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Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything Paperback – August 25, 2009

by Steven D. Levitt (Author), Stephen J Dubner (Author)

4.5 13,819 ratings

Part of: Freakonomics (4 books)

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Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool?

What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?

How much do parents really matter?

These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He studies the riddles of everyday life—from cheating and crime to parenting and sports—and reaches conclusions that turn conventional wisdom on its head.

Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They set out to explore the inner workings of a crack gang, the truth about real estate agents, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and much more.

Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, they show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives—how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.

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Freakonomics
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315 pages
Language

English
Publication date

August 25, 2009
Dimensions

5.25 x 1 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0060731338
ISBN-13

978-0060731335
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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

There are three basic flavors of incentive: economic, social, and moral.
Highlighted by 6,392 Kindle readers
An incentive is simply a means of urging people to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing.
Highlighted by 3,909 Kindle readers
Knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes a complicated world much less so.
Highlighted by 3,737 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Provocative… eye-popping.” (New York Times Book Review: Inside the List)

“If Indiana Jones were an economist, he’d be Steven Levitt… Criticizing Freakonomics would be like criticizing a hot fudge sundae.” (Wall Street Journal)

“The guy is interesting!” (Washington Post Book World)

“The funkiest study of statistical mechanics ever by a world-renowned economist... Eye-opening and sometimes eye-popping” (Entertainment Weekly)

“Steven Levitt has the most interesting mind in America... Prepare to be dazzled.” (Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink and The Tipping Point)

“Principles of economics are used to examine daily life in this fun read.” (People: Great Reads)

“Levitt dissects complex real-world phenomena, e.g. baby-naming patterns and Sumo wrestling, with an economist’s laser.” (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“Levitt is a number cruncher extraordinaire.” (Philadelphia Daily News)

“Levitt is one of the most notorious economists of our age.” (Financial Times)

“Hard to resist.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))

“Freakonomics is politically incorrect in the best, most essential way.... This is bracing fun of the highest order.” (Kurt Andersen, host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Turn of the Century)

“Freakonomics was the ‘It’ book of 2005.” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

“An eye-opening, and most interesting, approach to the world.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“An unconventional economist defies conventional wisdom.” (Associated Press)

“A showcase for Levitt’s intriguing explorations into a number of disparate topics…. There’s plenty of fun to be had.” (Salon.com)

“One of the decade’s most intelligent and provocative books.” (The Daily Standard)

“Freakonomics challenges conventional wisdom and makes for fun reading.” (Book Sense Picks and Notables)

“The trivia alone is worth the cover price.” (New York Times Book Review)

“An easy, funny read. Many unsolvable problems the Americans have could be solved with simple means.” (Business World)

“Economics is not widely considered to be one of the sexier sciences.... Steven D. Levitt will change some minds.” (Amazon.com)

From the Back Cover

More Than 4 Million Copies Sold Worldwide
Published in 35 Languages

Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool?
What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?
How much do parents really matter?

These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He studies the riddles of everyday life—from cheating and crime to parenting and sports—and reaches conclusions that turn conventional wisdom on its head. Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They set out to explore the inner workings of a crack gang, the truth about real estate agents, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and much more. Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, they show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives—how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (August 25, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 315 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060731338
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060731335
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #139,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #108 in Theory of Economics
- #377 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences
- #1,733 in Personal Finance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 13,819 ratings

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Stephen J. Dubner
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Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He quit his first career—as an almost-rock-star—to become a writer. He has worked for The New York Times and published three non-Freakonomics books. He lives with his family in New York City.
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Steven D. Levitt
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Steven D. Levitt teaches economics at the University of Chicago. His idiosyncratic economic research into areas as varied as guns and game shows has triggered debate in the media and academic circles.
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Sara Trevenen

Must OWN

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024

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Love for freakonomics is untainted. “Freakonomics” offers a captivating exploration of unconventional economic concepts, unveiling the hidden forces shaping our world. Levitt and Dubner’s engaging writing style and thought-provoking anecdotes make complex economic ideas accessible to a broader audience. The book challenges conventional wisdom, encouraging readers to question assumptions and view the world through an economic lens. Overall, it’s an intriguing read that combines economics with real-world scenarios, fostering a fresh perspective on various aspects of life.

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Andrea

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2013

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Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.

