Listmania!
Books I've Read in 2009
By an Amazon.com customer
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (P.S.)Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (P.S.) by Steven D. Levitt
Buy new: $9.35 / Used from: $8.73
One of my favorite books. Very easy to read and understand.
Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal ScienceNaked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
Buy new: $8.58 / Used from: $3.89
Great book for anyone interested in learning more about basic economics. Would be a good primer before taking any college econ courses.
Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew AmericaHot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman
Buy new: $9.78 / Used from: $1.85
Good book, a little long winded about some of the points he makes. Thomas Friedman is a great writer, but sometimes can be a little bit pompous with his writing style.
The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first CenturyThe World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman
Buy new: $10.88 / Used from: $2.45
Also a good book by Thomas Friedman covering globalization in a modern economy. The "World is Flat," refers to the ease of connecting with others via internet and fiber optic connections layed throughout the dot com bubble. Very interesting, again, a little long on some of the points.
Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas PaineGlenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine by Glenn Beck
Buy new: $7.19 / Used from: $3.25
I did not enjoy this book. I'm not a big politics buff, but since it was on the bestsellers list and was so cheap, I decided to give it a go. While I agree with some of the things Glenn Beck tries to say, I don't think I believe that our government is as radically "out of control", as he likes to put it.
Outliers: The Story of SuccessOutliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Buy new: $11.75 / Used from: $11.68
This is a great book by a great storyteller. Malcom Gladwell is one of my favorite authors. A must read for anyone breathing.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big DifferenceThe Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
Buy new: $8.97 / Used from: $3.10
Another great book by Malcolm Gladwell. Lots of though provoking ideas, and all of his stories are very understable. I recommend it to everyone.
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable FutureDeep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future by Bill McKibben
Buy new: $9.80 / Used from: $2.00
This was a pretty good book, about how the world should start acting smaller, and give back to local communities. He is a big proponent of farmer's markets and co-ops. This is an interesting book for someone who wants to hear a different approach to combating a weak economy with the risk of global warming.
When You Are Engulfed in FlamesWhen You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Buy new: $9.97 / Used from: $2.98
First book by David Sedaris I have ever read. He is absolutely hilarious, and I can't wait to get my hands on some of his others. Great read!
Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-By-Numbers is the New Way To Be SmartSuper Crunchers: Why Thinking-By-Numbers is the New Way To Be Smart by Ian Ayres
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $2.77
Very well written book. Confusing at times, but good information and very interesting. This was my first book looking into data mining, and it definitely made me want to learn more. I give it a 4/5.
Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our DecisionsPredictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
Buy new: $16.37 / Used from: $9.25
Great book, Dan Ariely is a good storyteller and uses tons of great examples. Really changes the way you think about everyday things.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without ThinkingBlink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Buy new: $9.35 / Used from: $4.88
Another winner by Malcolm Gladwell. Interesting experiments and information on "the power of thinking without thinking." 4/5 recommended.
The Crash of 2008 and What it Means: The New Paradigm for Financial MarketsThe Crash of 2008 and What it Means: The New Paradigm for Financial Markets by George Soros
Buy new: $10.17 / Used from: $1.09
This book has a lot of interesting ideas relating to the current economy, with his own theory of reflexivity, and explanations as to why equilibrium theory isn't true. This is a good book, but relatively hard to follow. 3.5/5
ChokeChoke by Chuck Palahniuk
Buy new: $10.17 / Used from: $5.78
Good book. Palahniuk has a fantastic, dark sense of humor. Good for a quick, enjoyable read. 4/5
Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational BehaviorSway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $7.49
Fantastic book. Very easy to read with tons of interesting stories and information. Highly recommend this one to any who liked Freakonomics or Predictably Irrational. 5/5
Fooled by RandomnessFooled by Randomness by Taleb Nassim Nicholas
Buy used from: $10.00
This book is great. Taleb writes with a style that is not too demanding of the reader without insulting his or her intelligence. It is a book that intertwines finance with psychology, among other things. 4.5/5
SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life InsuranceSuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt
Buy new: $12.25 / Used from: $12.97
After finishing Freakonomics, I could not wait for this one to come out. While it was an interesting read, I don't feel that it really compared with the original. If you have read some of the other books on this list, you may find that there are a lot of repeated topics from them in SuperFreakonomics. Anyway, Levitt and Dubner still make a great pair, and the book is worth a read. 3.5/5