Manpreet Singh

Outstanding science wrapped in athiesm

Reviewed: 27-12-20

The structure, content & narration of the book standout in all aspects.
Among the better known books by Dawkins.
If you know Dawkins, you know this book will have deep insights on evolution, but will pack an equal amount of anti-religious sentiments. He will, as always, go on to offend most religious people - but not because he is wrong - just that political correctness takes a back-seat to science.
I have a paperback version of the book, but I keep this in my library because it is going to be one of the highlights of human thought when history is written a couple of centuries from now.
If Darwin was alive, he'd be proud of a mentee like Dawkins.... who's taken the theory of evolution to greater heights... without trying to sabotage the basics.
If this is your cup of tea ... dont miss out on 'The Blind Watchmaker' by Dawkins

Too long for it's own good

Reviewed: 27-12-20

The discussions in the book are excellent.... but rather repetitive.
It covers issues that are worthy of long considerations... but somehow many of the illustrative examples just repeat the previous process rather than provide a new perspective.
Like: -
I have read books on economics that tackled economics more cohorently than this... but the amount of time spent on discussing all facets and schools of economics in this book is commendable. It lays out the pitch for the game and lets you decide for yourself where you stand with respect to the whole underlying principles.
The role of political structure vis-a-vis the economic path of an economy could not be better put across.
Dislike: -
As stated previously... repetitive
The illustrations seem to be biased towards proving the point... there are numerous occasions where you feel that the exact opposite examples could have been produced... but the contrarian point is not considered.

Not a bad book.
Good premise, lots of history, decent narration - but as a complete package - not the best in its class.

1 person found this helpful

Good Economics........ Period.

Reviewed: 27-12-20

I had read a book on economics that I thought was a real eye-opener 'Basic Economics, A Common Sense Guide to the Economy' by Thomas Sowell. However, I was left with an after-idea that 'Free Trade' might be a very good economic pattern, but then why do the governments keep interfering, when interference is so apparently the wrong way of dealing with economics.
.... And now I know.
Like: -
1. Abhijit is an Indian ethnicity economist - though a naturalised American.
2. Abhijit is a Nobel Prize winner in economics - and it takes about 2 pages worth to know why.
3. The Data illustrations cover all forms of economies - democratic/ socialist/ communist & developed/ developing/ under-developed.
4. The book looks at economics from the perspective of inequality - rather than just the average GDP.
5. The narrator is good.... the voice is clear and expressive.
Dislike: -
1. Nothing.... if you wanted to get a well rounded view of economic inequality... you couldn't do better.

Economics is the study of 'Trade-Offs'

Reviewed: 26-10-20

I can't praise this book enough. To start with the narration is very good and doesn't get monotonous.
I and economics do not have any relation in real life. I know (or rather 'knew') very little of it and therefore, I picked this book to get some insight into all the (pseudo) economics that the daily news was feeding me.
Previous reviews told me the book was good and not too technical. I was just not ready for the eye-opener this was going to be for me. It is unimaginable that a book on a niche subject could be so universal and approachable in its content.

Liked: -
1. I would've thought repeating the same line over & over is gonna be very irritating after a few pages.... however, the author puts across his point via an anecdote/ fact dive and then re-iterates 'Economics is the efficient allocation of scarce resources, which have alternative uses'. And it just adds to the impact - every time.
2. The flow of the book is good. It doesn't stay focussed on USA, it covers at least half a dozen economies at various points.
3. When you think that the author is selling you 'Free Trade' philosophy - and there's not a peep to the contrary - suddenly you have a part which deals with all the ideologies of economics - and sort of tells you that each of the ideology has a down-side - just that free trade has less of them - and most importantly are self-limiting.
4. The book covers micro to macro economics seamlessly.
5. When is about to conclude and you feel some unconnected topics were conspicuously missing - the last part deals with almost all the 'missing topics' as far I was concerned.

Cons: -
1. Personal finance is not the agenda.
2. You will need to read another book from some alternate school of economics, else you will come out of the read thinking that the only way to practice economics is 'Free Trade'

There's no downside to this book. I just couldn't think of going through a 20 hour audiobook - not knowing the first thing about economics. But I ended up understanding the subject, and also realised that it is quite intuitive, if only we apply thought rather than emotions.

1 person found this helpful

Rare gem

Reviewed: 15-06-20

One of the rare gems that come along once a decade.
Its more of a collection of essays on unconnected topics.
yet, the author connects successive topics with ease
I know many people who've given up on the book halfway through, but if Harari's previous books were your cup of tea and philosophy interests you - this is the balancing act of these 2 things.

If you are reading reviews - you're missing out

Reviewed: 15-06-20

This is the one book that you need to read, if thats the last thing you do.
Its a bucket-list item.
How could this much info be condensed into just these many pages
Bill Bryson has a sense of humor that connects you to each participant in the historical fact parade that you'd never expect in a book about facts.
In short - the title says all you need to know about the book

Niche content - but well worth your time.

Reviewed: 15-06-20

Nothing really wrong with the book, content & narration.
I really enjoyed it and it really added to my knowledge on the subject.
Just that I think the core topic is very niche and would appeal to only a small percentage of readers.
However, the flow of the content and its overall connectivity to real life will keep you riveted, even if this is not the subject that interests you much.

Feels like a movie that ends at the intermission

Reviewed: 15-06-20

Pros:-
1. well narrated
2. detailed
3. does not restrict to europe - truly global.
Cons: -
1. Though well validated by the author - the ending at 9th century feels like middle of no-where.
2. Repeats the same data multiple times - specially non-european cultures.
3. Wouldnt know how to put it - but doesnt feel 'whole'