Freakonomics - Book Review

I read this book a few weeks ago, but I'm just now getting around to reviewing it...

This is a very hard book to describe in a sentence or two. The topics discussed in this book are extremely diverse, but if there is a central theme, I would say it is that the obvious explanation for an issue isn't necessarily the correct one.

For example, the drop in violent crime in the mid-nineties has been contributed to everything from increased police presence, to improved policing techniques, to the broken window theory. The author argues that the drop in crime was, in fact, the result of the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. If you think that came out of left field, that's the point; it's not an obvious reason, but the author makes a compelling argument. He says that the decision to legalize abortion in 1973 preempted the existence of some people who would be born to poverty and hardship (the same people who have a greater chance to turn to violent crime as a means of survival). By the mid-nineties, when these criminals would have been in their prime, the crime dropped because they didn't exist.

That's just one example of the issues he tackles in this book. Some of the others:

• What do sumo wrestlers and school teachers have in common? (hint: it has to do with cheating)
• How is the KKK like a group of real-estate agents? (hint: it involves fear and control of information)
• Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? (hint: it relates to the "corporate" structure)
• What makes a perfect parent? (hint: it might not be the parent that has the biggest effect)

This book is so interesting that it's hard to put down. It's obvious that a lot of time has been spent to gather the information and present it in an insightful manner. While the conclusions that are presented can be very persuasive, I would take everything with a grain of salt. I believe the real genius of this book is the fact that the author presents the not-so-obvious explanations for various issues and pushes the reader to do the same for themselves going forward. It is really a book about drawing your own conclusions and not just taking other people's word as the final truth.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: Yes

Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Hardcover: 256 pages
May 1, 2005