The worm has turned in spectacular fashion for Freakonomics authors Steves Levitt and Dubner. At first glance, their new book is just like a second helping of the first, but whereas the first was heavily based on Levitt’s research, this time around it seems they relying more on interpreting the work of others and it shows, apparently. I am yet to get my hands on a copy, so this is an interpretation of other reviews.
Starting with the positives, the Guardian’s Oliver Burkeman liked it, and I enjoyed his backgrounder on Levitt’s family: his mum was a psychic and his dad is/was “the world’s leading expert on the science of farts”. Others at the Guardian were less enthusiastic: Kate Sheppard, Alok Jha, and David Runciman are all critical.
The blogosphere is alight over the headline chapter on “global cooling” which is typically contrarian, and will surely help the sales. Shame the analysis is so dodgy. There are any number of posts I could point to, but here are a few to get started.
Paul Krugman discussing Martin Weitzman’s paper on uncertainty over climate change