The Economic Naturalist's Field Guide

The Economic Naturalist's Field Guide: Common Sense Principles for Troubled Times by Robert H. Frank

"You're reading a book about economics. How boring!" How many of you thought that when you saw the title? Well, I found Mr. Frank's essays to be interesting to a point. The entire book is a collection of selected columns which the author states were originally in the New York Times (between 1999 and 2008). It is fascinating to see the relationship between cause and effect in the economy, how everyday decisions about spending and saving make a difference. Other topics include tax policy and financial investments.

"Why do Hockey Players feel they need Helmet Rules?" shows how unrestricted choices by rational individuals often yields results that no one favors by looking at hockey players. If hockey players were allowed to choose, most would not wear helmets because they could perform better and increase his team's chances of winning. But, if all of the players aren't wearing a helmet the advantage disappears. The playing field is the same either way.

Earlier I stated that I found the essays to be interesting to a point. That is because by the time I reached the second half of the book, many of the points being made were redundant. Maybe a different title and different situations but I felt like I was reading the same thing. Maybe, this is because we learn better by repetition and maybe it was so there was enough pages in the book. I would still recommend reading this book with an open mind about the subject. Frank's approach makes the subject relevant to life with current examples and a look at why we spend the way we do.

The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell provides an entertaining looks at what causes things to become an epidemic. He looks at not just clothing trends but also crime, disease, rumors, and smoking. There's also a discussion of what made Sesame Street popular and what the children's show Blue's Clues did differently to make it even more appealing. Read the chapter about Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen to find out what type of person you are and where you fit into the spread of a trend.

See Wikisummaries for Chapter by Chapter summary:
http://www.wikisummaries.org/The_Tipping_Point