Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Review By: Jeff Beck, Compare Book Techie
Review Score:

Feeling like you understand the world around you? Think you have a firm grasp on how complicated human interactions really work? Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner's bestselling book Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything is guaranteed to make you think otherwise. The authors start with a collection of seemingly random "social knowns", and much like the infamous "Ginsu Kitchen Knives", slice and dice each up one way, and down the other. In this book virtually nothing is sacred, and why should it be? Facts are presented, numbers are analyzed, and the results are presented... whether you choose to believe or not believe, or to be offended for that matter, is entirely up to you.

Titling this book Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything might be a tad misleading, at least given the general use of the word "economics". If you are hoping to read a book about monetary inflation, the increasing national debt, the rise and fall of the stock market, or any number of other topics typically associated with the economy, this is not the book you are looking for. This is a book that scrutinizes the human experience, through both positive and negative incentives. Freakonomics employs statistical data interpretation to, as the authors put it "[strip] a layer or two from the surface of modern life and [see] what is happening underneath." They employ the tools of a economist, but don't play around with the economy specifically. Instead, they prefer to analyze "subjects that are more - well, more interesting."

One of the reasons Freakonomics is so popular is the central theme of the book... or rather, the complete lack of a central theme. Instead of trying to convince its readers of just one main point, the book uses each chapter to tell a completely different story, each with its own theme and end goal. Happily, the authors are excellent story tellers, making each chapter a joy to read, whether or not you ultimately agree with the interpretation of the data presented. And each chapter has its own surprise ending, with a unique fact or result that will change the way you perceive the world.

Don't think for a minute that the authors shy away from difficult and politically touchy subjects. One of the authors, Steven Leavitt, is well known for his controversial conclusions, many of which are presented in this book. Freakonomics thoroughly covers abortion being the leading cause of the recent decline in crime, how Realtors systematically sell your house for less than the going rate, and how big money does not win elections - all in the introduction to the book. Just wait until you get to chapter 1. Then things really pick up!

If Freakonomics has a down side, it is the authors' pompous regard for their reader. Despite the near-constant reminders that Steven Leavitt is a humble and down-to-earth guy, which seem to introduce each chapter, the book still comes off as the presenting of undisputable facts. They leave little room for disagreement, and in fact, do not anticipate the reader to do anything but soak up the "facts" presented, even though these facts are little more than the authors' interpretation of statistics. And as Mark Twain once observed "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable."

But agreeing with the authors is not the point of Freakonomics. No matter where you stand on the touchy subjects addressed in this book, Freakonomics will give you cause to pause and perhaps rethink your point of view. Life is full of complicated human interactions, and no one that I know has it all figured out, which is why it's nice to see things from a rogue's vantage point, once in a while.