New Releases by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The monograph investigates the misapplication of conventional statistical techniques to fat tailed distributions and looks for remedies, when possible.Switching from thin tailed to fat tailed distributions requires more than "changing the color of the dress". Traditional asymptotics deal mainly with either n=1 or n=?, and the real world is in between, under of the "laws of the medium numbers" --which vary widely across specific distributions. Both the law of large numbers and the generalized central limit mechanisms operate in highly idiosyncratic ways outside the standard Gaussian or Levy-Stable basins of convergence.A few examples:+ The sample mean is rarely in line with the population mean, with effect on "naive empiricism", but can be sometimes be estimated via parametric methods.+ The "empirical distribution" is rarely empirical.+ Parameter uncertainty has compounding effects on statistical metrics.+ Dimension reduction (principal components) fails.+ Inequality estimators (GINI or quantile contributions) are not additive and produce wrong results.+ Many "biases" found in psychology become entirely rational under more sophisticated probability distributions+ Most of the failures of financial economics, econometrics, and behavioral economics can be attributed to using the wrong distributions.This book, the first volume of the Technical Incerto, weaves a narrative around published journal articles.

Prima della scoperta dell''Australia gli abitanti del Vecchio Mondo erano convinti che tutti i cigni fossero bianchi: una convinzione inconfutabile, poiché sembrava pienamente confermata dall''evidenza empirica. L''avvistamento del primo cigno nero è stato quindi una sorpresa; ma non è questo il punto. Il punto è che una conoscenza basata sull''esperienza pregressa è una conoscenza fallace, che ci rende fragili al cospetto dell''infinità di eventi che possono verificarsi. Basta un solo cigno nero per sbriciolare un''asserzione generale ricavata da millenni di avvistamenti di milioni di cigni bianchi. E allora perché ci ostiniamo a basare le nostre vite sulla previsione del futuro e sul controllo dei rischi? Perché continuiamo ad affidarci alle scelte basate sul già noto, come se non sapessimo che l''ignoto esiste e possiamo incontrarlo? Guerre, pandemie, crolli finanziari mondiali: com''è possibile che eventi simili riescano sempre a coglierci impreparati? In Il Cigno nero – ormai un iperclassico della contemporaneità – Nassim Nicholas Taleb, col suo tono scanzonato e provocatorio, ci invita ad abbracciare l''improbabile e accettare, infine, che esso governi le nostre vite. Che dobbiamo pianificare la struttura economica di un paese o la nostra esistenza dei prossimi 5-15 anni, questo è il libro da cui farci guidare.

Setiap dari kita cenderung memiliki Ranjang Prokrustes. Prokrustes adalah sosok berjiwa kejam yang menjamu tamunya untuk dibujuk tidur di ranjang miliknya. Jika tubuh tamunya terlalu panjang, ia akan memotong kaki tamunya, dan jika terlalu pendek, ia akan merentangkan tubuh tamunya. Semua itu semata untuk membuat siapa pun pas di atas ranjangnya. Kita ibarat tukang jahit yang membanggakan diri karena bisa membuat pakaian yang benar-benar pas, padahal yang kita ubah adalah tubuh si pemakai. Kali ini, dengan menggunakan peribahasa, Nassim Nicholas Taleb mengajak pembaca merefleksikan kehidupan yang telah dijalani. Seperti halnya puisi, peribahasa memberi pembaca kebebasan untuk menyelami sendiri sebuah gagasan. Karena itulah, Taleb dengan bijak menyuguhkan peribahasa-peribahasa di buku ini untuk menyadarkan kita bagaimana keterbatasan pengetahuan manusia sering kali mendorong manusia untuk memaksakan suatu fenomena supaya pas dengan pemikirannya. “Pemikir paling keren di dunia.” —Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times (London) “Kecerdasan yang istimewa.” —Niall Ferguson, Los Angeles Times

