The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed the World

Description

From the No. 1 bestselling author of The Big Short and Flash Boys, the surprising and profound story of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky- the two men whose ideas changed the world 'There are geniuses who work on their own. Together, we are exceptional.' Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky met in war-torn 1960s Israel. Both were gifted young psychology professors- Kahneman a rootless son of holocaust survivors who saw the world as a problem to be solved; Tversky a voluble, instinctive blur of energy. In this breathtaking new book, Michael Lewis tells the story of how their unlikely friendship became one of the greatest partnerships in science - until, tragically, it started to unravel. Their ideas, shows Lewis, helped shape our world - revolutionising everything from Big Data to medicine, money to sport - and changed humankind's view of its own mind.

Michael Lewis's global bestselling books lift the lid on the biggest stories of our times. They include Flash Boys, a game-changing expose of high-speed scamming; The Big Short, which was made into a hit Oscar-winning film; Moneyball, the story of a maverick outsider who beat the system; and Liar's Poker, the book that defined the excesses of the 1980s. Many of the ideas from these bestsellers underpin his latest book, The Undoing Project, which is the result of years of research. Michael Lewis was born in New Orleans and educated at Princeton University and the London School of Economics. He is contributing writer for The New York Times magazine and writes for Vanity Fair and Portfolio magazine.

Michael Lewis is a brilliant writer... The Undoing Project is a masterclass in narrative non-fiction -- Steven Poole * Spectator * A new book by Michael Lewis promises an absorbing story, dazzling ideas, journalistic flair and originality. He achieves this with extraordinary consistency. In The Undoing Project he has achieved it again. -- Danny Finkelstein * The Times * Kahneman and Tversky's deep friendship and intellectual collaboration has arguably done as much to define our world as, say, the intertwining between Francis Crick and James Watson... Michael Lewis, with his great gift for humanising complex and abstract ideas, is exactly the storyteller Tversky and Kahneman deserve. -- Tim Adams * Observer * I normally write two or three pages of notes when reviewing a book. On this occasion I scribbled six, often in high excitement. Lewis has a strong journalist's sense of a good story and the book is dotted with hundreds. He also has a feeling for pace and intensity. Although this is an easy read, nothing is wasted and everything seems to be in the right place. And what a story it is! -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times * Michael Lewis is perhaps my favourite writer full stop. At his best, Lewis engages both heart and brain like no author, and he tells the story of Tversky and Kahneman beautifully... the final sections will have you weeping -- Robert Colvile * Daily Telegraph * Leaves you feeling cleverer -- Katie Law * Evening Standard * Part biography of a friendship and part account of psychology's impact, while also taking in much of modern Israel's history, this is a fine showcase of Mr Lewis's range ... it is a story of remarkable individuals succeeding through innovative ideas ... Lewis has managed the unusual feat of interweaving psychology and the friendship between two men * Economist * Michael Lewis is perhaps my favourite writer full stop ... he engages both heart and brain like no other author, and he tells the story of Tversky and Kahneman beautifully -- Robert Colville * Telegraph * Gripping ... There is war, heroism, genius, love, loss, discovery, enduring loyalty and friendship. It is epic stuff ... Michael Lewis is one of the best non-fiction writers of our time. The writing has wit, passion and scientific credibility -- Pete Lunn * Irish Times * Michael Lewis could spin gold out of any topic he chose ... his best work ... vivid, original and hard to forget -- Tim Harford * Financial Times *