Book Review; The Black Swan by Nicholas Nassim Taleb

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hypostomus

My sole purpose in writing this mini review is to deprive the author of a sufficient number of book sales to make his loss of royalties equal or exceed my own loss in purchasing his vapid book. A more appropriate title might have been "The Black Swamp". The author's style is infuriatingly reminiscent of that other insufferably supercilious trading author, Victor Neiderhoffer. It is an excercise in narcissism, condescension, and empty literary erudition. The Cliff's Notes version would warrant at most a brief paragraph. The book is the ejaculate of his mental masturbation. My conscience will not allow me to resell it to someone, so I guess I'll just light charcoal with its pages. It's that fatuous.
 
Quote from hypostomus:

My sole purpose in writing this mini review is to deprive the author of a sufficient number of book sales to make his loss of royalties equal or exceed my own loss in purchasing his vapid book. A more appropriate title might have been "The Black Swamp". The author's style is infuriatingly reminiscent of that other insufferably supercilious trading author, Victor Neiderhoffer. It is an excercise in narcissism, condescension, and empty literary erudition. The Cliff's Notes version would warrant at most a brief paragraph. The book is the ejaculate of his mental masturbation. My conscience will not allow me to resell it to someone, so I guess I'll just light charcoal with its pages. It's that fatuous.
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LOL
 
Wow, really? I was going to buy this book eventually.

The tone of the author, in the first book is very much like you have described, but I wouldn't describe it as "fatuous". He is a obviously a pompous academic fuck, true, but he has made something of himself (due to luck or not...) and I believe the reader does have something to gain from reading the book. What did you think of his previous "Fooled By Randomness" book?
 
Quote from hypostomus:

My sole purpose in writing this mini review is to deprive the author of a sufficient number of book sales to make his loss of royalties equal or exceed my own loss in purchasing his vapid book. A more appropriate title might have been "The Black Swamp". The author's style is infuriatingly reminiscent of that other insufferably supercilious trading author, Victor Neiderhoffer. It is an excercise in narcissism, condescension, and empty literary erudition. The Cliff's Notes version would warrant at most a brief paragraph. The book is the ejaculate of his mental masturbation. My conscience will not allow me to resell it to someone, so I guess I'll just light charcoal with its pages. It's that fatuous.
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"It is an excercise in narcissism, condescension, and empty literary erudition. "

no wonder he has female groupies. don't be envious.
 
Quote from hypostomus:

My conscience will not allow me to resell it to someone, so I guess I'll just light charcoal with its pages. It's that fatuous.
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hypostomus
You have done such a great job reviewing the book that my conscience wont permit me to buy it from you.
 
the black swan is an interesting and insightful read. although lacking in academic riguor--it's an entertaining book which I reccomend. however I'm not surprised some just don't "get it". its remains on the surf shack's must read list.

surf:D :cool:
 
The difference is that you got yours free, and autographed. The book's primary insight is into the author's self-absorption. Tell me "Market pricing is not a stationary process" and I get it in one.
 
I think it is a good book. The only thing is, it is really elementary and imo one is better served by picking up an undergraduate text in statistics.

Otherwise, if you don't mind the prose or prefer it to dry stats books, this is a good read.

nitro
 
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