두개의 건의사항

My wife is a champ at finding great gift books for me at Christmas. Not for her is the act of simply clicking through my Amazon Wishlist. She prefers to do the browsing herself and find something special, something that -- often -- I didn't know was out there.

Last month, she did it again, and I just finished reading Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. It was great. I usually don't recommend books here because why should I recommend something that will take over so much of your free time? But here it is -- an engrossing and surprising, page turner, full of brand new ways to look at the same old conventional wisdom. I am a p  h  e  n  o  m  e  n  a  l  l  y   s  l  o  w   r  e  a  d  e  r (like much slower than you) and I put the book away in six nights. You could do it in an afternoon.

It's not numbers economics, it's more “interesting guy sitting in the kitchen at the party telling you shit you just can't believe you've never realized” economics. (Thanks again, S!)

Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Ever hear a song called “I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)” by Rachel Stevens? I don't know where I picked it up from but it is somehow on my iTunes “Recent Adds” playlist. The song is pure pop confection with a circa-1979 sound. It's everything I should hate in a song, but I'm eating it up with a spoon. It sounds at once like eight different songs I know, but I can't put a finger on a single one of them.

[posted with ecto]

On iTunes right now: “Biology” by Girls Aloud

Comments

[micken]

I particularly liked the chapters on cheating in schools and the economics related to drug dealers.

[Tommy Himself]

...and how Sumo wrestlers found an imperceptible way to cheat.

And how real estate agents sell you short.

[Brian]

Is that a not-so-subtle dig at people who buy you gifts off your Amazon Wishlist?
Sorry if this comment is so short, but I'm feeling weak due to all the blood seeping out of the knife wound in my back.