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)

The best psychology-related book I've ever read

Must read. I love this book, so much I had to read a physical copy after listening. It has completely changed the way I think about the world and how I judge other people and sometimes myself for doing things I would consider "dumb". I believe it should be required reading for all college students if not for high school students.

Excellent book for the times

The author certainly is an expert in his field and very good at articulating his points. I think this book is especially pertinent in the 'cancel culture' era where many people are judged based on a rash decision made under duress. I think it's good to understand that the mind works very differently when we have the luxury of time to think and when we have to make quick decisions with limited knowledge. A recommended read for all.

There is a reason this book is so popular

The amount of insightful material, research, and lessons you can use in everyday life packed into this book is incredible. You cannot passively listen to this and expect to retain all of the major points in any detail; I was constantly engaging my “System 2” and listening to certain passages several times.

In certain areas, it is more difficult listening to this audio version vs reading the physical book. It can be hard to flip to the supporting PDF quickly, at least for me. I’m a visual learner, so I would’ve analyzed the data (in the regular text, not the PDF) faster if i could see it. I knew the audiobook was the best way to ensure I would finish in a timely manner, so I’m still glad I chose it.

This is one of those books that has the ability to change the way you look at the world, and also the way you look at yourself. I’ve found myself discussing many of these topics with my family/friends. I will recommend it to others, and now I’m off to read Nudge.

i Got a Master's in Psychology Thanks to This Book

I never took a psych class in undergrad because I thought it was dominated by people like Freud and concerned only with clinical psychology and therapy. Kahneman conducted truly innovative research that helped determine how thought works, and I find myself referencing the concepts of this book every day. Compared to other books of this nature such as Predictablely Irrational or The Drunkard's Walk, I feel that this is the clearest, most comprehensive, and most well-written.

40 minutes of opening credits... hard to listen to

this books seems very pretentious. I couldn't even get past the opening credits. might just be the readers voice. but ither way. I can already tell I'm not going to be able to get through this book.

A MUST for Anyone in Business

More than any other book I have ever read or listened to, the information in this book has been presented to me in sales pitches and other business related situations.

I have heard points from this book in numerous Ted talks.

Concepts from this book were mentioned in Mel Robbins' "5 Second Rule: and Greg McKeown's book "Essentialism."

This is the most important book in my 35-book audible library.

This is not a passive listen. It does require some focus to absorb. But I assure you it's well worthwhile.

this book.changed the way I think about decision

This book changed the way I think about decision making. Many of the topics that was presented will improve for sure the way I view then world.

Wrong narrator voice and style for me.

I feel that I struggled to absorb content, partially due to the complexity of the information, but largely because the voice of the narrator would lose my attention, forcing me to back up throughout the book.

Interesting Topic, next time will get physical cop

very interesting subject matter and well voiced, but some of the topics are complex enough that I wish I had a physical copy to quickly reference and review previous sections. Also, many references to pictures and diagrams in the book. Audible provides a pdf, but that's not something I can look at while driving.

In summary, I learned a lot, but to get the full experience, get the physical copy.

Lengthy and detailed but understandable.

Now I know why so many self help and management books reference this book. Great research and references. I highly recommend this book who wants to understands the limits of human understanding. The System 1 versus System 2 metaphors work to keep the discussion understandable to a layman.