Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets - Hardcover

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 158799190X ISBN 13: 9781587991905

Publisher: South-Western, 2004

Synopsis

Just as coincidence can be confused with causality, so the lucky idiot can be confused with the skilled investor. The realities of randomness and probability almost guarantee that, out of a large pool of random investors, a Warren Buffett will emerge just by luck. Taleb (the founder of Empirica L.L.

About this title

Review

... it is important to remember, as Taleb shows in his charming and colorful book, that randomness can fool us... -- Wilson Quarterly

...A wise and readable guide to clearer thinking, drawing on insights from thinkers ranging from George Soros to Yogi Berra. -- Futurist, May/June 2002

...brilliant and entertaining... -- Buffalo Spree, January 2002

...explores why so many of us seem to underestimate the role of chance in creating the world's greatest success stories... -- Business a.m., November 8, 2001

...he’ll stretch your mind, make you smile and give your skepticism a healthy boost. -- SmartMoney, October 2002

A rare intellectual treat for the Christmas break. -- Director, December 2001

Antidote to the hundreds of titles that will be published this year promising unbeatable strategies for reaping rich rewards from the stock markets.... -- Sunday Times, 06 January, 2002

Fascinating. Stick with it: Taleb will grab you... -- Peter L. Bernstein, author of Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk

Fooled by Randomness is a fascinating read and, unusual in a book about such complex topics, an entertaining read as well. -- radicalacademy.com, 25 November, 2002

It is fun to read, refreshingly independently-minded and at the same time playful. -- Robert J. Shiller, author of Irrational Exuberance

Taleb tells interesting, well-wrought stories about individual behaviour. -- Publishers Weekly, September 10, 2001

Taleb will prompt readers to think carefully about the nature of success and the role of chance, both in finance and in life. -- Barron's, November 5, 2001

Taleb, by contrast, has constructed a trading philosophy predicted entirely on the existence of black swans... -- The New Yorker, April 22 & 29, 2002

The book struck a distinct chord as the author seemed to have various wonderful and illuminating insights with which I could readily identify. -- erivativesreview.com, September 28, 2001

Writing in a narrative and entertaining style, the author explores how random events can be disguised and preceived as non-random or determined. -- Investment Advisor, November 19, 2001

excellent and thought-provoking.... -- Financial Times, October 26, 2001

Synopsis

Just as coincidence can be confused with causality, so the lucky idiot can be confused with the skilled investor. The realities of randomness and probability almost guarantee that, out of a large pool of random investors, a Warren Buffett will emerge just by luck. Taleb (the founder of Empirica L.L.C., a trading firm and risk research organization)

Edition details

• Publisher: South-Western
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 158799190X
• ISBN 13: 9781587991905
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 277