A wise man once said that there is nothing more dangerous than just a little knowledge. It’s enough to trick you into believing you know everything, and that you’re fully prepared to take on the world.
But that first taste of knowledge often precedes a new and profound realization: that things are not what they seem. So to go beyond the headlines and dive into the truth about 21st-century dictators, self-help, and more, check out the four eye-opening books below.
Don’t Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life
By Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
An economist and former Google data scientist explains how hard facts and figures consistently contradict our instincts and demonstrate self-help that actually works—whether it involves the best time in life to start a business or how happy it actually makes us to skip a friend’s birthday party for a night of Netflix on the couch. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, in the Next Big Idea App
The New Megatrends: Seeing Clearly in the Age of Disruption
By Marian Salzman
A pioneering forecaster predicts the trends and technologies that will shape global culture and commerce in the next two decades—a must-read guide for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking for an edge. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Marian Salzman, in the Next Big Idea App
Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century
By Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman
Offering incisive portraits of today’s authoritarian leaders, Spin Dictators explains some of the great political puzzles of our time―from how dictators can survive in an age of growing modernity to the disturbing convergence and mutual sympathy between dictators and populists like Donald Trump. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-author Sergei Guriev, in the Next Big Idea App
Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior
By Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli
Two MIT economists use game theory to explain our most puzzling behavior, from the mechanics of Stockholm syndrome and internalized misogyny to why we help strangers and have a sense of fairness. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-authors Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli, in the Next Big Idea App
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