Book Recommendations from AFA and RAND in July 2012

A list proposed that will change our way of thinking.

http://www.afa.org/EdOp/2012/RAND_CP689.pdf


PSYCHOLOGY
Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011)
One of today’s greatest thought 
leaders, DANIEL KAHNEMAN, 
explores the way we think and 
choose, and why humans are 
prone to flawed thinking.
“Current and brilliant. I also 
urge people to watch his Nobel 
speech on the web.”
—PROFESSOR PAUL DAVIS, 
policy analysis
“ e content is essential for 
policy analysts. And the communication style is exemplary.”
—PROFESSOR FRANK CAMM, 
economics
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Bureaucracy  What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It  (1991)
In this classic text, JAMES Q. 
WILSON examines a range of 
U.S. bureaucracies—including 
the Army, FBI, CIA, FCC, and 
the Social Security Administration—and sheds light on what 
they do, why they operate the 
way they do, and how they 
might become more responsible 
and effective.
“For those who are concerned 
with e  ciency in the public 
sector, this analysis is insightful, comprehensive, thoroughly 
engaging, and—more than 
two decades later—completely 
relevant.”
—PROFESSOR FABIAN DUARTE, 
game theory
MATHEMATICS  How to Solve It 
A New Aspect of   Mathematical Method (1945)
This book by one of the 
twentieth century’s most 
prominent mathematicians 
approaches problem-solving 
in a way that sticks. What was 
originally a chapter in one of 
GEORGE PÓLYA’S books became 
so popular that it was published 
separately and remains a standalone classic to this day.
“Pólya de nes four principles in 
problem solving—(1) understand 
the problem; (2) devise a plan; 
(3) carry out the plan; and (4) 
review and extend the solution—
a clear and compelling approach 
to all types of problems. ese 
principles have stuck with me 
since I was a high school senior, 
and I highly recommend this to 
students at all levels.”
—PROFESSOR NATALIE CRAWFORD, 
mathematics
STATISTICS
How to Lie with Statistics 
(1954)
In the introduction, author 
DARRELL HUFF writes, “This book 
is a sort of primer in ways to 
use statistics to deceive. It may 
seem altogether too much like a 
manual for swindlers. Perhaps I 
can justify it in the manner of the 
retired burglar whose published 
reminiscences amounted to a 
graduate course in how to pick 
a lock and muffle a footfall: 
The crooks already know these 
tricks; honest men must learn 
them in self-defense.”
“A classic. More quantitative 
in nature, but it gives Time 
Magazine–type illustrations of 
why you should never fully 
trust the media when they are 
presenting data.”
—PROFESSOR BART BENNETT, 
operations research
ANALYTIC DESIGN
The Visual Display of
Quantitative Information 
(1983)
Some images are better than 
others. EDWARD TUFTE’S classic 
will help you convey your message with words, numbers, and 
pictures, and with clarity, precision, and efficiency.
“To be an e ective policy analyst 
you have to be able to communicate the results of your research 
clearly and e ectively. is book 
illustrates how statistical graphics 
can be the simplest, yet most 
powerful way to describe, explore, and communicate complex 
data. Tufte lays out the criteria 
for e ective graphical displays 
and provides many examples to 
illustrate the key concepts.”
—PROFESSOR JEANNE RINGEL, 
health economics and 
mathematics for policy analysis

