The PBS Interview of Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner, Co-Authors of Think Like a Freak

Levitt & Dubner

Levitt & Dubner

The co-authors of the best-selling Freakonomics book series unpack the latest installment, Think Like a Freak.

Described as having one of the most brilliant minds of his generation, Steve Levitt has some notable accomplishments. He became a full professor in the University of Chicago’s economics department after only two years and, in 2003, won the John Bates Clark medal, given to the leading U.S. economist under 40. The Harvard grad has explored everything from controversial social issues, such as tying crime rates to abortions, to corruption in sumo wrestling tournaments, and also holds a Ph.D. from M.I.T.

The son of a newspaperman, Stephen Dubner has been writing since childhood—he was first published at age 11 in Highlights for Children. He’s worked for The New York Times,

and Time and covered crime, politics, the arts and urban affairs. His book titles also include a children’s book, The Boy With Two Belly Buttons. As an undergrad, Dubner started a rock band that landed a contract with Arista Records, but quit music to earn an MFA at Columbia, where he taught in the English department.

Dubner and Levitt are co-authors of the Freakonomics series of books, the first of which spent two years on The New York Times best-seller list, has sold more than 4 million copies and was adapted as a film. The latest installment, Think Like a Freak, offers a blueprint for a new way to solve problems.

* * *

Here is a link to the video of their interview. You will also find a link to a transcript of that interview.

Here’s a link to my review of Think Like a Freak.

Posted in

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.