In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the landmark book Freakonomics comes this curated collection from the most readable economics blog in the universe. It’s the perfect solution for the millions of readers who love all things Freakonomics. Surprising and erudite, eloquent and witty, When to Rob a Bank demonstrates the brilliance that has made the Freakonomics guys an international sensation, with more than 7 million books sold in 40 languages, and 150 million downloads of their Freakonomics Radio podcast.
When Freakonomics was first published, the authors started a blog—and they’ve kept it up. The writing is more casual, more personal, even more outlandish than in their books. In When to Rob a Bank, they ask a host of typically off-center questions: Why don’t flight attendants get tipped? If you were a terrorist, how would you attack? And why does KFC always run out of fried chicken?
Over the past decade, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have published more than 8,000 blog posts on Freakonomics.com. Many of them, they freely admit, were rubbish. But now they’ve gone through and picked the best of the best. You’ll discover what people lie about, and why; the best way to cut gun deaths; why it might be time for a sex tax; and, yes, when to rob a bank. (Short answer: never; the ROI is terrible.) You’ll also learn a great deal about Levitt and Dubner’s own quirks and passions, from gambling and golf to backgammon and the abolition of the penny.
Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, was awarded the John Bates Clark medal, given to the most influential American economist under forty. He is also a founder of The Greatest Good, which applies Freakonomics-style thinking to business and philanthropy.
Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He quit his first career—as an almost-rock-star—to become a writer. He has since taught English at Columbia, worked for The New York Times and published three non-Freakonomics books.
ISBN:2147483647
Author:Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Nancy Kemuma –
Beauty is rarely just about appearance; it’s about the stories and standards that shape how we see ourselves. In ‘Scarred and Skin’, Peris Mbuthia opens up a conversation many shy away from but silently wrestle with. How African bodies, hair, and skin have long been measured against ideals that were never ours to begin with.
The book confronts the silent shame and insecurities that creep in when your reflection doesn’t align with what magazines, adverts, or social media have defined as ”beautiful.” She peels them back gently, letting readers see the lived reality of women and men who carry scars both visible and invisible.
What makes this book powerful is that it doesn’t stop at naming the problem. It asks deeper questions about where these ideas of beauty came from and why they hold so much weight. The influence of Eurocentric standards — lighter skin, straighter hair, slimmer frames — is explored with honesty, without shaming those who may have pursued them but instead inviting us to reflect on why they became the default.
Mbuthia shows how pressures of appearance cross gender lines, though expressed differently. That universality is what makes ‘Scarred and Skin’ more than just a ”beauty book”; it is a cultural reflection, a social critique, and an intimate companion for anyone who has ever questioned if they are enough.
The writing itself is tender yet unflinching. Mbuthia balances personal stories with broader cultural insights, creating a rhythm that feels both relatable and thought-provoking.
‘Scarred and Skin’ is timely, necessary, and deeply human. It will resonate with anyone who has struggled in front of a mirror, scrolled through filtered feeds, or wondered why their natural self felt inadequate.
In a world that profits off insecurity, Mbuthia’s book is a reminder that beauty is not something handed down by another culture. It is something we can own, affirm, and live fully in.
I’d recommend this book to teenagers, men. It may not erase every scar, but it will change how you see them. Get your copy at perismbuthia(dot)com or Nuria Bookstore.