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mamierose94's review against another edition
5.0
This is an incredible book that everyone should read. (I highly recommend the audio version - the narrator hit it out of the park.)
ampersammich's review against another edition
5.0
Listened to the audiobook of this title while doing all the baking, cooking, wrapping and crafting of the holiday season. A great listen for anyone interested in social and cultural constructs, had a hard time seeing the logic behind economics 101 or who works in a field communicating with people. I really enjoyed the humor and stories peppered throughout that made it much more enjoyable than reading a textbook.
lauralauralaura's review against another edition
4.0
A useful survey of behavioral economics, because Thaler was basically there for the whole thing once some economists starting recognizing that people make irrational decisions. Surprisingly entertaining for an economics book (admittedly a low bar).
sakekasi's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. This book (along with thinking fast and slow) really informed my model of human behavior. That combined with thaler's story of how science is actually done makes it a great read
ajv12's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve studied economic science at Erasmus University more then two decades ago. When I read this book I can certainly say that behavioral science surely has changed the economic study. The book is entertaining, altough it surely helps if you have some economic background. Thaler shares his road and also perfectly shows on epirical evidence why we’re humans, mostly not acting rational. Even very funny at some parts, I can’t wait to read Nudge
helenaut's review against another edition
5.0
if I had read this in college I might still be studying economics... this finally explained why the economics I studied in college seemed impractical to me.
jsilber42's review against another edition
3.0
As the title suggests, this book is about the development of the field of behavioral economics, as told from the perspective of one of the pioneers in the field. Behavioral economics essentially combines traditional economics with psychology - traditionally, economics assumed perfectly rational, well-informed, logical people as participants (what Thaler calls "econs"). Unfortunately, people are not rational or well-informed or logical - they make poor choices, react emotionally and for short-term happiness, and in general do not behave like "econs". Behavioral economics attempts to correct traditional economics for these human quirks.
Thaler writes in a very conversational style, something of a cross between a guy telling you a story and a likeable professor teaching you. This style makes the book a fairly quick read, although it's clear that Thaler isn't a writer by trade. In particular, the parts of the book that aren't teaching you behavioral economics - the parts where he talks about moving from college to college, and the different people he worked with, and so forth - were much less interesting to me. Additionally, I found it hard to keep straight all the other people, whom Thaler introduces once and then just refers to by their first names thereafter.
The behavioral economics sections are fun, though. Fast-paced and short and reasonably easy to follow, Thaler talks about the behavioral economics side of topics like the stock market, the NFL draft, 401(k) accounts, game shows, and more. If you like books like Freakonomics, you'll probably enjoy this stuff. In fact, if you felt like Freakonomics was a little too shallow, this book is probably what you are looking for - it was about the right amount of technical detail for an intelligent but non-professional.
Thaler writes in a very conversational style, something of a cross between a guy telling you a story and a likeable professor teaching you. This style makes the book a fairly quick read, although it's clear that Thaler isn't a writer by trade. In particular, the parts of the book that aren't teaching you behavioral economics - the parts where he talks about moving from college to college, and the different people he worked with, and so forth - were much less interesting to me. Additionally, I found it hard to keep straight all the other people, whom Thaler introduces once and then just refers to by their first names thereafter.
The behavioral economics sections are fun, though. Fast-paced and short and reasonably easy to follow, Thaler talks about the behavioral economics side of topics like the stock market, the NFL draft, 401(k) accounts, game shows, and more. If you like books like Freakonomics, you'll probably enjoy this stuff. In fact, if you felt like Freakonomics was a little too shallow, this book is probably what you are looking for - it was about the right amount of technical detail for an intelligent but non-professional.
satriafii's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Pengalaman membaca buku ini buatku lumayan menyenangkan. Informatif dan mendukung beberapa pemikiran serta pengetahuan sependek aku belajar. Aku jadi lumayan tertarik dengan ekonomi perilaku karena buku ini. Awalnya aku hanya suka mengamati manusia dan pilihan-pilihannya karena aku nyaris tidak bisa memilih diantara banyak pilihan. Dasar pengambilan keputusanku kerap dilabeli "aneh" oleh orang-orang disekitarku. Contoh singkatnya saja aku memilih kelas kuliah berdasarkan letak kelasnya, sebisa mungkin tidak usah pindah gedung atau untung-untung tidak perlu pindah ruangan, faktor lainnya dianggap tidak ada pengaruhnya. Sebenarnya karena alasan menarik inilah aku juga lumayan lama belajar untuk memenuhi tugas akhirku. Saat membaca buku ini, rasanya aku lumayan ada angin segar untuk menamai hobiku mengamati manusia dan pilihannya: ekonomi perilaku.
Namun demikian, buku ini mungkin akan sangat membosankan bagi orang yang sama sekali tidak tertarik dengan ekonomi dan perilaku manusia. Bicara tentang tidak menarik, sebenarnya sepertiga buku ini juga tidak bisa membuatku bertahan membacanya. Aku bosan sekali saat masuk ke pembahasan mengenai keuangan, saham, dan ekonomi yang terkait dengan hal tersebut. Aku tidak bisa memahami sedikitpun kalimat di bagian-bagian ini. Nyaris saja aku "membuang" buku ini di list DNF-ku. Tapi demi mengingat kalau di awal aku begitu menyukai buku ini, aku bertahan. Alhasil, sebenarnya saat menulis ini aku masih merasakan gejolak kebosanan yang melanda. Kesannya aku memang bosan dengan buku ini.
Sebenarnya, di awal buku sudah diberi saran untuk:
Namun demikian, buku ini mungkin akan sangat membosankan bagi orang yang sama sekali tidak tertarik dengan ekonomi dan perilaku manusia. Bicara tentang tidak menarik, sebenarnya sepertiga buku ini juga tidak bisa membuatku bertahan membacanya. Aku bosan sekali saat masuk ke pembahasan mengenai keuangan, saham, dan ekonomi yang terkait dengan hal tersebut. Aku tidak bisa memahami sedikitpun kalimat di bagian-bagian ini. Nyaris saja aku "membuang" buku ini di list DNF-ku. Tapi demi mengingat kalau di awal aku begitu menyukai buku ini, aku bertahan. Alhasil, sebenarnya saat menulis ini aku masih merasakan gejolak kebosanan yang melanda. Kesannya aku memang bosan dengan buku ini.
Sebenarnya, di awal buku sudah diberi saran untuk:
Satu-satunya nasihat saya dalam membaca buku ini adalah berhenti membaca kalau sudah tak asyik lagi. Kalau tidak, itu perilaku keliru namanya.
Anyway. Aku akan dengan sangat senang hati merekomendasikan buku ini kepada orang-orang yang menyukai pembahasan mengenai pilihan manusia, ekonomi, keuangan, dan penelitian. Bahasa yang digunakan lumayan menyenangkan. Pak Thaler yang lumayan jenaka juga melengkapi bahasa buku ini, meskipun porsi seriusnya sedikit lebih banyak dibanding porsi bercandanya.Rasanya seperti berbincang dengan Pak Profesor di angkringan ditemani susu jahe dan keramaian jalanan.
martialalex's review against another edition
5.0
Would highly recommend, it gives a great way to look at the decisions you make while also giving insight into the development of economics. It's also pretty easy to read considering the subject matter