Since I’ve been reading more books these past few years, I’ve found that I read very similar material. They have all been very good, and very informative, but I’ve needed to read something off my beaten path for some time now. Freakonomics was my first pick, based simply on a recommendation from Brandon, and the subtitle of the book (A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything).
To be honest, I looked at some reviews online before purchasing the book and I was a little upset about some claims made about abortion and crime rates. I even searched, and bookmarked, some rebuttal material before I had even read one page of the book. Which is all the more reason that I need to be reading these types of books. We all fall into the trap of preconceived notions, and conventional thinking, and tossing the baby out with the bathwater type thinking.
This book helped me, rather encouraged me, to be more inquisitive in my journey. To not take things at face value just because you always have. It also helped me process the notion of considering something might be true regardless of whether it is moral, bigoted, sexist, etc.
This is an easy recommend for me. It is worth reading the entire book just to get to the two page Epilogue. Go ahead and get the revised and expanded edition, it’s worth the extra time.
Filed under: Books, Freakonomics, Stephen Dubner, Steven Levitt
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