Um clássico sobre tomada de decisão, probabilidade e incerteza, agora em edição revista e ampliada. Do mesmo autor dos best-sellers Antifrágil e Arriscando a própria pele. Um Cisne Negro é um evento que reúne três características principais: é altamente improvável, produz um enorme impacto e, depois que acontece, inventamos uma explicação que o faça parecer menos aleatório e mais previsível do que de fato é. Para Nassim Nicholas Taleb, esse fenômeno está na base de quase tudo que acontece no mundo — da ascensão das religiões aos acontecimentos em nossas próprias vidas. O incrível êxito do Google, por exemplo, foi um Cisne Negro, assim como o Onze de Setembro. Por anos, Taleb estudou sobre a forma como nos enganamos ao achar que sabemos mais do que na verdade sabemos. Segundo ele, fixamos nosso pensamento em dados irrelevantes, enquanto eventos maiores continuam a nos surpreender e a moldar o mundo. Esta nova edição apresenta um ensaio com ferramentas para navegar e explorar um mundo de Cisnes Negros. Elegante, surpreendente e com reflexões de alcance universal, A lógica do Cisne Negro nos mostra como parar de tentar prever tudo — e tirar proveito da incerteza. "Um estudo fascinante sobre como estamos constantemente à mercê do inesperado." — The Guardian

The landmark five-book series--all together in one boxed set The Incerto is an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision making when we don''t understand the world, expressed in the form of a personal essay with autobiographical sections, stories, parables, and philosophical, historical, and scientific discussions, in non-overlapping volumes that can be accessed in any order. The main thread is that while there is inordinate uncertainty about what is going on, there is great certainty as to what one should do about it. This boxed set includes: FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS THE BLACK SWAN THE BED OF PROCRUSTES ANTIFRAGILE SKIN IN THE GAME

The landmark five-book series—all together in one ebook bundle The Incerto is an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision making when we don’t understand the world, expressed in the form of a personal essay with autobiographical sections, stories, parables, and philosophical, historical, and scientific discussions, in non-overlapping volumes that can be accessed in any order. The main thread is that while there is inordinate uncertainty about what is going on, there is great certainty as to what one should do about it. This ebook bundle includes: FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS THE BLACK SWAN THE BED OF PROCRUSTES ANTIFRAGILE SKIN IN THE GAME

Die Weltbestseller des großen Zufallsforschers Ein “Schwarzer Schwan” ist ein Ereignis, auf das drei Dinge zutreffen: Es ist erstens ein Ausreißer – es liegt außerhalb der regulären Erwartungen, nichts in der Vergangenheit weist darauf hin. Es hat zweitens enorme Auswirkungen. Drittens bringt uns die menschliche Natur dazu, im Nachhinein Erklärungen für sein Eintreten zu konstruieren, um es erklärbar und vorhersagbar zu machen. In diesem bahnbrechenden Buch, das mittlerweile weltweit zum Klassiker geworden ist, entwickelt Taleb seine einflussreiche Denkfigur und Maxime für die ungewisse Realität, in der wir leben und handeln. Talebs Weltbestseller – „Der Schwarze Schwan: Die Macht höchst unwahrscheinlicher Ereignisse“ und „Der Schwarze Schwan: Konsequenzen aus der Krise“ – in einem Band und eingeleitet mit einem neuen Essay des Autors »Eines der zwölf einflussreichsten Bücher seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg.« (Sunday Times) »›Der Schwarze Schwan‹ hat meine Sicht auf die Welt verändert.« (Daniel Kahneman, Nobelpreisträger) Der Weltbestseller: übersetzt in 33 Sprachen mit über 3 Millionen verkauften Exemplaren »Taleb zerpflückt mit großer Lust und einem guten Schuss Polemik unseren offenbar unerschütterlichen Glauben an die Vorhersehbarkeit von Ereignissen.« (SWR)

Sommes-nous vraiment capables de distinguer le génie visionnaire de l''imbécile chanceux ? Pourquoi nous obstinons-nous à vouloir trouver des messages sensés dans des événements dus au seul hasard ? Et n''aurions-nous pas une fâcheuse tendance à ordonner le réel selon une routine mentale biaisée, plutôt que de le voir tel qu''il est, avec toute son incertitude ? S''inspirant de disciplines aussi diverses que la littérature, la philosophie, la théorie des probabilités, la science cognitive et la finance, Nassim Nicholas Taleb montre comment notre esprit nous conduit à voir le monde comme beaucoup plus prévisible qu''il ne l''est...