This is one of the most interesting books you will ever read. The author, a Harvard graduate, takes 6 interesting subjects and looks at a side of it that most people wouldn't. (He did lots of research.) He uses data - lots of it - not opinion to find his answers and statistics. The topics might not necessarily be "important", but they are interesting. Here they are:

CHAPTER 1. "WHAT DO SCHOOLTEACHERS AND SUMO WRESTLERS HAVE IN COMMON?" Of course, I cannot tell you the answer, because I don't want to ruin the book if you haven't read it yet. There's really not much I can say about this chapter without giving it away. But the chapter was interesting, and it looks at something that schoolteachers, sumo wrestlers, daycare mothers, and bagel buyers have in common.

Back in my school days, teachers didn't make much. They seemed to be so much better back then. I think it was because they taught because they loved to teach, because they loved the kids, and teaching was their gift and their passion. Nowadays I think people do it for the money, as they make much more now than they did back then. A lot of teachers nowadays don't have their heart in it; they just have their pocketbook in it. This paragraph had nothing really to do with the book, I just added that in, because the book mentioned certain teachers that will depress your faith in them. But I'm sure that is a low percentage; most teachers, I'm sure, are still good.

CHAPTER 2. "HOW IS THE KU KLUX KLAN LIKE A GROUP OF REAL-ESTATE AGENTS?" This chapter told some intereting things that I never realized - about real estate, brand new cars, etc. Of course, I cannot give you the answer to the above question, as I don't want to ruin the book for those who haven't read it yet.

CHAPTER 3. "WHY DO DRUG DEALERS STILL LIVE WITH THEIR MOMS?" I cannot tell you the answer; I do not want to ruin it for you. You have to read this chapter to find out. You will find out what drug dealers have in common with a successful sportsman and an actress. This chapter was interesing; it enlightened me to some facts that I did not know.

CHAPTER 4. "WHERE HAVE ALL THE CRIMINALS GONE?" This is a very interesting chapter. (Again, I cannot give you the answer.) The author's answer made sense, and was very convincing. Even if you don't agree with it, or believe in it. He had convincing data to prove his point, and to disprove other "expert's" answers as to where all the criminals have gone.

The way I feel about it: His answer is probably true, but not okay. There is another way (that is good) to "get rid of the criminals". But that is another book; I'll save it for when/if I ever put together the data for it.

CHAPTER 5. "WHAT MAKES A PERFECT PARENT?" This chapter was enlightening, as parenting is my most important and most cherished role. The chapter gave some really interesting statistics/data.

CHAPTER 6. "PERFECT PARENTING, PART II; OR,: WOULD A ROSHANDA BY ANY OTHER NAME SMELL AS SWEET?" I read this chapter first, because I have always been fascinated by names. (I know, I'm weird.) Even if I hadn't of wanted to have kids, I probably would have had them anyway, just so I could name them. I've always loved reading baby name books. (Again, I know I'm weird.) Once in my younger days, someone caught me reading a baby name book and asked me if I were pregnant. No, I wasn't anywhere near pregnant; I simply loved reading baby name books. I also like looking at the trends and popularity of names. Sometimes old names come back and sometimes they don't. I've often wondered how names become popular. In this chapter, the authors explain it. (I can't tell you, as to not spoil the book.) Their explanation was based on the records in California from several years. It did make sense. And thinking about real life, it makes sense there, too.

I love names, and I'm very particular about the way I prefer names to be spelled. I have my own set of rules. For example, I am not a fan of the silent "h". I love the names Sara, Hanna, Cristina, Kristina, Nicolas WITHOUT the silent "h".

Some people think reading a baby name book is like reading a boring dictionary. But I've always enjoyed them. (I know, I am really eccentric.) Any, that's why I read Chapter 6 first.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING BOOK; HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

8 people found this helpful

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John Gardner

Stretch Your Mind Without Working Too Hard

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2011

Verified Purchase

I was admittedly late to the party on this one, as Freakonomics has been one of the best-selling books in the world since it was published in 2005. I've wanted to read it for a while, but kept putting it off for some reason. Maybe I just didn't want to feel like I was "selling out" due to all the hype?

Now that I've read it, though, I'm glad I did. For a book which -- by the authors' own admission -- has no central theme, it remained remarkably coherent and interesting from cover to cover. This is a testament to the strengths of its two authors. Levitt is a brilliant and unorthodox economist with a knack for asking and answering unique and provocative questions. His partner Dubner is a former writer and editor for The New York Times Magazine whose clever prose makes the book an easy and enjoyable read, despite its normally blasé subject matter: economics.

