Stephen Dubner had no idea that the book he co-authored with University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt would become a bestseller, much less that it would lead to a sequel.
Freakonomics was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2005 and inspired both a sequel - Superfreakonomics - and a documentary.
It was a total surprise. ... We were pretty sure it would be a dismal failure
Dubner said.
Dubner will speak at 7:30 tonight in the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium as part of the Kennedy Lecture Series.
Dubner said he believes the book is accessible to readers because the questions it attempts to answer are not large, abstract ones, but instead small, interesting ones. The prime benefit is that Dubner and Levitt can answer the questions they pose.
(Big questions) are incredibly hard which is why they're still problems. ... Why do drug dealers live with their moms? We can answer that question Dubner said.
The topics Freakonomics covers feature the kind of counterintuitive logic that is often attractive to college students, he said.
You're in this transitional period where when you're under your parents' protection pre-high school
you're shielded from the realities of the world
Dubner said. You have or are developing your BS detector
but it's hard to find evidence that you're right. Then when you get to college
you begin to find evidence.
Sandi Combs, special projects coordinator for the OU Performing Arts Series, said that Dubner's speaking fee is $25,000, but that after travel and technology costs, the event will total about $33,000. It will be paid for through an endowment from Edwin L. and Ruth Kennedy.
The Kennedy Lecture Series Committee, which comprises faculty, students and local residents, picks the series' speakers.
(The committee) wanted to host someone who ... the public would be really excited to see
wrote Combs in an e-mail. With the popularity of Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics
Dubner fit the bill.
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