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Book Review: The Undoing Project

Isaiah Castillo
May 11, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Nov 24

Need to better understand how I review books? You can review my book review criteria here.

Overview

Title: The Undoing Project

Author: Michael Lewis

Genre: Biography

Publish Year: 2017

ISBN-10:0393254593

Utility: 4/5

Readability: 4/5

Storytelling: 5/5

Literary Quality: 5/5

Pace: 5/5

Impact: 5/5

Favorite Excerpt/Quote

"He never simply went with his first thought. He suggested a new definition of the nerd: a person who knows his own mind well enough to mistrust it" (Lewis, 31)

Review

Michael Lewis' The Undoing Project is the one psychology book everyone should read. Lewis beautifully recounts the lives of two of modern psychology's most influential academics, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, and their journey of world-changing collaboration. The book takes us through their lives from Holocaust survivor and Israeli child, respectively, to the death of Amos in 1996. We get to peek into their time serving in the Israeli military, learn of their early studies and projects, and observe the accounts of outsiders looking into the brilliant yet improbable relationship between two very different personalities.

The book's primary focus is on the scientific discoveries of their collaboration, but balances between the science of their work and stories of their life experiences. Lewis utilizes the accounts of others not only to help illustrate the relationship between the two, but to also show the effects of their discoveries in various fields. We learn of the application of their works in the world of basketball through the story of Daryl Morey, in medicine through the account of Don Redelmeier, and in military operations through reflections of their military service.

Through the medium of biography, Lewis introduces us to the science of human rationality and decision making. The findings of Kahneman and Tversky's work fundamentally changed the world's understanding of how humans make judgments and decisions. We learn what led to famous theories such as the framing effect, anchoring, and the representativeness heuristic among others. These theories teach us of the limits and tricks of our mind and the implications in our daily lives as consumers, doctors, statisticians, and human beings. Today, their discoveries are foundational instruments in the fields of modern marketing, communications, economics, and beyond.

The Undoing Project is one of the most well-written books I've come across in recent years. Lewis's compelling storytelling and the use of relevant and applicable outside accounts make learning natural and effortless. The manner in which the science is presented and the quality of its presentation allow for even those with little prior knowledge in psychology to understand the science behind Kahneman and Tversky's work. Most impressively, Lewis relates the science to modern and common examples, allowing readers to understand its influence on how we navigate the world around us. Lewis' novel is a perfect balance between science and storytelling and tailors to any and every audience. This is one you will want to keep on your shelf.