Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of EverythingFreakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Score Modern
What it's about
A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything. Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner use data to ask surprising questions: what schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common, why drug dealers live with their moms, and how incentives explain human behavior.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 31 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It made economics fun for millions of readers.
You'll love it if you liked
SuperFreakonomics
Outliers: The Story of Success
Thinking, Fast and SlowGood to know
Some of its conclusions have been challenged since. It's short and lively.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #61 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #88 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #879 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1627 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Practical
More by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
SuperFreakonomics
Think Like a FreakIf you like this, read next
Atomic Habits
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
The Ride of a LifetimeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything worth reading?
Yes. It spent 31 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,627 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything about?
A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything. Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner use data to ask surprising questions: what schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common, why drug dealers live with their moms, and how incentives explain human behavior.
How long does it take to read Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything?
About 8 hours (340 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything?
If you liked it, try SuperFreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell or Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.