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Fooled By Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001

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Book Brief

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Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Fooled By Randomness

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001
Book Details
Pages

368

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

2000s

Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb examines the role randomness plays in financial markets and life, highlighting human tendency to misinterpret luck and skill. Through anecdotes, thought experiments, and analyses, Taleb explores cognitive biases and the limitations of predictive modeling in capturing uncertainty, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and open-mindedness.

Informative

Contemplative

Challenging

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.2

72,175 ratings

77%

Loved it

16%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's Fooled by Randomness is praised for its thought-provoking insights into the role of chance in our lives and the illusion of patterns. Critics appreciate Taleb's engaging narrative and intellectual rigor. However, some find the author's tone self-congratulatory and the prose occasionally dense. Overall, it offers valuable perspectives on the unpredictability of outcomes.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Fooled By Randomness?

Readers fascinated by unpredictability, finance, and behavioral economics will be captivated by Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Comparable to The Black Swan and Irrational Exuberance, it appeals to those intrigued by the complexity of randomness and its impact on markets and decision-making.

4.2

72,175 ratings

77%

Loved it

16%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Character List

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

An author and former trader who provides the instructional voice in the narrative, sharing personal background, intellectual interests, and skepticism of the media, while acknowledging his own susceptibility to randomness.

A fictional character presented as a thoughtful and conservative trader with a background in statistics, who values intellectual pursuits and approaches market trading cautiously.

A fictional character embodying the pitfalls of mistaking luck for skill in trading, portrayed as a high-yield trader with an MBA and a materialistic lifestyle.

A couple whose story illustrates the impact of social comparisons on perceptions of success, with Marc being a well-off lawyer in a wealthy Manhattan neighborhood, and Janet his paralegal-turned-wife who feels insecure about their status.

Book Details
Pages

368

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

2000s

Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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