SuperFreakonomics

The last chapter on global warming is a must read. It's a far cry from the quasi-religious rhetoric of most of environmentalists. Instead, it's a practical look at a potential problem with suggested solutions that don't entail crippling the entire world economy. It exposes Al Gore, who is mentioned several times by name, and his ilk as the dishonest luddites they are. No matter what your current stance on global warming is, the chapter is worth a read.

I found the rest of book less than super. A couple chapters, the one on carseats and the one on altruism, would have made great blog entries. There are several regurgitated studies that appear frequently in other behavioral economics books, an inordinate amount of time spent on prostitution and examples that didn't come as much of a surprise to someone who believes in the free market. This book definitely wasn't the bang that Freakonomics was, instead it's more like a toned down, extended version of the first book.