Economic Facts and Fallacies | Thomas Sowell

Economic Facts and Fallacies | Thomas Sowell | Lies and Stastistics

books:

Economic Facts and...

	Economic Facts and Fallacies Thomas Sowell Basic Books, 2007 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 48 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Fact or fiction

This is a book that everyone who believes himself or herself to be a rational, objective person should read. Thomas Sowell, in crisp, crystal clear writing, exposes the false beliefs, and conclusions drawn from them, which have become "revealed truths" in the most sacrosanct areas. These "truths" have formed the rationale for large-scale government programs of social redemption and reclamation, for planning commissions exerting increasing control over private lands, for average people attempting to understand important basis issues in their lives. Each chapter is self-contained enabling the book to be savored at separate readings without losing the continuity. Reading this book should help to sharpen our ability to more carefully evaluate the important issues which play major roles in our lives.

Leonti H. Thompson, M.D.

for more information click here

Lies and Stastistics

In this book Thomas Sowell shows again and again how "lies, damned lies, and statistics" are abused to buttress arguments--usually including a cry for some form of government intervention. The opening chapter alone should be required reading for anyone trying to understand the errors willfully propagated by politicians and media. Despite sharing a similar economic viewpoint much of the information was new to me. I found very interesting the different impacts of marriage on men and women, which of course made complete sense for social reasons, rather than any innate bias. Also interesting was the fact that income disparities between poorest and richest nations actually decreased over time when you compare the same countries, and not just the countries that are richest or poorest at different times. Many other interesting and illuminating facts can be found, and I would suspect most readers would be able to find something to make them think about an issue differently than they have in the past. The tone throughout is respectful and scholarly, and you may choose to disagree with some of his conclusions but as John Adams is quoted on the title page "Facts are stubborn things".

for more information click here

accessible genius

REad one of his essays, put the book down, think about what you read, apply it to your world around you, then pick up the book and read another essay. Sowell is my hero.

great book

easily lays out the most common fallacys we hear about in our world and elucidates these conceptsconcisely and with profundity

Forewarned is forearmed

Well, with a presidential election fast approaching, NOW is the time for this book. See the assumptions underlying politicians' promises, and think through the potential consequences for yourself. Thomas Sowell does a remarkable job at making economics clear, logical, and reasonable for lay-people. He writes better than most journalists, and he makes you smarter.

for more information click here