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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I'm not quite sure how to share thoughts about it, so I will not. Just take the book and read it, see what is hidding!
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Not easy to read but it is definitely worth the time. I think that the entire content could have been reduced to at least half of the book. Many times I found my mind wandering around because the same idea has been repeated way too many times. Still, I consider it a very interesting and well written book.
This was a wonderful book. The style is almost conversational, except that Taleb pulls from such an extensive bibliography that I cannot imagine anyone being able to speak like this without notes. Some people will probably be disappointed with the small "what do I do about it?" section, but I was too caught up in the information presented and my own thoughts to really care.
I know that Taleb would hold me up as an example of all sorts of things wrong with slamming Gaussians on to everything just in order to get an answer and I would have agreed even before reading the book. I am not sure whether I agree that it does more harm than good, but I'm still pondering that issue.
I know that Taleb would hold me up as an example of all sorts of things wrong with slamming Gaussians on to everything just in order to get an answer and I would have agreed even before reading the book. I am not sure whether I agree that it does more harm than good, but I'm still pondering that issue.
Don't give up on this book!
The author comes off as an arrogant meme-hunting populist at first, but the further you advance the more you begin to understand him and at times even think like him. And while I don't really buy a lot of his ideas, it is obvious how much work and care has been put into Black Swan: it just feels informal, warm and home-made, which is a rare gift for a non-fiction book, and combined with the dynamic and layered presentation it makes for a truly exciting read. It is guaranteed to provide first-class entertainment for a couple of evenings and perhaps even make you reevaluate some of your views - just don't expect it to change your life.
The author comes off as an arrogant meme-hunting populist at first, but the further you advance the more you begin to understand him and at times even think like him. And while I don't really buy a lot of his ideas, it is obvious how much work and care has been put into Black Swan: it just feels informal, warm and home-made, which is a rare gift for a non-fiction book, and combined with the dynamic and layered presentation it makes for a truly exciting read. It is guaranteed to provide first-class entertainment for a couple of evenings and perhaps even make you reevaluate some of your views - just don't expect it to change your life.
medium-paced
I had the audio version of this book. I started listening to it as I started a long training run. I couldn't listen beyond the introduction and first chapter. The sheer arrogance of the author was off-putting and the ideas he presented were boring.
I tried, but after 100 pages I gave up. I found this an egotistical mismash. Very little organization or context and no detectable arc to the information flow. Except that the author can be counted on to mention a personal anecdote every so often. I really wonder if the authors of the positive book jacket blurbs read very far.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Informative and interesting ideas, undercut by the author's arrogant and sometimes condescending tone.