (IV)—an invention company that has come up with a variety of creative and affordable fixes for a variety of problems, ranging from hurricanes (they could literally stop them!) and global warming. It boggled my mind that a group of people like those found at IV exist—and they’ve found solutions for huge prob More...
Oct 09, 2010
Hinch
rated it:
SuperFreakonomics continues the thread established by its predecessor, Freakonomics. In the course of exploring an array of topics including global warming, prostitution, and the safety virtues of child car seats, it seeks to broaden our definition of economics. We are encouraged to reconsider an "economist", the traditional label for a student of mathematical and monetary theory, as one whom forms conclusions, not based on convenience or expectation, but rather on the critical evaluat
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Sep 08, 2010
Chad
rated it:
This book takes a thought-provoking and often humorous look at the microeconomics of our human lives. It explores incentives and disincentives, correlation and causation. I can't clearly articulate why, but I liked this book better than the original Freakonomics.
The authors keep you guessing. Every time they propose a reasonable explanation for some behavior, you find yourself nodding in understanding. Then a page or 2 later, they reveal an entirely different, often contradictory exp More...
The authors keep you guessing. Every time they propose a reasonable explanation for some behavior, you find yourself nodding in understanding. Then a page or 2 later, they reveal an entirely different, often contradictory exp More...
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Aug 16, 2010
Roy
rated it:
It’s a good thing the Freakonomics books (Super and regular) did not come around until after I had chosen my major in college, otherwise there is a very good chance I would now be a macro-economist. I love thinking about why people do things, and how wrong most explanations are for why people do things. Economists are often described as immoral, heartless, impractical libertarians – seriously, sign me up. If they all could write this clearly, without formulas, about events and ideas that are as
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Aug 04, 2010
David
rated it:
Like its predecessor, this is an extremely fun book to read. The stories are engaging and interesting. I have driven my wife nuts as I have often put down the book and begun to retell what I just read with a "did you know..." Most interesting is chapter two where we learn why suicide bombers should buy life insurance and chapter five which does not so much question the prevailing doctrine of global warming as tear up the way it is (wrongly) presented to the public to get to the hear
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Jul 25, 2010
Simmoril
rated it:
It's tough for me to do an in-depth review of Superfreakonomics for a couple reasons: one is that Superfreakonomics isn't so much a 'story' per se, as it is a collection of shorter stories about some of the ways economics can be applied to examine a wide range of real-world problems. This leads into the second reason, which is that I don't want to give away the solutions/explanations of said problems and spoil the book for potential readers.
What I will say about the book is this: Levit More...
What I will say about the book is this: Levit More...
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Jul 17, 2010
MacK
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I often notice that creative types get trapped inside their own heads. Occasionally this elicits brilliant works of staggering genius (see Picasso, Pablo). Occasionally the result is great to the artist and confusing to almost everyone else (see Kauffman, Andy). But the real problem is when a successful artist begins to ponder a follow up work and finds themselves unable to walk the fine line between repeating themselves and being labeled as self indulgent.
While SuperFreakonomics doe More...
While SuperFreakonomics doe More...
