matgb: Artwork of 19th century upper class anarchist, text: MatGB (Books)
Mat Bowles ([personal profile] matgb) wrote2008-02-02 12:15 pm

Life is logical, it's rational to be lazy

Tim Harford simply rocks. One of my three choices for best book I read last year was his Undercover Economist. He's currently on a major tour plugging his follow-up, The Logic Of Life. Which includes appearing on The Colbert Report:

I keep meaning to write it up, I've been promising a few people a post on markets and why they're important for ages, just haven't actually done it. You'd be better of reading his book anyway. If you want a more sane but long reason, he's on Authors@Google as well:

Logic of Life is heading rapidly up my wants list, paperback is out in a week or so, yay!

[identity profile] absinthecity.livejournal.com 2008-02-02 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh ;) I used to drink with Timmy in Oxford. Nice guy.
fearmeforiampink: (Default)

[personal profile] fearmeforiampink 2008-02-02 02:46 pm (UTC)(link)
What about markets are you trying to say is important? That they're good cause you can buy stuff at them?

Or are you refering to free or 'mostly free' markets?
fearmeforiampink: (Default)

[personal profile] fearmeforiampink 2008-02-02 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
So, free markets then. If you're talking about free markets (or at least markets with few restrictions, rather than totally free markets with no quality control or limits to what can be sold), then you shouyld probably say free markets, as even the most controling states haven't got rid of markets, they've just controlled them, or attempted such.

[identity profile] springhazsprung.livejournal.com 2008-02-02 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
So, the 'Undercover Economist'..is that a bit like 'Freakonomics'?

[identity profile] jackthomas.livejournal.com 2008-02-03 09:03 am (UTC)(link)
It's better than the Undercover Economist, but different.

[identity profile] springhazsprung.livejournal.com 2008-02-03 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I read it about a year ago, very interesting and worth reading... this other book sounds quite similar, with the addressing topics which you wouldn't usually associate with economics. It's all quite light-hearted and fun to read, but with some quite interesting theories and stuff. I would be interested to read another book like Freakonomics that has similarly interesting topics.

[identity profile] rhythmaning.livejournal.com 2008-02-09 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for the prompts. I loved the Undercover Economist - it worked better for me than Freakonomics. I must buy the new one. Ta.