Worker Bee's Book Club - Freakanomics

I have recently gotten back into checking books out of the library - not only because I live across the street from the public library but also there is no need to buy a book unless I am really drawn to the book or am collecting a particular genre. In trying to stay sharp and well read I checked out the book "Freakanomics - A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner at the suggestion of a friend and the obsessive urging of the librarian, when I asked her if she could help me find it. She said "it was a must read - all while a hard read" - and boy was she right!

Being that I barely passed my economics class when I was in grad school, this would certainly be a freakish topic for me to consider reading leisurely. Admittedly, I've had this book checked out since November 2008 and have already paid late fees twice, I am in my final check out according to the library check out lady, as I checked it out for the third time. I was like yeah yeah yeah - just scan the book lady! Oh and can you believe I owe a third round of late fees right now as we speak. Some recession proof activity I've succumbed to - I could have bought the book by now!

Anyway - I just finished and yes today is March 20th but it really a was a hard read. However, in the process of reading it, I found that the concept of the book was aligned with my "what if", question way of thinking. Technically, if you ask me this should be called "The Book of Questions" with chapter titles like "What do Schoolteachers and Sumo wrestlers have in common?" and "What makes a perfect parent" this critically acclaimed book forces you to question your opinions, perceptions and thought processes.

Although after five months and five chapters I finally made it to the sixth chapter (this book is structured more like a book of case studies so it was light on chapters and heavy on text) which happened to be my favorite "Perfect Parenting, Part II; or Would a Roshanda by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet?" Chapter six explored the importance of choosing a name for your offspring by comparing and contrasting the trends among name choices of those from both African-American and Caucasian descent. I've always been interested in what brings parents to their final name selection for their child whether the name was chosen at seven months along in the pregnancy or seven hours after delivery. The authors brought up great points that revolved around the futures parents may or may not create for their child when they give them creative names or traditional names. Names that will cause a future employer to throw their resume to the side or to eagerly contact them for an interview regardless of their credentials or experience. Obviously the chapter morphs into a deeper discussion of ethnic names versus non-ethnic names and higher income names versus lower income names and lastly lower educated names versus higher educated names.

The entire book just takes you in a dizzying circle of what if this, what if that, if all factors are constant its possible results yield this and studies concur and show that. But as confusing as that last sentence was, I can appreciate the fact that the authors do admit in their epilogue that this book just raises lots of questions with no unifying theme, at the same time setting out to challenge the reader to "think sensibly about how people behave in the real world." Mission Accomplished!