Freakonomics Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything is a 2005 non-fiction book by University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times journalist Stephen J. Dubner. It is an easy, interesting book, even for people who do not usually like nonfiction or economics. Levitt addresses a number of questions in Freakonomics and uses straight-forward analysis to turn conventional wisdom on its head. Freakonomics will give you plenty to talk about, but is not an in depth analysis of the issues presented. By late 2009, it had sold over 4 million copies worldwide.