Why do educated women get fewer responses on online dating websites? Is buying local food economically efficient? Does bribing kids improve their performance on school tests? Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, the quirky geniuses behind "Freakonomics" are back at it. Here, for the first time, the very best of their more than 8,000 posts are together in a single place. It showcases the brilliance that has made Levitt and Dubner an international sensation,...

The bestselling phenomenon from Japan, with irresistible appeal to fans of Marie Kondo, that argues there is happiness in a minimalist life

Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert or organizing guru like Marie Kondo―he's just a regular guy who was stressed out and constantly comparing himself to others, until one day he decided to change his life by saying goodbye to everything he didn't absolutely need. The effects were remarkable:

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Think Like A Freak takes listeners further inside this special thought process, revealing a new way of approaching the decisions people make, the plans they create, and the morals they choose.

Since the original publication of Nudge more than a decade ago, the title has entered the vocabulary of businesspeople, policy makers, engaged citizens, and consumers everywhere. The book has given rise to more than 400 nudge units

"Leading economist Daniel Cohen provides a whirlwind tour of the history of economic growth, from the early days of civilization to modern times, underscoring what is so unsettling today. The new digital economy is establishing a "zero-cost" production model, inexpensive software is taking over basic tasks, and years of exploiting the natural world have begun to backfire with deadly consequences. Working hard no longer guarantees social inclusion...

"In 2014, Liz Thames and her husband, Nate, were conventional young urban professionals working nine-to-five jobs. But the rat race had worn them down, and they dreamed of becoming modern-day homesteaders in rural Vermont. Determined to retire as early as possible in order to start living each day--as opposed to wishing time away working for the weekends--they enaceted a plan to save as much money as they could. In less than three years, Liz and Nate...

"Have economists neglected trust? The economy is fundamentally a network of relationships built on mutual expectations. More than that, trust is the glue that holds civilization together. Every time we interact with another person-to make a purchase, work on a project, or share a living space-we rely on trust. Institutions and relationships function because people place confidence in them. Retailers seek to become trusted brands; employers put their...

"Economists have long based their forecasts on financial aggregates such as price-earnings ratios, asset prices, and exchange rate fluctuations, and used them to produce statistically informed speculations about the future--with limited success. Robert Shiller employs such aggregates in his own forecasts, but has famously complemented them with observations about the influence of mass psychology on certain events. This approach has come to be known...