Superfreaknomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

The time has come to admit that in our first book, we lied. Twice.
The first lie appeared in our introduction, where we wrote that the book had no "unifying theme."...But in truth, the book did have a unifying theme, even if it wasn't obvious at the time, even to us. If pressed, you could boil it down to four words: People respond to incentives. If you wanted to get more expansive, you might say this: People respond to incentives, although not necessarily in ways that are predictable or manifest. Therefore, one of the most powerful laws in the universe is the law of unintended consequences.

SUPERFREAKONOMICS (XIII-XIV)

That's how Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner begin "the explosive follow-up to Freakonomics" (which I also blogged about way back in October). After hours spent reading their book I was under the impression that it was a collection of random facts...and now they're telling me that they were lying? Yes, they are, and I am alright with that.

Superfreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes and why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance really is super so far. By tackling the questions and supporting the seemingly freaky raw data, Levitt and Dubner prove themselves to be the dynamic duo. Through their humor, personal anecdotes, and odd revelations through economics, they capture and push to read on.

The book is split into various chapters that question what most people dare not ask (or even think of): How is a street prostitute like a department-store Santa? and Why should suicide bombers buy life insurance? being just two of the mind-boggling and ultimately informative sections in this book.

What I like most about this book is that it's not only facts. It's not only economics. It's not only stories. It's not only the writing. It's all of it put together. This book has it all. The stories put the raw facts on a personal level while the facts put stories to bear more meaning. The writing keeps you hanging and the economic aspect...well, it makes you feel smart.

I highly recommend this book based on my freaky economic experience and the fact that I am enjoying this already. Packed with statistics and anecdotes written in a way that won't get you bored, this book is a good read. It's also not difficult and is relatively short. I have to get back to my reading now!

Escape to Manila Part II

Ephraim continues to impress and enlighten in Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror. This engaging novel continues to state facts that are both interesting and informative. I've already learned so much about a topic that I thought I was well-informed about. In fact, in Global, we are currently learning about World War II and the Holocaust. I've heard stories about people escaping from the wrath of the Nazis by going to countries from all over Europe, but going to Asia and the Philippines specifically was a shock. I like how Ephraim makes this account so personal with the people he talks about and their connections with even others. Even though this book reads as a textbook at some points, it's been an enjoyable read.

Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror by Frank Ephraim

I decided to take a break from In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner in order to read a book that I had never heard before about a topic that I never knew about written by an unknown author. The book is entitled Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror by Frank Ephraim highlighting the journey of a young German boy under Hitler's reign who finds safety in the strangest place: the Philippines.

You could say that I found out about this book by chance. Last weekend I, along with my brother and my cousin's cousin and aunt, journeyed to a Connecticut Filipino-American association annual dinner/dance. The guest speaker happened to be a German Jew by the name of Ralph Preiss who shared his story of the freedom, safety and hospatality found in a country his family had never heard of before a newspaper advertised it. When most of the world's countries refused to allow Jews across their borders, the Philippines implemented an Open-Doors Policy and allowed for 10,000 visas to be given out.

This story really struck me because I was not familiar with it as I'm sure most people aren't. As I left the building, books were being sold. It was the book written by a boy Ralph Preiss met in the Philippines all those years ago and by buying it I would be donating to the association's surgical trip. It was two for one: a good cause and a good book.

Although the book has many names and facts, I actually really enjoy it. Ephraim describes in detail the situation during the WWII period as well as the subtler facts about being a German Jew in the Philippines.

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

In Her Shoes tells the story of two sisters aged 30 and 28 who have nothing in common but the size of their shoe and the mother that died when they were so young. Rose Feller has the brains going from school after school and finally settling as a lawyer at a law firm while her younger sister Maggie relies on her good looks to get through life. I like this book because it shows two really strong characters that are also opposing forces. It goes back and forth between the characters and is in the perspective of other minor characters as well. Oddly, there are perspectives from people you don't know connect to the characters at first which could be a little confusing and boring. Overall, it's been a good read though.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is regarded as one of the most popular writers for young adults and I know exactly why. I've only read one of her books before (This Lullaby) which was very good, but I like this even more. Her portrayal of the teenage characters--and all her characters for that matter--are all so real. It is so enjoyable to read her books because they are so believable. In Along for the Ride, it is the realness and actual plot that captivates me.
Riding bikes. Bowling with friends. Food fights. Breaking curfew. These are just a few things that academically-focused Auden West has missed out on in her life. The socially-inept teenage girl just graduated high school at the top of her class. There wasn't much she left behind though. She had few friends, and none of them were close to her and the typical "high school experience" was just a myth to her. Then, she decides that it's time to change. Inspired by her older brother's impromptu travelling all over Europe, Auden decides to visit her father, stepmother and new born sister at their beach town home. This experience changes her life forever and helps her to develop as a person.
Among many other reasons which I've already addressed, I liked this book because it teaches the lesson to not assume and be judgmental. There's more to a person than what they wear or how they seem to act.

I knew she was cataloging him instantly: high school education, not college bound or even interested, working class. The same things, if I was honest, that I would have thought, once. But I was one night, and many hours, further away from my mother now. Even with the short distance between us.

A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar Part II

A Beautiful Mind continues to highlight the historic context of John Nash's achievements. As I continue to read this book, it becomes increasingly difficult to read because it was not exactly what I was expecting. Although I was aware that it was a biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr., I was not aware that the book would be totally based on facts and history. However, that's how it seems to be. I don't like that style very much. I am more interested in books that have a more clear storyline. I see where this book is going though, and I have learned a lot. Through the accounts of people that actually knew Nash, I could tell that he was an awkward person. I'm also very intrigued by how he got to where he did: Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. It's interesting to learn about his life, but also boring. I plan to stick with it though.

A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nash Part 1

This is one of those books that you find out about after you've seen the movie. In most cases, people would say that the book is better than the movie. Others say that whatever came out first is better or which ever one was popularized first. Well, at this point, I'm liking them both. A Beautiful Mind is a biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr., the schizophrenic Nobel Prize winner in economics in 1994. It is a challenging book so far given the content, but I really like it. I had high hopes, too since I loved the movie so much. I know what I'm in for already. This book differs from the movie because it goes through a lot of facts and way more detailed explanation about every little thing. This is good most of the time, but sometimes it is an overload of information at least for my brain. Because of the fact that it's a non-fiction book with so many sources needed, it reads like a text book at some points with stories in between, but I'm only in the beginning so far so I'm not sure what to expect next. I find the story interesting though, and I hope to continue to read this and enjoy it.