The Undoing Project
A Friendship That Changed Our Minds
by Michael Lewis
Recommended by 12 notable people, including Adam Grant and Ray Dalio
Check price on AmazonRecommended by public sources
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Reading Profile
Should I read this?
Michael Lewis chronicles the friendship and intellectual partnership of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, who championed the idea that cognitive biases shape our choices. The narrative reads like a buddy story, weaving their discoveries into personal anecdotes and the drama of their collaboration. You'll grasp key ideas—loss aversion, framing—through their story, but the book focuses on biography, not application. Helpful for understanding behavioral economics' origins; less useful if you want actionable advice. The emotional arc of their relationship can overshadow the science.
Read this if...
- •A financial analyst who enjoyed Lewis's 'The Big Short' and wants the backstory of why markets aren't rational—less math, more humanity.
- •A psychology student curious about the personalities behind the theories taught in class, preferring a story-driven approach to the experiments.
- •A manager trying to understand why her team makes recurring mistakes; she'll find the concepts explained through memorable episodes but not a step-by-step fix.
Skip this if...
- •You'll likely put it down if you expect a how-to manual on decision-making; the book traces intellectual history, not self-help.
- •Skip if you dislike biographical detours or want a systematic overview of cognitive biases—this is a character-driven narrative, not a textbook.
- •Annoying if you came for a clear, structured explanation of prospect theory; the science is embedded in the story and can feel meandering. You may lose interest when the book dwells on the subjects' personal lives or the Israeli context.
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BIG SHORT AND FLASH BOYS 'A gripping account of how two psychologists reshaped the way we think ... What a story it is' Sunday Times 'You'll love it ... full of surprises and no small degree of tragedy' Tim Harford In 1969 two men met on a university campus. Their names were Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They were different in every way. But they were both obsessed with the human mind - and both happened to be geniuses. Together, they would change the way we see the world. 'An enchanted collaboration ... During the final pages, I was blinking back tears' The New York Times 'My favourite writer full stop. Engages both heart and…
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:easy
Length:396 pages (Medium)
Audience Fit
- A financial analyst who enjoyed Lewis's 'The Big Short' and wants the backstory of why markets aren't rational—less math, more humanity.
- A psychology student curious about the personalities behind the theories taught in class, preferring a story-driven approach to the experiments.
- A manager trying to understand why her team makes recurring mistakes; she'll find the concepts explained through memorable episodes but not a step-by-step fix.
- You'll likely put it down if you expect a how-to manual on decision-making; the book traces intellectual history, not self-help.
- Skip if you dislike biographical detours or want a systematic overview of cognitive biases—this is a character-driven narrative, not a textbook.
- Annoying if you came for a clear, structured explanation of prospect theory; the science is embedded in the story and can feel meandering. You may lose interest when the book dwells on the subjects' personal lives or the Israeli context.
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View available editions on AmazonKey themes
Why recommended
Recommended by 18 sources and appears in Books Recommended by Billionaires, Most Recommended Books, and Finance.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
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Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Recommended by 8 sources.
“Soft-spoken, heavily illustrated fable built from short dialogues and watercolor sketches. Each spread pairs a spare line of text with a loose drawing, so the pleasure is visual and aphoristic rather than narrative; readers collect felt-true sentences more than plot. Most useful when you want quick consolations, a prompt for conversation with a child, or a pause during a rough day. Limiting if you want sustained argument, concrete advice, or tightly plotted storytelling: the repetition of gentleness can feel sentimental or thin after a while.”
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How recommendation signals are reviewed
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.