In 2005 Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner came out with a book improbably titled Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explains the Hidden Side of Everything. Unexpectedly it turned out to be a run-away success. Now the same guys have come out with a follow-up book that purports to take up where their last book left off. This book is titled what else but Superfreakonomics. According to the authors, the main underlying theme for this book, as well as for the first, is that “People respond to incentives, although not in ways that are predictable or manifest. Therefore, one of the most powerful laws in the universe is the law of unintended consequences.” Then they set out to prove this thesis. I’m not sure they succeed in every aspect, but who cares when a book is addressing such tantalizing questions as: How is a street prostitute like a department store Santa? Or what’s the best way to catch a terrorist? Or even, can eating kangaroo save the planet?…among other topics. By applying economic theory, backed by research and statistics, the seemingly quirky, even mundane questions yield some unexpected and startling answers that often turn out to be surprisingly relevant.
The chapter called “What do Al Gore and Moung Pinatubo have in common?” has created a good bit of controversy. The authors take somewhat of a contrary view toward global warming, asking if the threat has perhaps been exaggerated , and then offering some unique solutions. Such irreverence has apparently brought some fierce criticism and derision from the purists of the movement.
This book, like the first, is a rollicking good read—crisply written with wonderful flashes of humor and some provocative and thought provoking ideas that emerge along with the lighter fare. Above all, the authors are great story tellers and they never let the stats get in the way of a good story. It makes for great reading for a airplane flight or in the audio version for a long drive. -Billie
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