When to Rob a Bank

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 the Freakonomics website. 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.

What happens when two rogue economists apply their data-driven insights to the world’s quirkiest problems?

• Counterintuitive Questions: Explore the hidden logic behind everyday puzzles, like why flight attendants don’t get tipped and why KFC always seems to run out of chicken.
• Unconventional Wisdom: Discover the surprising data on the best way to cut gun deaths and the real reason you should never rob a bank (hint: the ROI is terrible).
• Behavioral Economics in Action: Dig into the data to see what people really lie about, and why cheating is a prominent feature in just about every human endeavor.
• A Personal Look at Freakonomics: Go behind the scenes with authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner as they reveal their personal passions, from gambling and golf to the abolition of the penny.