For Christmas my sister, Sarah, got me a treat: Freakonomics. I just finished it and really loved every chapter. It is several years old now, but having finally gotten around to reading it I can see why it was such a hit over the last decade. It is an offbeat look at economics from a very non-financial view. I've always equated the two, but Levitt and Dubner lay out issues of human behavior that translates into how people get what they want. There is no overall theme to the book per se, but each chapter stands alone and challenges your thoughts on how the world works. Some theories are controversial and a little uncomfortable to read, but they certainly are thought provoking. And that seems to be the point, each chapter presents "what if" statements backed up by thoughtful arguments and data.
The authors make no secret that their conclusions may not be entirely correct, but must at least be recognized.
I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It has been the funnest read I've had in a while.
--Ben