ÒThe Black Swan mengubah pandangan saya tentang bagaimana dunia bekerja.Ó ÑDaniel Kahneman, peraih Hadiah Nobel ÒMembuka pikiran... sebuah masterpiece.Ó ÑChris Anderson, penulis The Long Tail ÒSungguh memikat.Ó ÑFinancial Times Apa kesamaan antara penemuan roda, Pompeii, kehancuran Wall Street, Harry Potter, dan Internet? Mengapa kita sebenarnya tak perlu mengejar-ngejar bus dan kereta atau membaca koran? Mengapa hampir semua peramal tren ekonomi adalah pembual? Buku ini tentang Black Swan: peristiwa acak yang mendasari hidup kita, dari munculnya buku-buku bestseller hingga bencana dunia. Dampak peristiwa-peristiwa tersebut amat besar, nyaris mustahil diprediksi; namun setelah terjadi, kita selalu berusaha merasionalisasinya. Salah satu contoh Black Swan adalah kejatuhan pasar saham dunia pada tahun 2008Ñsesuatu yang telah diendus dalam buku ini. The Black Swan menunjukkan kepada kita mengapa kita mesti berhenti berusaha memprediksi segala sesuatu dan justru mengambil keuntungan dari ketidakpastian.

Do autor dos best-sellers A lógica do Cisne Negro e Arriscando a própria pele, Antifrágil revela como prosperar em um mundo de incertezas. Em nova tradução. Em A lógica do Cisne Negro, Taleb demonstrou que acontecimentos altamente improváveis e imprevisíveis dominam a nossa existência. Em Antifrágil, o autor confere um novo conceito à incerteza, tornando-a desejável e até mesmo necessária. Assim como ficamos fisicamente mais fortes quando submetidos à tensão, muitas coisas se beneficiam do estresse, da desordem e da volatilidade. O que Taleb identificou e chama de antifrágil não só tira proveito do caos, como precisa dele para sobreviver e florescer. O antifrágil está além do resiliente e do robusto. Estes resistem a choques e permanecem os mesmos; o antifrágil, por sua vez, se torna cada vez melhor. Além disso, ele é imune a erros de previsão e está protegido de eventos adversos. xtremamente ambicioso e multidisciplinar, Antifrágil é sobre como se comportar — e prosperar — em um mundo cheio de imprevistos. Erudita e espirituosa, a mensagem de Taleb é revolucionária: o que não é antifrágil certamente sucumbirá. "Mudou a minha visão de como o mundo funciona." — Daniel Kahneman, prêmio Nobel de economia e autor de Rápido e devagar "Ambicioso e provocador... Extremamente divertido." — The Economist "A voz mais profética de todos os tempos. Taleb é um filósofo genuinamente importante. Alguém capaz de mudar a maneira como enxergamos a estrutura do mundo somente com a força, originalidade e veracidade de suas ideias." — GQ "Modificou o pensamento moderno." — The Times (Londres)

The Logic and Statistics of Fat Tails is the definitive source on fat-tailed distribution and an essential technical read for students, accountants and those working in finance.

En uno de sus libros más provocadores, el famoso pensador Nassim Nicholas Taleb redefine lo que significa comprender el mundo, tener éxito en una profesión, contribuir a una sociedad justa y equitativa, detectar el absurdo e influir en los demás. Citando ejemplos que van desde Hammurabi a Séneca, o del gigante Anteo a Donald Trump, Taleb demuestra cómo la voluntad de aceptar los propios riesgos es un atributo esencial de héroes, santos e individuos prósperos en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad. Un desafío a las antiguas creencias sobre los valores de aquellos que dirigen las intervenciones militares, realizan inversiones financieras y difunden credos religiosos.

Talebova zatím nejprovokativnější a zároveň nejpraktičtěji zaměřená kniha navazuje svým záběrem na bestsellery Černá labuť a Antifragilita. Autor znovu definuje, co znamená rozumět světu, být úspěšný ve své profesi, být prospěšný férové a spravedlivé společnosti nebo odhalit nesmysl. Citacemi od Chamurappiho přes Seneku až k Donaldu Trumpovi dokládá, že základním atributem hrdinů, světců a úspěšných lidí je ochota riskovat. Bez skrupulí problematizuje hodnotu zažitých ikon úspěchu: vojevůdců, bohatých investorů či hlasatelů náboženské víry. "Jestliže se těšíte výsadám, musíte zároveň podstupovat určité riziko a nenechávat cenu za vlastní chyby platit ostatní," říká Taleb. Kniha Nasadit vlastní kůži se věnuje čtyřem tématům: a) nejistotě a spolehlivosti poznání neboli detekci hovadin, b) symetrii lidského konání, tedy férovosti, spravedlnosti, odpovědnosti a vzájemnosti, c) sdělování informací v obchodním styku a d) racionalitě v komplexních systémech a ve skutečném světě. Tato kniha se celá točí kolem skutečnosti, že v reálném světě se od sebe jen obtížně odděluje mravnost na jedné straně od kompetentnosti na straně druhé. Autor si pokládá otázky jako: Čím to, že dnes máme víc otroků než v dobách starověkého Říma? Proč si vybrat chirurga, který nevypadá jako chirurg? Proč nás historikové matou, když píší o válkách, nikoli o dobách míru? Jak to, že se nám kandidáti na politické funkce s jasně pokřiveným charakterem jeví skutečnější než byrokraté s bezvadným životopisem? Proč uctíváme Hannibala? Čím to, že firma zkrachuje, jakmile do ní nastoupí profesionální manažer s cílem jí prospívat? Jak by měla být řízena diplomacie? O jakou hloubkovou logiku se opírá přijímání rizika?

