SuperFreakonomics

[CBedo]

To pass the time during my drive back from Vegas Friday, I downloaded SuperFreakonomics by Levitt & Dubner. I enjoyed their first book as well.

Besides for the stories and studies being very interesting and thought provoking, I actually thought there was much to take away from it that was applicable to our thoroughbred handicapping pursuits. They talk in general terms quite a bit about statistical methodologies of comparing data, especially data that hadn't been collected from a designed experiment. Another thing that I thought was applicable was their assertion that even though many of the events they study were specific & atypical, that you couldn't really understand them without studying the general and typical (sorry 46, the individual can be better understood by studying the average). One more example of something I thought was applicable was their discussion of simple solutions before getting too complex.

It was about 7 1/2 hours of audio that I enjoyed quite a bit. Check it out.

[dylbert]

I haven't read SuperFreakonomics yet. However, it is on my Christmas wish list! First book was fun read for someone with an economics degree.

Many day-to-day activities can be easily explained through economics. My son-in-law, who leans more left than I, read my copy. Afterwards, he recognized that many of my views that he thought were political ones are actually economic ones. Such as my opposition of capital punishment, it is more costly than lifetime imprisonment.

If you like Freakonomics, you probably will enjoy this topic, Occam's Razor.
This link provides more information -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor As handicapper, I am always seeking simple explanation about an upcoming race or series of races.

[CBedo]

Occam's Razor is great. At one of the online poker sites I play, I use a permutation of that as my screen name.

If you like these types of behavioral economics books, you'd probably enjoy Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely.

[DeanT]

I've got that Ariely book on my shelf CB. Worth reading?

[CBedo]

I've got that Ariely book on my shelf CB. Worth reading?I don't know if it would help you improve your handicapping, but it's a fun read, and shows how human nature might tend to be logical, but sometimes our sense of logic can lead to irrational decisions. Ariely shows that sometimes it's easy to forecast this irrationality. There is some interesting human psychology that goes along with the behavioral economics.

[DeanT]

Thanks CB. A bettor friend of mine gave it to me so that is two opines that I should read it.

I am trying to get thru the morass of books, so I think that will be added to the get to list.

Just a note to you or anyone, I agree that many books on behavior, economics, thinking, or stats can be applied to handicapping. If any of you ever want to do some book reviews on the Horseplayer blog it would be an avenue for you, and appreciated. I know it is hard to find the time, but it is something we have long tried to do for blog content that can help players handicap better. There is some amazingly interesting work out there that has helped me be better at the craft of capping, I just dont have the time to get to them, and all the rest, on that blog.

D

[Niko]

I've got that Ariely book on my shelf CB. Worth reading?

I don't know if it'll help with your handicapping but it's interesting and it's a top recommendation by many marketers.

Maybe there's something that will strike a chord with HANA?

[toussaud]

freakanomics and superfreakanomics are two of the better books i've read in the last couple of years