Binding: Paperback
EAN: 9780141034591
Format: Import
ISBN: 0141034599
Label: Penguin Books Ltd
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
Number Of Pages: 400
Publication Date: February 28, 2008
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Studio: Penguin Books Ltd

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Rating: - Not a history of black swan events
I think I expected something different, like a presentation of various black swan type events. The author, comments and speaks and comments in an essay style which I found dissapointing. Same valid for his other book: Fooled by Randomness.I think readers will get a better deal if they read "Extraordinary Illusions and Madness of the Crowds" as well as most of the shareholder letters posted on gurufocus.com.

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Rating: - Open your mind
I must recognize that through the easy and entertaining Mr Taleb's style, I have adquired a wider vision of how we, as human beings, mostly and unreasonably make predictions.
300 pages would have been enough (it has 400, at least in spanish edition).
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book. Open you mind and have fun!

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Rating: - Interesting...if you can get past his enormous ego
It's too bad Taleb's ego is louder than his thesis. While he puts forth many interesting and insightful concepts and thoughts, the price one must pay to find them amongst the egocentric drivel that fills most of the pages makes this read hardly worth the effort. I can't help but think that the basic arguments from such a pretentious elitist could only be hot air. It's hard to take him seriously.

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Rating: - How compare to author's "Fooled by Randomness"?
The author has also written "Fooled by Randomness". Both books deal with the same matter; how low risk/chance events can have a major impact more often that realised. The book earns five stars because it forces the reader to think about a very important issue.

Which of the author's books should you buy?
1. What a big font, very easy read? Then go for "Fooled by Randomness"
2. Want a small font, more intellectual read? The go for this book.
There is absolutely no need ... Read More

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Rating: - Surprisingly personal diatribe
I just finished reading the Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

The book is about the disproportionate effect on our world of highly improbable events, and the difficulty of predicting those events. The name comes from David Hume's observation that many generations of Britons' only seeing white swans was not proof that there is no such thing as a black swan (which do, in fact, exist).

I found the book very disappointing. It started out with so much promise; I looked forward ... Read More

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