SOCIOLOGY
Everything Is Obvious*
*Once You Know the
Answer
How Common Sense 
Fails Us (2011)
DUNCAN J. WATTS demonstrates 
how commonsense reasoning and history mislead us into 
believing that we understand 
more about the world of human 
behavior than we do, and why 
attempts to predict, manage, or 
manipulate social and economic 
systems often go awry.
“It’s a great look at how historical 
events often have commonsense 
explanations that are useless for 
policy development.”
—PROFESSOR DAVID KENNEDY,  
anthropology
POLITICS/CURRENT 
EVENTS
It’s Even Worse Than
It Looks
How the American 
Constitutional System 
Collided with the New 
Politics of Extremism (2012)
Political dysfunction in the 
United States—putting political 
advantage ahead of good government—has reached a critical 
point, calling into question the 
country’s ability to govern itself. 
THOMAS E. MANN and NORMAN J. 
ORNSTEIN caution that there is no 
magic panacea to fix a problem 
so complex, but they do discuss 
how greater public participation 
and some media reforms can 
help ease the gridlock.
“Mann and Ornstein provide a 
bipartisan approach to describing 
the problem of increasing extreme 
partisanship and its impact on 
public policy. ey then o er up 
what they believe could be done 
and needs to be done to get the 
American political system back 
on track.”
—DEAN SUSAN L. MARQUIS, 
policy analysis
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Democracy in America (Volume 1, 1835; Volume 2, 1840)
According to translator Harvey C. Mansfield, ALEXIS DE 
TOCQUEVILLE’S Democracy in 
America is “at once the best 
book ever written on democracy 
and the best book ever written 
on America.” This is essential 
reading for anyone interested in 
history, or emerging democracies.
“A wide worldview is essential 
for the policy analyst. is book 
remains an eye-opener.”
—PROFESSOR LOIS DAVIS, 
public health
ESSAYS/CULTURAL 
STUDIES
Representations of the Intellectual
The 1993 Reith Lectures (1996)
In these six essays, delivered 
as part of the BBC’s esteemed 
lecture series, EDWARD SAID
explores what it means to be 
an intellectual in the age of 
information.
“If you read only one book 
on this list, make it this slim 
volume. Said argues than an 
intellectual should be independent and an ‘amateur’ operating 
outside institutional structures. 
If you read this and buy Said’s 
arguments, you will never ever 
buy into prepackaged thoughts. 
And never assume that famous 
people have the only interesting 
things to say. Often, the reverse 
is true.”
—PROFESSOR KRISHNA KUMAR, 
economic development
LEADERSHIP
Smart Choices
A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions (1999)
HAMMOND, KEENEY, and RAIFFA
blend the art and science of 
decisionmaking into a straightforward approach to making difficult choices. This book will be 
of interest not only to students 
of policy analysis but also to 
anyone who makes business, 
personal, or family decisions—
i.e., everyone.
“ is book succeeds very well 
in its aim to provide a practical 
roadmap on how to think about 
and make hard decisions. It is an 
easy read with good examples of 
decisions many people face, but 
it slips in most of the concepts 
of decision theory. e authors 
are justly renowned for their 
expertise and their ability to 
communicate ideas clearly.”
—PROFESSOR EMMETT KEELER, 
decision analysis

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

While on vacation in Cancun in December 2011, I finally read The Host.  http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/thehost.html .

 

 Marea had recommended it to Elaine a year and a half ago.  Elaine read it in one sitting and really liked it.  I have not read any of her "Twilight Saga" -- but after reading The Host, I can see how her handling of mental "dialog" in her characters could make "vampire stories" more interesting.  I think she did a masterful job of defining a "science fiction universe" where a believable type of aliens could invade earth.  I clearly understood the motivations and even biological/evolutionary development of the aliens.  They weren't "bad" like some sci-fi monsters, they were just doing their natural evolutionary task.
I had the feeling, when reading it, that she put extra effort to make sure the book was suitable for young adults --sort of a "PG" rating, not even a "PG-13".
I could see, at the end of the book that there could be some very good sequel possibilities.  I was pleased to learn from Marea that Stephanie has announced that she is writing a sequel, and maybe a third book sequel as well.   It is also exciting to know that there will be a move in March 2013.  http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/thehost_movie.html.  I think the tricky part in producing/directing a movie of The Host, will be handling the internal mental dialog between Melanie (the host) and Wanderer (the alien inside of Melanie).  Will they do it with two different voices?  What will be on the screen while the mental dialog is going on?  If the producer/directors figure out a good, effective way, of handling that dialog, I think the movie could be a huge success.  Of course, the actors, and particularly the actress who plays Melanie will have a real challenge, and could make or break the movie's success.