Reviews

The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves by Matt Ridley

1binary0's review against another edition

5.0

one of the best data-driven book I read, one can lie with data though.

lucaconti's review

3.0

Too good! After the first chapter I didn't need to read it on, because it was enough to understand his thesis.

sniperpumpkin's review

4.0

Interesting book, He takes a look at the history of humanity and makes a compelling case that by and large, the conditions of life have been improving at an ever accelerating pace since the begnining. He makes the important point that our industrial systems (food, production...) are what make our lives posible. He argues that there are good reasons to be optimistic about the future

pbokelly's review

3.0

Some reviews to consider -- mixed to negative:
https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Africa-Needs-Aid-Not-Flawed-Theories
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/books/review/Easterly-t.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/7817914/The-Rational-Optimist-How-Prosperity-Evolves-by-Matt-Ridley-review.html

Generally positive:
https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2010/05/13/getting-better-all-the-time
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/16/AR2010071602879.html
https://www.ft.com/content/b2cbb506-74de-11df-aed7-00144feabdc0

Also note, on climate and energy themes: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/coal-interest

mabsmith's review

3.0

In summary, this book is detailing how, despite what it may seem like on the news/daily basis, many things in the world have statistically gotten better over time. I found it to be about 1/3 too long, but it did provide some interesting facts about the development of human society and made me pause, look up, and learn more about things like our Neanderthal ancestors, etc., so I'd recommend it in that regard.

sarthak's review

4.0

Rating high primarily for a breadth of fresh optimism at a critical moment in my life.
Summary: Market forces good, interference bad.

sciencehero's review

2.0

Starts off very optimistically, but then devolves into the author swatting down grotesque straw men of every ideology that he perceives to have slighted his libertarian sensibilities.