«Si por la mañana sabes cómo será tu día con alguna precisión, es que estás un poco muerto: cuanta más precisión, más muerto estás.» Cada aforismo incluido en este libro trata sobre un lecho de Procusto: los humanos, frente a los límites de nuestro conocimiento, lo invisible y lo desconocido, resolvemos la tensión al exprimir la vida y el mundo en ideas genéricas, categorías reductivas y términos específicos. Solo al abrazar lo inesperado y aceptar lo que no sabemos, podemos ver el mundo tal como es.

《紐約時報》亞馬遜非文學類 No. 1 暢銷書 解決風險、不透明、隨機問題的「不確定系列」第五部曲 繼《黑天鵝效應》《反脆弱》，塔雷伯最大膽、顛覆之作 面對不確定世界，空口說白話的人太多 在混亂與隨機的世局裡 揭穿日常生活隱藏的不對稱 擁抱風險，互利共贏 「切膚之痛」（Skin in the Game）說的是，別管人們說什麼，只看他們做什麼，冒多大風險。 塔雷伯在這本迄今最挑釁、最務實的著作中，用詞尖刻、犀利、直言不諱，拆穿沒有切膚之痛的人──例如：政客、政府官僚、銀行家、分析師、企業高管、學究等的把戲，這些人從來不必為所採取的行動造成的後果，付出代價。風險承擔的不對稱，會導致失衡，將可能引發系統性崩壞。更重要的是，不該以犧牲他人來取得反脆弱。 書裡引用的例子，從漢摩拉比到塞內加，巨人安泰俄斯到川普，羅伯特．魯賓到湯瑪斯．皮凱提，塔雷伯以此闡述，勇於承擔風險，對等互惠，才是真有「切膚之痛」這一概念，它是風險管理的骨幹，與我們生活或工作的各層面息息相關。本書重新定義，我們如何了解這個世界、專業上的成功、對公平和公正的社會有所貢獻、察覺胡說八道和影響別人，是什麼意思；以及如何使社會強固、甚至對黑天鵝事件免疫。 塔雷伯的文筆一向平易近人又不彈老調，精彩剖析生活裡隱藏的種種不對稱，在本書中直擊那些帶頭鼓吹軍事干預、從事金融投資，以及宣揚宗教信仰的人；挑戰長久以來占據主導地位的價值觀，以及我們對於世界的既定理解，還有風險與報酬、政治與宗教、財務與個人責任的根本信念： 談到社會公義時，重點放在對稱和風險分攤上；倫理規則不是放諸四海皆準；提防（某個人支領薪酬去尋找的）複雜解決方案；你有多相信某件事情，只表現在你願意為它冒什麼風險上；這個世界不是靠共識運轉，而是由頑固的少數，將他們的品味和倫理道德強加在別人身上。 每個人都該具備的風險意識：任何事情，要玩真的，不能沒有切膚之痛。 避免別人轉嫁風險，玩你的命，如果對方沒有切膚之痛，欠缺利益攸關，不擔風險，就別讓他做決定、掌握權力與影響力。

