Predictably Irrational (2008)

Why do we stand in long lines for free ice cream, even when we don't really want it? That's just one question behavioral economist Dan Ariely grapples with in his book, Predictably Irrational, which explores why, when presented with a problem, our natural instinct is to act against our own stated interests. (By the way, his answer to that ice cream query is complicated, but it has to do with habit and an innate fear of loss.) Though not as hard-hitting or controversial as Freakonomics, Ariely's book addresses some weighty issues — e.g., the repercussions of abstinence-only sex education — with an unexpected dash of humor. B+