Think Like a Freak

The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain

By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner

Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best-selling Freakonomics changed the way we see the world, exposing the hidden side of just about everything.

Now, with Think Like a Freak, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have written their most revolutionary book yet. With their trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, they take us inside their thought process and offer a blueprint for an entirely new way to solve problems. The topics range from business to philanthropy to sports to politics, all with the goal of retraining your brain. Along the way, you’ll learn the secrets of a Japanese hot-dog-eating champion, the reason an Australian doctor swallowed a batch of dangerous bacteria, and why Nigerian e-mail scammers make a point of saying they’re from Nigeria.

Levitt and Dubner plainly see the world like no one else. Now you can, too. Never before have such iconoclastic thinkers been so revealing - and so much fun to read.

Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, was awarded the John Bates Clark medal, given to the most influential American economist under the age of 40.

Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning journalist and radio and TV personality, has worked for The New York Times and published three non-Freakonomics books.

©2014 Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

It makes you go hmm without being too deep

This was a good light listen without being too deep. The narrator is very good he is also the same narrator is in What If. It's not a book that will necessarily change the way you think, but it may make you look at the way you think a little differently.

Enjoyable Car Companion

I enjoyed the book. Great audio and easy to listen to in pieces. I can't wait to listen to the other books by the authors.

Short, but good stories

I left not entirely sure of the details on how to think like a freak. Nothing was said on good experiment design, for example. Feels like a couple Freakonomics episodes strung together.

Like Encyclopedia Brown for Adults

What made the experience of listening to Think Like a Freak the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the examples of how clues to an answer were found by approaching the question from different angles.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

How the author found existing data sets that met his needs

Which scene was your favorite?

Are political campaigns won by money

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really

Any additional comments?

an interesting book for someone who writes SQL queries and designs pivot tables. Has inspired me to find ways to 'tease' the information I need out of existing data sets.

Awesome book with boring podcasts at the end

I like the value of the book. The insights on how to think outside the box, are excellent. Many interesting (and scary) examples. Well thought-out information. However, After finishing the audiobook, they decided to put a few podcasts at the end of the book. I tried to get through them, and I found myself for the first time with an Audible book, marking the book as 'Finished' I just couldn't deal with the podcasts!

Great Audiobook—Although a Bit Short and a Little Obvious

Well worth the purchase and listen, though the book is a bit short: the last couple hours are a "free preview" of their fantastic, but already free, Freakonomics podcast.

I also thought the top-level points they focused on (e.g., dare to experiment, don't be afraid to fail, compel people with substantial stories, etc.) were all a bit obvious (to me, at least). That said, their examples to back up these points were fantastically interesting, and alone unto themselves, were well worth the purchase and listen.

Thought provoking and entertaining

A reminder to never abandon critical thinking and to follow the data wherever they lead.

different thinking

Challenges your old thinking in a capturing way.The show afterwards had interesting themes. 15 words IS required

Not as good as their 1st book

I wanted to like this book but it has almost no Aha moments. It was entertaining, but not much beyond it.

Like the podcasts

If you like their other books "Freakonomics" and "SuperFreakonomics," you'll like this one. However, if you've listened to the Freakonomics podcasts, most of the topics have already been covered. Since the podcasts are free, I don't mind paying for the book and reading the few additional topics and stories that weren't covered.