Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (CBR book #15)

Superfreakonomics is the follow up to Levitt and Dubner's first book, Freakonomics, which was a great book. Basically, Levitt and Dubner use economics theories to describe things more interesting than, well, economics.

For an idea of what Superfreakonimics is about, a quick look at the cover sums everything up nicely..."Global cooling, patriotic prostitutes, and why suicide bombers should buy life insuance." And if that doesn't catch your interest, the Steve-o's also discuss the following (taken from freakonomicsbook.com)

• How is a street prostitute like a department-store Santa?
• Why are doctors so bad at washing their hands?
• How much good do car seats do?
• What’s the best way to catch a terrorist?
• Did TV cause a rise in crime?
• What do hurricanes, heart attacks, and highway deaths have in common?
• Are people hardwired for altruism or selfishness?
• Can eating kangaroo save the planet?
• Who adds more value: a pimp or a realtor?

I'm a fan of these books because they're accessible and thought-provoking. They are also fairly quick and easy reads. Talk about the art of taking technical speak down to my level (Marcia Bjornerud, eat your heart out)!

So a solid recommend if you're the non-fictiony type. Enjoy!

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

This book, like Gladwell's Outliers, is provocative and thoughtful. Unlike Outliers, however, it's a collection of articles that Gladwell wrote, so each chapter is its own independent unit. This is probably, at least in part, why it took me several months to read. I'd read a chapter or two while I was between books. The good news about that is that I didn't need to remember what I had previously read, I could just pick it up a week later and start a new chapter.

Like Outliers, Gladwell picks a topic and makes you think about it in a completely new way. You'll learn a lot about ketchup, for instance, and why there aren't more varieties of it (and what the hell umami is). One of my favorite chapters explores the issue of homelessness and whether or not cities should provide free housing to the most chronically homeless. Other topics include things like hair dye, birth control, and even Caesar Milan.

Overall, I recommend the book. But it goes in the think-y category, which I know isn't for everyone. But then again, maybe it should be...? I guess if you're reading anything, you're ahead of the game.

Reviewed by Cathy

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Have you ever wondered why certain people are successful and others aren't? Is there a formula to success? Or are people simply in the right place at the right time?

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell,is a book that looks at successful people and analyzes what has set them apart from the rest of us. Gladwell begins with a hockey example. Consider NHL hockey players. Does a person make the NHL because he is supernaturally talented at hockey or are there other factors at work? Gladwell demonstrates that a look at NHL birthdays may hold a clue to a budding hockey player's success, as many NHL players are born in the first three months of the year. A careful analysis of how young hockey players are groomed and how the hockey calendar operates gives credence to Gladwell's theory that it matters (in terms of being a hockey player) when a child is born. NHL players' birthdays, along with talent, he surmises, are a contributing factor in their entry into the NHL.

Similarly, Gladwell asks the question, why do Asians seem to excel in math? His answer delves into several factors including language differences between Asian languages and English and how this may affect a child's learning of math. He postulates that if a child can learn math more easily than another, he may enjoy it more in school, which may lead to him studying more and performing better. This is a sort of snowball effect which began with the language the child spoke.

Gladwell also explains why 10,000 is a special number in terms of becoming an expert at anything, and applies his theory to people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and the Beatles. Were they successful because they were natural prodigies in their respective fields? Or were they in the right places at the right times, with an unusual opportunity to put in their 10,000 hours relatively early in their careers?

In addition to these examples, Gladwell also talks about airline crashes - does a pilot's culture play a role in an airline's unusual amount of crashes? Family feuds in Appalachia - Why were settlers in this region of America inclined to feuds? Jewish Immigration - Why did the grandchildren of so many Jewish immigrants to the US become doctors and lawyers while their predecessors were garment makers?

Like Freakonimics, this book has changed the way I look at certain things. And it has opened my eyes to things I didn't even realize existed, like the perfect time in history to create an entrepreneur or software giant. In a way, it offers hope that even though there are people clearly smarter or more talented than others, most people, if given the right opportunities and a bit of luck, can become outliers themselves.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading Gladwell's other books: Blink, The Tipping Point, and What the Dog Saw.

Reviewed by Cathy

Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

Close your eyes for a moment, okay, don't, since you're reading this. But puh-tend (as my 5 year old niece would say) and see what comes to mind when you think of things like "economic theory" and "regression analysis." Are you getting sleepy? Is your brain glazing over? Do you want to stab yourself in the throat with a spoon? Well, Freakonomics takes these things and actually makes them interesting.

Have you ever wondered why drug dealers live with their parents if they make so much money? Or if the name you give your child will affect his outcome in life? This book explores those topics and other ones like whether or not sumo wrestlers cheat and how the KKK runs its organization.

And to raise the ante, Levitt and Dubner aren't very politically correct about it. Don't get me wrong, they're not racist or vulgar but their ideas are provocative and require an open mind. They make it clear that if morals describe an ideal world, then economics describe a realistic world. So prepare yourself to delve into topics like abortion, race, and parenting. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two to keep that kid on the right path in his life (and out of your home once he's an adult!).

Reviewed by Cathy