Super Crunchers

Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart

By: Ian Ayres

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Why would a casino try to stop a gambler from losing? How can a mathematical formula find your future spouse? Would you know if statistical analysis blackballed you from a job you wanted?

Economist Ian Ayres has spent the better part of his career examining the power in numbers. Decisions used to be made by traditional experts based on experience, intuition, and trial and error. Nowadays, cutting-edge organizations are crunching ever-larger databases to find answers. Today’s super crunchers are providing greater insights into human behavior than ever before - and predicting the future with staggeringly accurate results.

In this lively and groundbreaking audiobook, Ayres takes us behind the scenes into the bold new world of today’s super crunchers.

The author sweeps over a dazzling array of topics with strange-but-true facts, wry wit, and a raconteur’s talent for the fascinating anecdote. Entertaining, enlightening, and absolutely essential, Super Crunchers is an audiobook that no businessperson, consumer, or student - statistically, that’s everyone! - should make another decision without first listening to. Thinking-by-numbers is the new way to be smart.

©2007 Ian Ayres (P)2007 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Lively and enjoyable....Ayres skillfully demonstrates the importance that statistical literacy can play in our lives." ( Publishers Weekly)

Drathers on and on and on with some amusement

This books seems more like a mediocre written Doctoral Thesis than a real book. It tries to be interesting and does have some good theories and points. Could have been summarized in 2 hours instead of 6. I almost stopped listening to it. DEFINITELY NOT like Freakanomics or Blink.

Dry Performance, Case Studies/Info 7+ years old.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed the book, but the information is out of date.
This wouldn't be so bad if it didn't seem to be very and almost overly focused on case studies of particular businesses. So a lot of the information is out of date and almost every "working" on is now the norm and even the consumer is aware of most of the items.

If you have not background in analytics, then sure it might be a good one.
The author then tends to lean more towards the critical aspects of their usage. If you are looking for statistical background.. you will not get it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ian Ayres? Why or why not?

Yes, the content was generally good and covered the base topics, just really out of date being 7+ years out of date being published sometimes in 2007 and likely written in 2006 or earlier.

How could the performance have been better?

It was ridiculously mono-tone and without emotion. This topic is a bit dry and the monotone makes it more dry even for those familiar with the topic. It sounds obvious like the narrator is reading it sometimes line by line with lots of pauses.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No, it might be good for the History Channel.

Any additional comments?

The book seriously needs an updating with updating the case studies or removing them to give the applicability of the book to be longer term. It does have some good concepts for those unfamiliar with the topic, but it seems just so far out of date.

good book filled with examples

Would you consider the audio edition of Super Crunchers to be better than the print version?

For me yes, because I mostly listened to it while walking the dog.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The history of the crunching algorithms.

Which scene was your favorite?

The part about how super crunching helps identify crime.

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

No, I mostly listen to audiobooks while walking the dog.

Any additional comments?

Captivating listen for math lovers.

Hard to stop listening

Excellent. A great awakening to reveal those over-hyped studies the media presents as truths may very well be just a poorly calculated statistical inference.

Extremely Informative

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt it was one of best business books that I have heard in the last 5 years.

I enjoyed Freakonomics. It was interesting but had little impact on my daily or professional life. Within the first hour of this book, I could see how the subject matter could be applied to my company. Before even finishing the book, we have initiated two projects to install data driven decision making. The national association for my trade has also agreed to my request to gather transactional data from our membership.

I also particularly enjoyed the author's discussion of Bayes' Theorem and standard deviations towards the end of the book. These are great tools for understanding, analyzing and questioning statitistical references reported in the media.

If you are looking for a light and entertaining book, I would not recommend this one. If you are a business manager, executive or owner looking for proven ways to analyze and improve your business than this book is for you.

Mostly examples ... scant mention of how it's done

I did not like or dislike this book. It spends >80% of its time advocating the effectiveness and value of super crunching numbers, and giving dozens of examples of how it is used effectively. It could have accomplished that goal in far less time.

The balance of the book touched a very little bit on what super crunching actually is, but way too little for me. Near the end, the author says this book is an introduction, and you have to take him quite literally on that point. Get this book if you are interested in how super crunching is used. I got this book because I wanted to know more about how it is done, and I was disappointed.

Bad narrator

Very boring book. I love numbers, but this content combined with horribly boring narration really disappoints me.

Having heard the book...I want to meet the author

Wow...what an awesome book! I think the author did a fantastic job of making the subject matter approachable. This book is written to an audience that is educated, but doesn't assume that you are a mathematics wizard.

I came away with a greater understanding of "number crunching" from both a perspective of understanding the science, and understanding its effects on our everyday lives.

If you are interested in this sort of material, I think Mr. Ayers book is a fabulous place to dive in.

Nice, but nowhere near

I purchased this audiobook hoping it would be as good as Freakonomics by Steven Levitt, but ended up somewhat disappointed with Supercrunchers. I definitely like the case that is made for data driven decision making, but found too many negative points to warrant a rating above 3 (out of 5).

There is not enough business relevance in the book, as there is way too much talk of topics like evidence based medicine which do not necessarily appeal to business people. In some parts of the book, the audiobook adaptation is poor, as the narrator tries to take the listener through bullet points and hard to understand quizzes. Lastly, I found the book very preachy and rambling on the "big brother is watching you" theme.

Fortunately, towards the end, the book made a very compelling case for practical application of relevant statistics in the popular press, with the 2 standard deviation discussion. A good ending to an otherwise average book.

Nalph Rader

I am loving this book. But, at 42:09 seconds in chapter 1, the narrator says "Nalph Rader reads Mother Jones. " I listened twice to confirm. Such a lot of good work by the author negated by unprofessional narration and sloppy direction. I can only imagine what is to come