When I started I was hoping I'd manage to read a bit more. After all, that's what the reading section was to be filled with. As a result, I may not be publishing a load of book reviews, as I'd hoped. ever the less, lets try and do something. After all, it's been ages since the last reading one.
As I've just mentioned (to anyone not reading), I don't read a lot of fiction. Even if I probably should. -_- So in this vague attempt to salvage a dying topic, here is a first chapter Review of
- The Logic of Life -
I know most of you were hoping for a fiction book, weellll... tough, sorry.
This is an economics discussion book. It's main focus is on how humans are seen as logical creatures, yet we do illogical things. The examples listed are our insistence of gambling, falling in love and drug taking. However then compares using real life data to show the rationality we all possess despite it seeming sporadic.
During this first chapter review I'll look at what impact the book had on me as a reader. The first chapter; Introducing the Logic of Life, is one where we are introduced to the case studies. The book took a big risk to look at the logic of the rise in teen sex rates in the USA. Despite this, I agree this was the correct idea. In any story you need a hook in order to captivate the reader. This is precisely what it was doing, as it lead you on to read until the end of the chapter where the answer was finally explained.
But I do fear that this book has used too many of its cards to early. The blurb talks about drugs, gambling, smoking and Sex. Topics that have already been outlined in the first chapter. While this means it is quite easy to get into the book at first, I fear it will become a put down if it ends up repeating the monologue or data for the remainder of the time. While it is important to draw people in, any author will tell you that your audience needs to remain interested.
The Author, Tim Harford is a publisher of these sorts of books, having previously released the Undercover Economist. However; like any author tries to aim the book at a particular set of people, the issue for me comes when this 'seems' to be aiming mostly at the American audience giving few examples on how it effects other nations. The exception being the case study on Mexican prostitutes. Moreover, despite it being listed as an economics book, few terminologies are used. Hence why I became more fascinated at the section on Giffen Goods as it gave me something familiar I could relate to. However obviously this will not be the case to many others.
I advise, on the basis of the first chapter, that this is book for someone with a mild economics interest. While I continue to read the book, I have a fear that it will end up repeating itself. However; if they do manage to keep it original then I will congratulate the book, even if the opening topic did set a bar that the other chapters has failed to top, in terms of controversy that is.
Rating: 3/5 stars - Strong Start, needs to use more terminology.
- Well that's a book review done.
- It wasn't fiction though!
- So?
- It wasn't very universal
- But...
- You might get flagged for some contents.
- Actually that's a good point
So while I hide in the corner hoping no-one notices you can check out The Logic of Life.
The man who reads, lives 100 lives
-|CJ|-
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