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Freakonomics  By  cover art

Freakonomics

By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner
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Publisher's summary

Which is more dangerous: a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? How did the legalization of abortion affect the rate of violent crime?

These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much-heralded scholar who studies the riddles of everyday life, from cheating and crime to sports and child-rearing, and whose conclusions turn the conventional wisdom on its head. Thus the new field of study contained in this audiobook: Freakonomics.

Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner 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. In Freakonomics, they explore the hidden side of...well, everything. The inner working of a crack gang...the truth about real-estate agents...the secrets of the Klu Klux Klan.

What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking, and Freakonomics will redefine the way we view the modern world.

©2006 Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (P)2006 HarperAudio

Critic reviews

"Refreshingly accessible and engrossing." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Freakonomics

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FASCINATING

Would you listen to Freakonomics again? Why?

if i had time...there were a lot of details that i'd like to hear again

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The connections between the data and seemingly unrelated events was fascinating! Also, i loved how the book was driven by random hypothetical questions such as : Why do drugdealers still live with their moms? Ya, why DO drug dealers still live with their moms?

Which scene was your favorite?

When a Ivy League student get's taken in by an innercity gang and he get's to study and learn about their financing, structure, and inner motivations.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Little did you know....

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Follow the incentives

This should be required reading for all graduate programs in every topic. Follow the money- or more accurately follow the incentives offers more insight on human behavior than other methods. A purely scientific approach even if it's a polarizing topic, is always best even if it hurts people's delicate sensitivities.

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Very Cool

One of those books that makes you view things from a different perspective. Or at least realize that the conventional wisdom is often more plain wrong.

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Nerd candy!

Interesting view of the world from a non politically correct, statistition's point of view. If you like to think for yourself and learn new points of view, this book is without peer. OK, 29 pages of the frequency with which minorities name their kids wierd names is boring, but other areas are great. I finally understand regression analysis and why its important. If you are a new mom, getting ready to quit your job for the baby READ THIS. Enjoy........

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I LOVE this book!

This was the best I've heard yet! Even though the narration is a bit slow, it doesn't matter because you can change the speed. Story was very fascinating. Would read again!

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Pointless

While the author mentions how pointless this book is, I can't get over how pointless it really is. This book will not change your life in any significant way, but I suppose not all books are meant to; nevertheless the content was interesting in a lukewarm kind of way.

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things and stuff you now know

basically a bunch of things not really correlating but all tied into human nature withinsociety

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Excellent

Incredibly interesting. Engagingly written. Superbly narrated by Dubner. A must listen.

Only question is what’s with the weird interlude music ?

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Excellent fun book on economic.

This book brings out the fun in economics. It discussed issues that are outside the moral realm of an economic book.

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Excellent!!!

Looking forward to the next book!!! Very interesting!!!
A little surprised about some of the things I heard.
Keep up the great work Guys!!!!

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