Thinking, Fast and Slow

By: Daniel Kahneman

Narrated by: Patrick Egan

Length: 20 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

The guru to the gurus at last shares his knowledge with the rest of us. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman's seminal studies in behavioral psychology, behavioral economics, and happiness studies have influenced numerous other authors, including Steven Pinker and Malcolm Gladwell. In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman at last offers his own, first book for the general public. It is a lucid and enlightening summary of his life's work. It will change the way you think about thinking.

Two systems drive the way we think and make choices, Kahneman explains: System One is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System Two is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Examining how both systems function within the mind, Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities as well as the biases of fast thinking and the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and our choices. Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, he shows where we can trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking, contrasting the two-system view of the mind with the standard model of the rational economic agent.

Kahneman's singularly influential work has transformed cognitive psychology and launched the new fields of behavioral economics and happiness studies. In this path-breaking book, Kahneman shows how the mind works, and offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and personal lives - and how we can guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Daniel Kahneman (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A tour de force... Kahneman’s book is a must read for anyone interested in either human behavior or investing. He clearly shows that while we like to think of ourselves as rational in our decision making, the truth is we are subject to many biases. At least being aware of them will give you a better chance of avoiding them, or at least making fewer of them.” (Larry Swedroe, CBS News)

“A major intellectual event... The work of Kahneman and Tversky was a crucial pivot point in the way we see ourselves.” (David Brooks, The New York Times)

“[Thinking, Fast and Slow] is wonderful, of course. To anyone with the slightest interest in the workings of his own mind, it is so rich and fascinating that any summary would seem absurd.” (Michael Lewis, Vanity Fair)

Interesting topic, but the reader out me to sleep.

Buehler, Buehler, Buehler. Nonfiction is often very dry, so it's up to the reader to keep it engaging. I thought this book was very interesting, but the reader almost killed it. I saw Kahneman's Ted Talk and he is a pretty dynamic speaker. it's too bad he didn't narrate his own book.

Very interesting and use full

Any additional comments?

Some parts rather theoretical but still in the favor of delivering the points and insights.
If you have read the book Nudge, this is a very nice supplement to understanding the mechanisms and theories which lies behind

An epic work showing the very shape of our world.

If you could sum up Thinking, Fast and Slow in three words, what would they be?

EvocativeScientificPervasive

Were the concepts of this book easy to follow, or were they too technical?

The concepts were easy to follow. They were just technical enough that they didn't feel completely for the layman.

Have you listened to any of Patrick Egan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was a huge fan of this reader. I haven't listened to any of his previous work, but I would be more than happy to hear him read other books, he is better than most people who read in scientific fields.

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

I did want to listen to it all at once, but it's not a small book. I listened while I was driving mostly. But I enjoyed it so much that I bought the actual book for when I was not driving.

Any additional comments?

Amazing book. It was strange hearing from the man who's work is so quoted in other peoples work. But it was amazingly freeing. Just to demonstrate how pervasive his work really is: I have yet to listen to a book that deals with psychology of decisions/economics/general psychological motivations that have not quoted his work. He was also quoted in a book on Mathematics by Leonard Mlodinow and a book on Neurological Research by Michael Gazzaniga. And they aren't even dealing directly with Psychology or Economics.

Requires your full attention

I listened to this book mostly on my daily commute and it took almost a month to do so.

the principles on the book are important, but it is a very scholarly work that requires your careful attention while you listen.

Tough listen

What did you love best about Thinking, Fast and Slow?

It's a good listen, and lots of good material - but it's just too hard to focus on this book while walking/hiking. It's better enjoyed through ebook or physical copy.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

To be honest - glad it was over

very good 1/3 of the book

but you get tired and lost of so many stats and research. But worth the read because of the first third of the book.

Favorite book of the year

Fascinating insight to daily thought, behavior, and decision making. I easily reference it once a month. After the intro and basic book summary the book is a little dry and clinical for the next couple of chapters. Push through and you will be rewarded with a book that you will think about and refer to for the rest of your life.

great book

great book, needs concentration but still manageable, I recommend to read/listen. This is a book to not miss in one's life.

great read if u want the details

I love behavioral economics, biases, and fallacies. This book is amazing and should be read by every economist. I will preface by saying that there are books that do a similar job of giving you a summary of information in a more compact format. However I loved it because I'm interested in the studies and the storytelling of each different scenario so that it sticks better in my head.

Enlightening, Articulate and Detailed

Would you consider the audio edition of Thinking, Fast and Slow to be better than the print version?

While the author does on a few instances reference printed PDF's, most of the time is it still clear what he is speaking about. If I had any criticism in that regard, it would be to audible not providing a PDF with the download. I wouldn't have minded pulling up an illustration on my phone to match what the author was speaking about.

Aside from that though, I think the audio version of this was fantastic. The narrator became one with the author and, I felt, perfectly conveyed the tone and attitude of the content.

What other book might you compare Thinking, Fast and Slow to and why?

I'm sure the related books section can do a better job of this than me, so I'm going to make a more far-fetched connection for someone looking to branch off a little farther from this book. I would compare this book to Ryan Holiday's book "Trust Me, I'm Lying". Both books point to the mold-ability of our thoughts in relation to what we actually experience. Ryan Holiday's book is more about the application of these manipulation techniques in our modern media system.

Have you listened to any of Patrick Egan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I loved him in this narration.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This audio book is INCREDIBLY long, however, where I would have lost interest in other books, this book kept me captivated. There are so many enlightening nuggets of information about all sorts of topics. There are certainly moments that are a bit dense, but Kahneman does an excellent job of presenting his findings clearly to the reader.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book, however I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. I think if you are the kind of person who is seriously looking to better their understanding of how our thoughts can be shaped by our experiences, this is the book for you. And you may even like this book if your a conspiracy theorist who believes that the government is trying to brainwash us - seriously.

This book presents some keystone discoveries about human perception that seem so powerful, it's almost frightening. It's not hard to see how someone with an incentive to change the way a group of people thinks could use these concepts to their benefit.