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On the Edge

The Art of Risking Everything

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On the Edge

By: Nate Silver
Narrated by: Nate Silver
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Signal and the Noise, the definitive guide to our era of risk—and the players raising the stakes

In the bestselling The Signal and the Noise, Nate Silver showed how forecasting would define the age of Big Data. Now, in this timely and riveting new book, Silver investigates "The River," or those whose mastery of risk allows them to shape—and dominate—so much of modern life.

These professional risk takers—poker players and hedge fund managers, crypto true-believers and blue-chip art collectors—can teach us much about navigating the uncertainty of the 21st century. By embedding within these worlds, Silver offers insight into a range of issues that affect us all, from the frontiers of finance to the future of AI.

The River has increasing amounts of wealth and power in our society, and understanding their mindset—including the flaws in their thinking—is key to understanding what drives technology and the global economy today. There are certain commonalities in this otherwise diverse group: high tolerance for risk; appreciation of uncertainty; affinity for numbers; skill at de-coupling; self-reliance and a distrust of the conventional wisdom. For the River, complexity is baked in, and the work is how to navigate it, without going beyond the pale.

Taking us behind-the-scenes from casinos to venture capital firms to meetings of the effective altruism movement, On the Edge is a deeply-reported, all-access journey into a hidden world of powerbrokers and risk takers.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Nate Silver (P)2024 Penguin Audio
Career Success Decision-Making & Problem Solving Mathematics Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Hedge Fund Inspiring Poker

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Critic reviews

Masterly… If you — like me — find gambling irresistible, then this section of the book is utterly compelling. It is clear enough to be accessible to the layman but with enough detail and anecdotes to interest those who already know the basics. … [A] highly readable and engaging tour (Sam Freedman)
Engrossing… The River and the Village are among the more memorable and illuminating new social typologies I’ve come across in recent years… A meditation on risk, a study of those most comfortable taking it and an invitation for the rest of us to think about what it means that so much more of our lives now seems to hang on it (David Wallace-Wells)
A compelling read… Silver covers a lot of ground in this likeable, insightful read, investigating risk-taking ability and how it applies to blue-sky investing. It’s worth the price of the tour (Alan Livsey)
Nate Silver is that very rare thing, a celebrity statistician… in a class of his own… As a guide to our dystopian future, in which everyone is busy updating their priors and sizing their bets, On the Edge is indispensable (Ian Sansom)

An enjoyable ride (Idrees Kahloon)

Engaging and entertaining… A glimpse of the economy of the future (Tim Wu)
Silver had initially intended to write mostly about gambling but ultimately widened his scope as he became convinced that gambling might provide a framework for understanding risk takers in other fields. The result is a book that’s more interesting—Silver managed to land an interview with Bankman-Fried shortly before his arrest in the Bahamas—and more subversive (Max Chafkin)
All stars
Most relevant
A fascinating well written book taking the reader on a journey from the poker table to the probability of human extinction!

Mentally stimulating , scary and inspiring

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A tale from the front line of silicon valley. Nate Silver writes entertainingly. Has an eye for detail. But this an unashamedly subjective view and at times a bit like a collection of different pieces strung together.

From the frontline

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This book's expected value is positive, but don't expect a jackpot. Still, good read. I'd skip the polical section.

EV positive

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Performance. First audiobook I've had to dial back the speed to 90% rather than up to 110%.

Overall there is far too much detail with a never ending spiel of betting anecdotes, to support each message. To the point that it becomes very dull and the point lost.

If you are after a lot of poker, sports betting and casino stories then you'll like this, but it doesn't deliver depth of risk and behaviour in a listenable condensed manner.

This book could be condensed to a pamplet.


A book that could be a pamphlet

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Great book from Silver, lots of interesting points and discussions. If you liked his first book, this will do the trick as well.

Another great book from Silver

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