Cigni neri si sono moltiplicati e hanno oscurato il cielo. L''uccello simbolo dell'' «evento imprevedibile di grande impatto» teorizzato da Nassim Nicholas Taleb negli anni è stato usato per legittimare i buchi di bilancio lasciati da banchieri premiati con buonuscite milionarie, giustificare i mercati di schiavi nati dalle ceneri degli interventi militari occidentali o autoassolversi di fronte a votazioni dagli esiti clamorosi come il referendum sulla Brexit. Ma davvero tutto questo era – è – inevitabile? E se invece si trattasse solo di una diffusa mancata assunzione di responsabilità? Se l''antidoto al Cigno nero fosse correre sul serio dei rischi? «Non conta ciò che si possiede ma ciò che si rischia di perdere.» Che si tratti di decidere se cambiare lavoro, lasciare il vecchio fidanzato o concorrere per diventare il prossimo presidente degli Stati Uniti, spiega Taleb, avvicinarsi alla fiamma (e rischiare di scottarsi) è sempre più fruttuoso che rimanere immobili (e congelare). E anche più etico. Ogni rischio è infatti una scelta di fronte a un burrone: l''unico modo per andare avanti è saltare, ma se si fallisce non ci sarà nessun altro a pagarne le conseguenze. Con Rischiare grosso Taleb torna a interrogarsi sulle dinamiche della società contemporanea e offre nuove soluzioni radicali ai problemi della vita di tutti i giorni così come alle storture di politica, economia e informazione. Con il suo consueto stile provocatorio, che unisce l''ironia ad argomentazioni sempre pragmatiche e dirette, e attraversando la storia con riletture iconoclaste e innovative – dal codice di Hammurabi a Immanuel Kant, da Annibale a Donald Trump, da Gesù Cristo fino agli estremisti religiosi di oggi –, Taleb riflette sull''asimmetria nascosta tra la decisione di correre un rischio e la reale capacità di affrontarne le conseguenze, risponde agli interrogativi emersi dopo la crisi economica e anticipa gli scenari di domani. Rischiare grosso è un''opera spaventosa e illuminante che, come una nuova rivoluzione copernicana, ribalta ogni paradigma nella nostra gestione della quotidianità e degli affari. Che l''obiettivo sia migliorare la nostra vita o evitare la prossima crisi globale, rischiare grosso non è solo un''opzione percorribile: è l''unica strada.

Best-seller do New York Times. Do mesmo autor de A lógica do cisne negro, uma obra corajosa, que desafia muitas das nossas crenças sobre risco, recompensa, política, religião e finanças. "Nunca confie em alguém que não arrisca a própria pele", diz Taleb. Por que não devemos escutar pessoas que só falam em vez de agir? Por que empresas entram em falência? Por que existem mais escravos hoje do que nos tempos romanos? Por que impor a democracia em outros países nunca funciona? A resposta: muitas das pessoas que estão no comando do mundo não arriscam a própria pele. Neste livro provocativo, Nassim Nicholas Taleb mostra que colocar a pele em jogo se aplica a todos os aspectos da vida. Tem a ver com ter algo a perder e correr riscos. Em seu estilo belicoso e inimitável, Taleb cria uma estrutura surpreendente para entendermos esta ideia. Assim como A lógica do cisne negro na crise financeira de 2007, Arriscando a própria pele chega, em 2018, no momento exato para nos desafiar e nos fazer repensar tudo aquilo que imaginávamos saber.

Warum wir nur denen vertrauen sollten, die etwas zu verlieren haben Zu viele Menschen mit Macht und Einfluss, so Nassim Nicholas Taleb, müssen nicht wirklich den Kopf hinhalten für das, was sie tun und veranlassen. Intellektuelle, Journalisten, Bürokraten, Banker – sie vor allem haben kein »Skin in the Game« und entscheiden daher schlecht. Taleb zeigt, wie »Skin in the Game«, ein fundamentales Konzept des Risikomanagements, auf alle Bereiche des Lebens übertragen werden kann. Und er fordert uns heraus, alles, was wir über Risiko und Verantwortung zu wissen glauben, neu zu denken.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A bold work from the author of The Black Swan that challenges many of our long-held beliefs about risk and reward, politics and religion, finance and personal responsibility In his most provocative and practical book yet, one of the foremost thinkers of our time redefines what it means to understand the world, succeed in a profession, contribute to a fair and just society, detect nonsense, and influence others. Citing examples ranging from Hammurabi to Seneca, Antaeus the Giant to Donald Trump, Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows how the willingness to accept one’s own risks is an essential attribute of heroes, saints, and flourishing people in all walks of life. As always both accessible and iconoclastic, Taleb challenges long-held beliefs about the values of those who spearhead military interventions, make financial investments, and propagate religious faiths. Among his insights: • For social justice, focus on symmetry and risk sharing. You cannot make profits and transfer the risks to others, as bankers and large corporations do. You cannot get rich without owning your own risk and paying for your own losses. Forcing skin in the game corrects this asymmetry better than thousands of laws and regulations. • Ethical rules aren’t universal. You’re part of a group larger than you, but it’s still smaller than humanity in general. • Minorities, not majorities, run the world. The world is not run by consensus but by stubborn minorities imposing their tastes and ethics on others. • You can be an intellectual yet still be an idiot. “Educated philistines” have been wrong on everything from Stalinism to Iraq to low-carb diets. • Beware of complicated solutions (that someone was paid to find). A simple barbell can build muscle better than expensive new machines. • True religion is commitment, not just faith. How much you believe in something is manifested only by what you’re willing to risk for it. The phrase “skin in the game” is one we have often heard but rarely stopped to truly dissect. It is the backbone of risk management, but it’s also an astonishingly rich worldview that, as Taleb shows in this book, applies to all aspects of our lives. As Taleb says, “The symmetry of skin in the game is a simple rule that’s necessary for fairness and justice, and the ultimate BS-buster,” and “Never trust anyone who doesn’t have skin in the game. Without it, fools and crooks will benefit, and their mistakes will never come back to haunt them.”

