A collaboration between a journalist and one of the top economists in the US, this is a great book. I read it a few days ago and it's remained on my mind. I've also found myself talking about it a lot, telling people about various ideas put forth in the book.
Startling in terms of both its scope and the concepts put forth, the book takes a meandering path through a variety of issues, touching on subjects as diverse as crime and parenting. Though some conclusions may shock readers (the legalization of abortion in the US led to the greatest drop in crime rate in history) they all make a lot of sense once you read the background information.
It also gives an informative look at how studies are conducted and researchers sift through piles of data to arrive at their results. I liked that it was so straightforward and easy to understand, even for someone like myself who had no real grasp of what an economist's job might entail prior to reading this. Everything is well explained, easy to follow, and often very funny. A perfect book for anyone with a curious mind.
I got this one from the local library and read it a few days ago; the authours also recently put out a sequel of sorts called Superfreakonomics, that I'll be reading soon.
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