City News

Freakonomics, written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, is an eye opening book that seeks to simplify the complexities of economics through the telling of easy to understand and relatable stories. This book takes a near look at the underlying forces that shape our lives, and it does so through a series of  connected stories that are sure to capture the imagination of its readers.   The authors use data- driven analysis to challenge common conceptions about  various topics, including the influence of  teachers on student performance, the reasons behind the falling crime rates in America, and the impact of parenthood on a child's success. They indeed explore the power of  impulses and how it can be used to impact human behavior and thus economics as a whole.One of the most  pleasurable  effects about this book is the way the authors blend  profitable principles with real- life  examples. They convey their points through stories that are relatable and engaging, which makes the book an easy read. The jotting style is also straightforward, so it's not hard to follow along with the authors'  studies and ideas.   One of the chapter’s in this book is the one on the power of  impulses. The authors explore how different  impulses can affect  human behavior, and they do so by providing examples ranging from sumo wrestlers to real estate agents. This chapter is particularly unique because it provides the reader with a fresh perspective on how  impulses can shape our decision- making processes.   Another  intriguing chapter is the one on the economics of information. The authors use  profitable principles to explain why certain information is kept hidden and why it can be so  precious. They  give  examples ranging from the pharmaceutical industry to online dating, which helps to illustrate their point. One of the most striking  effects about this book is the way that it challenges conventional wisdom. The authors make sense of economics in a revolutionary and unique way that offers the reader a perspective that is unique from the standard perspective. For  example, they explore the link between the legalization of  abortion and the drop in crime rates in America, which is a seemingly unrelated connection.  Another thing that I appreciated about Freakonomics was the way that the authors blended their analysis with real- world  examples. They make complex  economic principles accessible by using real- life examples that  the reader can relate to, and this makes the book much easier to read and understand. However, some may find this book to be repetitive despite its valuable content . It's also  relatively  thick, so some  readers may find it  grueling  to get through the entire book in a few sittings.   Despite this, Freakonomics is an  inconceivable read that offers  precious  perceptivity into the  underlying forces that shape our lives. As a 16- year-old, I found this book to be both accessible and  study- provoking, and I would  largely recommend it to other teenage readers  who are interested in economics and its impact on our  daily lives. 

Check out Freakonomics from NBPL!