What drives Levitt's interest in asking unusual questions (such as "Why do drug dealers still live with their moms?" and "How is the Ku Klux Klan like a group of real-estate agents?")? It is a combination of his insatiable curiosity, his conviction that conventional wisdom is often wrong, and his economists' mind which believes that understanding people's incentives can allow one to draw conclusions and formulate predictions about their actions.

These incentives which drive people's actions constitute "the hidden side of everything". Incentives come in many varieties: monetary, social, and moral, to name a few. And just as understanding incentives is a major predictor in the world of finance (the field in which we usually associate the word "economics"), so this science can also be applied to social behavior, as this book shows.

One of the most interesting features of Freakonomics is the relationship between economics and morality. Investigating the incentives which motivate a given action leads to conclusions which may have many moral implications. However, the science of economics is unable to make moral judgments. As the authors state in the book, "morality represents the way we would like the world to work and economics represents how it actually does work."

Here is an example:

In the chapter titled "Where Have All the Criminals Gone?", Levitt sought to determine a reason for the drastic and unexpected drop in crime during the 1990's -- a time during which it had been predicted that violent crime would reach unprecedented levels. Conventional wisdom (driven largely by the media) attributed this to causes as varied as "tougher gun-control laws", "innovative policing strategies", and "increased use of capital punishment". However, the data support none of these claims. The conclusion reached by Levitt was that the primary cause of the reduction of crime was the advent of legalized abortion following Roe v. Wade.

Initially, this is a very shocking and controversial claim! But Levitt's research seems to support it. After all, the demographic most likely to have an abortion (young, poor, single mothers with little education) was the same group of mothers previously most likely to give birth to a violent criminal. This is by no means a pleasant thought, particularly for those of us who are so staunchly pro-life, but different moral conclusions can be drawn from this evidence.

For those who believe that life begins at conception, Roe v. Wade signals a dramatic increase in violent crime, as they will interpret the data to show that millions of American babies have been murdered since 1973 (a point which is made in the book). However, this is a moral, and not an economic judgment. Highlighting the difference between morality and economics, the authors state that "the trade-off between higher abortion and lower crime is, by an economist's reckoning, terribly inefficient." The reasoning? Statistics show that hundreds of babies must be aborted in order to prevent one murder. While it can be difficult to adjust one's thinking along these lines, it is the thought-provoking nature of this type of investigation that lends the book its value.

So did the book live up to its hype? Yes and no. Freakonomics is great for the stretching of one's mind (without having to work too hard), but I certainly wouldn't classify it as "life-changing" as many reviewers have done. Still, it's a bestseller for a reason, and I encourage you to read it if you haven't already. I look forward to its sequel, SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance .

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David Araujo

Timeless

Reviewed in Brazil on July 4, 2022

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Even 17 years after the first edition, this book maintains its relevance - not just for the data, but for the way it turns upside down the way we believe in some well established "truths".

Chipolata

Very nice

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2024

Verified Purchase

Great book.

Mrudul

Quality of the book is nice

Reviewed in India on January 15, 2024

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The book was delivered in good quality and looks fresh! You can read the reviews of the book in the other comments.

Daniel Kreuz

Für Statistikinteressierte ein must read

Reviewed in Germany on December 11, 2023

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Für mich landert das Buch auf der gleichen Lieblingsliste wie Factfulness. Absolut super die Zusammenhänge in verschiedenen Bereichen zu erkunden und von den Autoren so dermaßen logisch aufgezeigt zu bekommen. Auch für nicht Statistiker ist dieses Buch natürlich geeignet, da es nicht besonders schwer geschrieben ist.

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Alejandro Suarez

ECON STUDENT MUST READ BOOK LIST

Reviewed in Italy on January 15, 2023

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I mean, just by reading the title of one of the many chapters “what do schoolteachers and zumo wrestlers have in common?” makes it interesting. Only a true economist could combine those (apparently unrelated) worlds together. With real statistical data the authors provide the answer. And trust me! you will be amazed by it.
Overall, the book doesn’t teach you about economic theory. However, it teaches you the most valuable asset an economist must have, the mindset to apply economics to our daily life.

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