Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Abridged
Author: Stephen J. Dubner , Steven D. Levitt
Narrator: Stephen J. Dubner
Genres: Business
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Date: May 2005
Length: 7 hours
Ratings:
  • Book Rating: 4.5/5
Formats:
  • WMA

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Overview

Levitt, an award-winning economist at the University of Chicago, often turns conventional wisdom on its head as he studies the riddles of everyday life--from cheating and crime to sports and child-rearing. Here, Levitt and Dubner give full play to Levitt's most compelling ideas.

Selected Reviews

not so dismal science

by DF
  • Book Rating: 3/5

FABULOUS!

by Aja
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 50

Reviews (50)

not so dismal science

Written by DF on August 6th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Economist Levitt has an offbeat take on his field, and Stephen Dubner helps him present his ideas with clarity and interest. For all that, this isn't the best book for audio play because I sometimes wanted to skim to the key point in the argument. Still, the ideas are catchy and may change your view of "the dismal science."

FABULOUS!

Written by Aja from Clarks Hill, IN on July 6th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

What a great listen! Helpful and entertaining! Rent this!

Refreshing

Written by Todd Palmer on May 12th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This book is thoroughly enjoyable and challenges the idea of economics as dull and boring. By analyzing extensive data, Levitt challenges a lot of conventional wisdom, which is sure to ruffle the feathers of some listeners.

Freakonomics

Written by Anonymous on March 7th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed this book. It was kind of random, but fascinating.

Get this Book

Written by Stephen Fisher on February 16th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

The author digs into assumed facts and emerges with the truth. Very interesting explorations.

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Written by Michael Scott from Santa Cruz, CA on February 11th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Mildly amusing / entertaining. Had some interesting points, but overall - not a book I'd really recommend to anyone.

Cool title, lame book

Written by Jarrod on January 9th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 2/5

I was very much turned off by Levitt's shameless ego stroking (I understand these passages were later removed due to overwhelming reader feedback). At first glance the book makes some fascinating points and purports to "ask questions" that most people never would. For example, the book would have you believe that Leavitt is abstract enough to ask "Hey, I wonder what public school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?", but it is obvious by the end of the chapter that Leavitt's keen mind didn't really begin his study with such unusual wunderkind thinking. A deeper reading also reveals huge gaps in logic, such as in Leavitt's suggestion that the recent reduction in New York's crime rate was almost solely attributed to abortion, rather than innovative policing techniques. This is plausible, but if Leavitt is so good at asking questions, why did he never test his theory by asking "I wonder why abortion didn't have the same affect on crime in other major cities?"

Mildly Interesting

Written by Anonymous from Sunnyvale, CA on November 4th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 3/5

A mildly interesting book. The economist, Steve Levitt, chooses various topics such as how and why some teachers cheat for their students and themselves, does a name effect a child's future, and why the crime rate dropped in the mid to latter 1990s, and then argues for his point of view. I found most of the topics and arguments fairly interesting until the last topic regarding names. That one was just too disorganized and uninteresting. Having been an economics major myself, I wasn't captivated by this book, but it was somewhat interesting.

Triva Buffs Trophy

Written by Anonymous on October 1st, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Very interesting insights to questions we all think about but could not possibly answer.

Freakonomics

Written by Anonymous from Annandale, VA on September 28th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 3/5

When the author wrote, "There is no unifying theme in this book" at the very beginning, he wasn't kidding! The separate stories/economic analyses in the book were totally fascination however. It was worth the read (or listen).

Selected Reviews

not so dismal science

by DF
  • Book Rating: 3/5

FABULOUS!

by Aja
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 50

Author Details

Author Details

Levitt, Steven D.

Steven D. Levitt is the Alvin H. Baum Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, where he is also director of The Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory. In 2004, he was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, which recognizes the most influential economist in America under the age of 40. More recently, he was named one of Time magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World." Levitt received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1989, his Ph.D. from M.I.T. in 1994, and has taught at Chicago since 1997.