First published 2015
Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner celebrate ten years since Freakonomics by collecting their finest blog posts from over 8,000 entries. The economists tackle 132 unconventional questions with their signature analytical approach. They examine why flight attendants receive no tips, explore hypothetical terrorist strategies, and investigate KFC's persistent chicken shortages. The authors calculate the poor return on investment for bank robbery while proposing solutions for reducing gun deaths. They consider implementing a sex tax and debate eliminating the penny. The collection reveals the authors' personal interests in gambling, golf, and backgammon alongside their economic insights. Readers discover patterns in human dishonesty, learn optimal timing for criminal enterprises, and gain access to the more casual, personal writing style that made their blog popular. This curated selection distills a decade of economic thinking into accessible observations about everyday puzzles and policy questions.
Genres: business, economics, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: analytical-approach, personal-interests, signature-style
Period: 21st-century
387 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow