Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is an exploration of how the human mind works. The author discusses lots of pairs: two minds (the fast and intuitive system 1 and the deliberate but lazy system 2), two species (humans and “econs,” aka the totally rational beings imagined by economists), and two selves (the experiencing self and the remembering self). Along the way, he offers thought-provoking scenarios and highlights the mind’s favorite shortcuts. The book is a dense tome of behavioral economics, but Kahneman’s non-technical language and conversational approach means the book is more digestible than a textbook (but still may raise some eyebrows for its 20+ hour length).
Pros:
- The book contains lots of interesting information, much of which is applicable to the real world / day-to-day life.
- I enjoyed having my deeply rooted assumptions (which are born out of how my brain works) challenged.
- The author does not use especially technical or difficult language, despite the book’s obvious academic pedigree
- I liked the book enough to buy it (though this purchasing decision was also informed by the fact that I simply could not finish the book in the time I had it checked out from the library).
Cons:
- The graphs are not well summarized when discussed verbally. One such example is the diagram of indifference curves.
- A lot of the information is variations on a theme. This isn’t bad in-and-of itself, but it does make the book feel somewhat repetitive.
- Some of the later chapters are based on the researcher’s hunches / beliefs rather than a particular scientific study.
- The book can come off somewhat preachy / all-knowing with regards to human behavior (though I suppose this isn’t entirely unfounded as the author is a Nobel Prize laureate in behavioral economics)
- (nit-pick) The chapters, “opening credits,” and, “closing credits,” are really more like full introductions and conclusions, clocking in at about a half hour each.
Conclusion:
This book is well-researched and thorough. Mostly, you just have to ask yourself: “is this a topic that I am willing to invest 20 hours into?” If not, you would likely be better served by reading a summary of the book to get the main takeaways in considerably less time.
Check it out here.
You may also enjoy…
- “Astrophysics For People in a Hurry,” by Neil deGrasse Tyson
- “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot
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