Marginalia

My Big Decision

Grant Thornton did a photo-shoot and audio interview with me a few months ago about “My Big Decision”. I told them I don’t believe in big decisions, but for all three die-hard Tim Harford fans out there, here’s the interview.

Buy my book or the hedgehog gets it

Here’s the hedgehog. Here’s the book. Thanks to NPR and Planet Money for inviting me on!

Research assistant: situation vacant

I am looking for a research assistant, or assistants. This could be a fun position for someone studying for a degree and the work would be flexible enough to accommodate that. The work would be freelance and would likely be a few hours a week on a flexible schedule. I’m based in London but the successful candidates need not be.

The job description is likely to evolve over time – the main aim is simply to take some workload off me, whether working on columns, speeches or my next book – but is likely to entail:

- Tracking down and summarising relevant research and statistics;

- Fact-checking, proofing or editing my articles and new book;

- Occasional work on slides.

The ideal candidate would have a strong grounding in economics, good writing skills and an attention to detail. Interest in the economics of innovation, climate change, development, conflict or banking would be an advantage, as would a knowledge of PowerPoint.

Please apply with CV and covering letter – contact details at the bottom of this webpage -  by 31 October 2009.

Dear Undercover Economist on Freakonomics

I have a guest post up on the Freakonomics blog, taking readers’ questions. Here’s a sample:

Q. If a reasonably intelligent young person today is looking to make as big a contribution to society as possible, is he or she better off making a small impact on something very large (like federal policy) or picking one particular problem and spending a lifetime attacking it (like curing a disease or improving public education in a country or even city)? — Matt

The answer, with several others, is here.

Dear Undercover Economist

It occurs to me that despite various hints and publicity elsewhere, I have not actually announced the fact on ths blog that my new book, “Dear Undercover Economist”, is now out in English and Spanish. Other languages to follow! Details about the book on the Dear Undercover Economist page…

Talk at Waterstones Gower Street, London

For readers in London:

Find reason in a crazy world: join Tim Harford a.k.a ‘The Undercover Economist’ discusses his newest book…
Tim Harford
The Logic of Life
WATERSTONE’S GOWER STREET
Thursday, 19 March 2009, 6:00PM
Tickets £3/£2 – redeemable against the promoted book on the night. Avalaible from the store.

In his bestselling new book, Undercover Economist,Tim Harford – author/prolific columnist and presenter of Radio 4′s ‘More or Less’ explains how there can be logic behind even the most irrational of behaviour. He will answer some of life’s mysteries including, Why is your boss overpaid? Why do people smoke? For more info or tickets call the store or events@gowerst.watertsones.co.uk.
Further details: 020 7636 1577

In other words, it’s a free talk if you buy the book. Do come and say hello.  I am also giving a talk in Bath on Friday, and so is Samuel Brittan. (Here for more details.)

The Logic of Life, UK paperback

A little bird tells me that the paperback of The Logic of Life is now on the front table in Borders in the UK. Official publication date is Thursday 5th March, but don’t feel you have to wait! Do please consider buying a copy.

Las Vegas: The edge of reason

People who are interested in The Logic of Life but want to try before they buy could surf on over to the Milken Institute website and read a very generous extract from the book – most of chapter two, in fact, which is all about poker, addiction, war and the limits of rational choice. (Free, but registration required.)

The Logic of Life paperback

Price-sensitive lovers of economics books may want to know that the paperback of “The Logic of Life” is now out in the US. (In the UK, one more month to wait.) You can buy it here; you can read discerning reviews from the New York Times, the Economist, and many others here – people of taste, all.

The book has been interpreted as the antithesis of Nudge or Predictably Irrational, an anti-behavioural-economics book, but it isn’t really that. It’s really a product of my love affair with economics, showing how it can usefully be applied to crime, marriage, poker and much else. Thumbing through the pages of the paperback reminds me how much I loved writing the book, so I’m glad that the collected book reviewers of America enjoyed reading it.

Rational or Irrational?

“”But that’s rational!” spluttered one venerable journalist, when I told him about this. Well, yes–it seems so, doesn’t it?”

An extract from my debate with Dan “Predictably Irrational” Ariely.  It’s the first debate to be hosted by Amazon’s “Omnivoracious” Blog – check it out.