Dear Undercover Economist by Tim Harford

Dear Undercover Economist

by Tim Harford

Are there tangible benefits in flossing? Is it wrong to fake orgasms? What does the perfect online dating ad look like? Should we bother doing the ironing? Is it really impossible to buy the perfect Christmas gift? (Other than this book, of course.)

Economists might not be the first people you would think of to give you advice on such diverse areas as parenting, the intricacies of etiquette or the dark arts of seduction. But for years bestselling author Tim Harford has been doing just that: answering the most challenging questions in his brilliant column, where he uses the tools of economics to give practical advice about everyday dilemmas, conundrums and concerns. From family rows and the stock market to buying socks or speed dating, you'll find within these pages a witty - and of course rational - explanation for almost everything you ever wanted to know about life.

Reviewed by remo on

2 of 5 stars

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Totalmente decepcionante. Tras haber disfrutado mucho con El Economista camuflado, pensé que este libro sería, por así decirlo, más de lo mismo. Más historias interesantes en las que rascando un poco en la superficie de los hechos descubrimos el porqué de las cosas, desde la perspectiva económica. Pero no. El autor ha empaquetado en este libro un montón de columnas del Financial Times en las que NO responde a los lectores. En los cinco o seis párrafos que tiene cada columna sólo da tiempo a citar alguna publicación reciente que se aplica vagamente a la (normalmente interesante) pregunta que hace el lector. Página tras página asistimos a la frustrante lectura de preguntas no respondidas en profundidad. Un vulgar sacacuartos tras el merecido éxito de su primer libro.

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  • Started reading
  • 16 October, 2009: Finished reading
  • 16 October, 2009: Reviewed