I’ve read quite a few books in 2005, but none of them compared for sheer uniqueness of thought and altering my outlook on life than Freakonomics by Steven Levitt (the idea guy/super economist) and Stephen Dubner (the writer).

This book doesn’t focus on charts and other “dry� economic data; rather it boldly proposes radical explanations for phemonena like the drop in crime rate that began in the early 1990s (a detailed look at Levitt's controversial linkage between the legalization of abortion and a reduced crime rate two decades later) – and then goes about backing these up with impressive data. More than anything it is easy to read and actually makes you feel exicted about economics (something that had never happened before for me)!

Ever wonder what the motivation behind being in a drug-selling gang is? Ever wonder why babies with certain names tend to earn higher wages in adult life?

This book can really help you take a new perspective on the world around you; I highly recommend. I’ve recently heard that there’s been a recent spike in the number of students studying economics in college – perhaps as a direct result of the impact of this book.