В своей новой, резко провокационной и одновременно предельно прагматичной книге неподражаемый Николас Нассим Талеб рассказывает, как важно идентифицировать и фильтровать чушь, отличать теорию от практики, поверхностную компетентность от настоящей. Вы узнаете, что такое рациональность в сложных системах и реальном мире, симметрия и асимметрия и в чем состоит логика принятия рисков. Наполняя новым смыслом привычные понятия, такие как "справедливое общество", "профессиональный успех", "личная ответственность", и не боясь задеть эго признанных кумиров, Талеб развенчивает лицемерные идеи и действия апологетов военного вмешательства, инвесторов рынка ценных бумаг и религиозных проповедников. На примерах Хаммурапи и Иисуса Христа, римских и византийских императоров, Сенеки и Дональда Трампа Талеб показывает, что самое важное качество, объединяющее прославленных героев, беззаветных святых и гениальных бизнесменов, -- не переносить риск на других.

Essai sur la prise de risque, le fait de répondre de ses actes et de ses choix, de tirer des leçons de l''expérience ou sur la dimension éthique du partage des risques dans les situations imprévisibles. Résumé

New York Times bestselling author Nassim Taleb''s landmark Incerto series - Antifragile, The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, The Bed of Procrustes - gathered together for the first time, in a beautifully designed box set.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series is an investigation of luck, uncertainty, probability, opacity, human error, risk, disorder, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand, in nonoverlapping and standalone books. All four volumes—Antifragile, The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, and the expanded edition of The Bed of Procrustes, updated with more than 50 percent new material—are now together in one ebook bundle. ANTIFRAGILE “Startling . . . richly crammed with insights, stories, fine phrases and intriguing asides.”—The Wall Street Journal Just as human bones get stronger when subjected to stress and tension, many things in life benefit from disorder, volatility, and turmoil. What Taleb has identified and calls “antifragile” is that category of things that not only gain from chaos but need it in order to survive and flourish. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better and better. What is crucial is that the antifragile loves errors, as it incurs small harm and large benefits from them. Spanning politics, urban planning, war, personal finance, economic systems, and medicine in an interdisciplinary and erudite style, Antifragile is a blueprint for living in a Black Swan world. THE BLACK SWAN “[A book] that altered modern thinking.”—The Times (London) A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear less random and more predictable. The astonishing success of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. In this groundbreaking and prophetic book, Taleb shows that black swan events underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives, and yet we—especially the experts—are blind to them. FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS “[Fooled by Randomness] is to conventional Wall Street wisdom approximately what Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses were to the Catholic Church.”—Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? Fooled by Randomness is about luck: more precisely, about how we perceive luck in our personal and professional experiences. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill—the markets—Fooled by Randomness is an irreverent, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining exploration of one of the least understood forces in our lives. THE BED OF PROCRUSTES “Taleb’s crystalline nuggets of thought stand alone like esoteric poems.”—Financial Times This collection of aphorisms and meditations expresses Taleb’s major ideas in ways you least expect. The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by either stretching them or cutting their limbs. With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical views of courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness.