The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed the WorldAudiobook Review by Paul Fiander
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Written by: Michael Lewis
Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio |
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Why Should I Listen to The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed the World?
One of the most difficult aspects of research in the past finding every piece of work that has been completed in your area of interest. Even now with the advent of the internet cannot insure that you find all the relevant studies relevant to your work. However someone out there will be aware of a piece of information or a study that eluded your attention and this is the situation Michael Lewis found himself in after releasing the now a hit film Moneyball. The book was based on the experience of the Oakland Athletics use of analytics in trying to outperform their risks in the competitive world of Baseball. The Undoing Project thus is a look at the work of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in an attempt to learn more about their work in the world of Psychology and beyond. With a strong vocal performance from Dennis Boutsikaris, where he moves the often technical language along at a nice pace and emphasises the moments of humour which pop up from time to time making the 10 hour run time fly by. This is a fascinating look at two polar opposites who came together to change and mostly create a field of study that impacts on the lives of nearly everyone on the planet in one way or another. |
Review
Scientific investigation can be a little dull; there is not much glamour in repeating experiments again and again. So you could be forgiven for thinking that a book telling the story of how an Israeli Psychologist won a noble prize in economics may not be that lively and enthralling. Now already this should ring a few bells as economics and psychology are not generally thought of as compatible subjects. Then throw in author Michael Lewis of Money Ball fame and you cannot help but feel the intrigue rise. In this particular story however the subjects of the book are so enthralling that they carry the narrative along, as this is not just a story of the science but instead a look into the pseudo-marriage of two seemingly incompatible intellectuals and the highs and lows of their career.
The two Psychologists in question are Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. The two met in the 1960’s in a war torn Israel which plays a large pat in the foundations of their story. This is due to the fact Israel was a country at loggerheads (to put it mildly) with its neighbours and entered a number of conflicts that led the population to become pretty much acclimatised to conflict. Within this climate the two psychologists met and despite their differences they entered into a collaboration that started to explore the real world applications of psychology in behavioural economics. At that time the field was not really developed and this left an opening as Kahneman and Tversky pretty much created their own path revolutionising more everything from the NBA to Air Force Pilots.
Although the book looks at the hows and whys of the collaboration it’s the insight that you get in to the dynamics of their relationship that really seem to be the highlight of the book. Tversky was something of an enigma, usually the smartest man in the room he was vibrant and had a take charge attitude. The ex paratrooper had the type of personality that seemed at odds with Kahneman, he was quiet and had none of the exuberance that Tversky had. He was a genuinely intelligent and insightful professional but seemingly lacked the conviction in his own abilities to make him a standout star in his field. The idea of opposites attract though seems to have been made for these two as they not only worked on their theories but also went into war zones together. It is this coming together that really helps to move the narrative along as you are looking at conflicting characters brought together. This I Michael Lewis’s real trick of the book as he shows the human side and gets you invested into their relationship while still feeding you the technical information that made their research so outstanding.
The narration by Dennis Boutsikaris is a wonderful compliment to the two sides of the book. He tells the “story” in an easy to listen to style that feels more conversational than like that of a lecturer. His emphasis of the humour and tragedy in the book is not to be underestimated and his final line in the book is a genuine choker that really leaves a lasting impression. The ten hour run time is supplemented by a pdf of which although not essential to your listening is still a great resource to better understand the content contained within the audio.
The Undoing Project could have been a dry look at the work of these two wonderful characters, thankfully though Michael Lewis understood the depth of their characters and made them the central figures in an insightful look in to the world of academia. This style of work is easy to listen to entertaining and most of all informative and The Undoing Project comes highly recommended.
The two Psychologists in question are Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. The two met in the 1960’s in a war torn Israel which plays a large pat in the foundations of their story. This is due to the fact Israel was a country at loggerheads (to put it mildly) with its neighbours and entered a number of conflicts that led the population to become pretty much acclimatised to conflict. Within this climate the two psychologists met and despite their differences they entered into a collaboration that started to explore the real world applications of psychology in behavioural economics. At that time the field was not really developed and this left an opening as Kahneman and Tversky pretty much created their own path revolutionising more everything from the NBA to Air Force Pilots.
Although the book looks at the hows and whys of the collaboration it’s the insight that you get in to the dynamics of their relationship that really seem to be the highlight of the book. Tversky was something of an enigma, usually the smartest man in the room he was vibrant and had a take charge attitude. The ex paratrooper had the type of personality that seemed at odds with Kahneman, he was quiet and had none of the exuberance that Tversky had. He was a genuinely intelligent and insightful professional but seemingly lacked the conviction in his own abilities to make him a standout star in his field. The idea of opposites attract though seems to have been made for these two as they not only worked on their theories but also went into war zones together. It is this coming together that really helps to move the narrative along as you are looking at conflicting characters brought together. This I Michael Lewis’s real trick of the book as he shows the human side and gets you invested into their relationship while still feeding you the technical information that made their research so outstanding.
The narration by Dennis Boutsikaris is a wonderful compliment to the two sides of the book. He tells the “story” in an easy to listen to style that feels more conversational than like that of a lecturer. His emphasis of the humour and tragedy in the book is not to be underestimated and his final line in the book is a genuine choker that really leaves a lasting impression. The ten hour run time is supplemented by a pdf of which although not essential to your listening is still a great resource to better understand the content contained within the audio.
The Undoing Project could have been a dry look at the work of these two wonderful characters, thankfully though Michael Lewis understood the depth of their characters and made them the central figures in an insightful look in to the world of academia. This style of work is easy to listen to entertaining and most of all informative and The Undoing Project comes highly recommended.
Review copy and Cover Image courtesy of Publisher
