Hey there, it's Stephen Dubner.

I'd like you to pay special attention to this episode because there will be a quiz at

the end.

We're trying something a bit different.

If it works, we might start a spin-off podcast based on this idea.

The inspiration goes back to the fact that before Frekenomics Radio took over my life,

I wrote books.

And the thing about a book is you often spend several years on it.

There's the idea, the research and reporting, outlining, rough drafts, and more drafts.

And finally, you publish your book.

And then, if you're lucky, you get to go on a radio or TV show or a podcast to talk about

it, to promote it.

But as every author knows, this experience can be unsatisfying.

The interviewer often hasn't even cracked your book, so you get a lot of questions like,

what's your book about?

Exactly.

So why do you want to write this book about, and then long pause while they look at the

book about behavioral economics?

And then you, the author, get a few minutes to summarize your book and inevitably your

summary isn't very good.

And why should it be the words on the page?

That's what you're good at.

...