Incerto 4-Book Bundle

Incerto 4-Book Bundle PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2016-01-26

Total Pages: 1377

ISBN-13: 0812997697

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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.

The Black Swan

The Black Swan PDF

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Publisher: Astra Publishing House

Published: 2000-05-01

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1101119063

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After his wife's untimely death, a powerful sorcerer dedicates his life to seeking revenge against all womankind. He turns his captives into beautiful swans--who briefly regain human form by the fleeting light of the moon. Only Odette, noblest of the enchanted flock, has the courage to confront her captor. But can she gain the allies she needs to free herself and the other swan-maidens from their magical slavery?A monumental tale of loyalty and betrayal, of magic good and evil, of love both carnal and pure, and of the duality of human nature, The Black Swan is a rich tapestry which is sure to become an all-time masterpiece of fantasy.

Incerto

Incerto PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House Trade

Published: 2021-05-04

Total Pages: 1873

ISBN-13: 059324365X

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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

Fooled by Randomness

Fooled by Randomness PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2008-10-14

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 1588367673

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Fooled by Randomness is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand. The other books in the series are The Black Swan, Antifragile, Skin in the Game, and The Bed of Procrustes. Fooled by Randomness is the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about business and the world. Nassim Nicholas Taleb–veteran trader, renowned risk expert, polymathic scholar, erudite raconteur, and New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan–has written a modern classic that turns on its head what we believe about luck and skill. This book is about luck–or more precisely, about how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill–the world of trading–Fooled by Randomness provides captivating insight into one of the least understood factors in all our lives. Writing in an entertaining narrative style, the author tackles major intellectual issues related to the underestimation of the influence of happenstance on our lives. The book is populated with an array of characters, some of whom have grasped, in their own way, the significance of chance: the baseball legend Yogi Berra; the philosopher of knowledge Karl Popper; the ancient world’s wisest man, Solon; the modern financier George Soros; and the Greek voyager Odysseus. We also meet the fictional Nero, who seems to understand the role of randomness in his professional life but falls victim to his own superstitious foolishness. However, the most recognizable character of all remains unnamed–the lucky fool who happens to be in the right place at the right time–he embodies the “survival of the least fit.” Such individuals attract devoted followers who believe in their guru’s insights and methods. But no one can replicate what is obtained by chance. Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? It may be impossible to guard ourselves against the vagaries of the goddess Fortuna, but after reading Fooled by Randomness we can be a little better prepared. Named by Fortune One of the Smartest Books of All Time A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year

The Black Swan

The Black Swan PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.

Published: 2009-10-13

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 0812979184

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In the author's point of view, a black swan is an 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, than it was. Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans until after they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is that humans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focused on generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and time and time again fail to take into consideration what we don't know. We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, too vulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, and not open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the 'impossible'.

Incerto 5-Book Bundle

Incerto 5-Book Bundle PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2021-05-04

Total Pages: 1345

ISBN-13: 0593243668

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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

Stalking the Black Swan

Stalking the Black Swan PDF

Author: Kenneth A. Posner

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2010-03-31

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 0231521677

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Kenneth A. Posner spent close to two decades as a Wall Street analyst, tracking the so-called "specialty finance" sector, which included controversial companies such as Countrywide, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CIT, and MasterCard many of which were caught in the subprime mortgage and capital markets crisis of 2007. While extreme volatility is nothing new in finance, the recent downturn caught many off guard, indicating that the traditional approach to decision making had let them down. Introducing a new framework for handling and evaluating extreme risk, Posner draws on years of experience to show how decision makers can best cope with the "Black Swans" of our time. Posner's shrewd assessment combines the classic fundamental research approach of Benjamin Graham and David Dodd with more recent developments in cognitive science, computational theory, and quantitative finance. He outlines a probabilistic approach to decision making that involves forecasting across a range of scenarios, and he explains how to balance confidence, react accurately to fast-breaking information, overcome information overload, zero in on the critical issues, penetrate the information asymmetry shielding corporate executives, and integrate the power of human intuition with sophisticated analytics. Emphasizing the computational resources we already have at our disposal our computers and our minds Posner offers a new track to decision making for analysts, investors, traders, corporate executives, risk managers, regulators, policymakers, journalists, and anyone who faces a world of extreme volatility.

The Black Swan: Second Edition

The Black Swan: Second Edition PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2010-05-11

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 0679604189

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The most influential book of the past seventy-five years: a groundbreaking exploration of everything we know about what we don’t know, now with a new section called “On Robustness and Fragility.” 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, than it was. The astonishing success of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. For Nassim Nicholas Taleb, black swans underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives. Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans until after they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is that humans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focused on generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and time and time again fail to take into consideration what we don’t know. We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, too vulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, and not open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the “impossible.” For years, Taleb has studied how we fool ourselves into thinking we know more than we actually do. We restrict our thinking to the irrelevant and inconsequential, while large events continue to surprise us and shape our world. In this revelatory book, Taleb will change the way you look at the world, and this second edition features a new philosophical and empirical essay, “On Robustness and Fragility,” which offers tools to navigate and exploit a Black Swan world. Taleb is a vastly entertaining writer, with wit, irreverence, and unusual stories to tell. He has a polymathic command of subjects ranging from cognitive science to business to probability theory. Elegant, startling, and universal in its applications, The Black Swan is a landmark book—itself a black swan.

Operation Black Swan

Operation Black Swan PDF

Author: Owen Parr

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2015-11-27

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9781519178220

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"...Well written with a topic that could not be more current - which really made it an interesting read. It''s also packed with action - a must for the mystery and adventure reader...""Owen Parr has spun a fast-paced and entertaining novel of international intrigue and action that centers on a carefully orchestrated cyber-attack .. paired with wide-ranging terrorist acts...""Parr eloquently uses rich and colorful settings, fictional characters and dialogue to produce a riveting, fast- paced canvass...""This book is not to be missed. If you enjoy heart pounding adrenal rushes and excitement, this is the book for you..."On a surveillance mission of a meeting in Mexico City between Cuban and Chinese officials, the Alpha Team of the private security firm Sect-Intel Group-former Delta Force soldier and team leader John Powers, computer whiz Joey Valentine, former DEA agent Jackie Allison, and martial artist Melissa Harrington-uncover a terror plot in the making: a group of twenty Jihadi terrorists is on route by Chinese freighter from Cuba to be inserted in the U.S. Learning of this, company president Alejandro Cardenas reports the news to the authorities. Soon, John and three other Sect-Intel employees are lying in the dark of a drug-smuggling tunnel below the Mexican border, preparing to capture two of the approaching terrorists.What Powers and Cardenas do not yet know is that they have uncovered the culminating stages of a combined Chinese and Cuban attack called "Operation Black Swan" that combines Jihadist terror attacks on American soil with sophisticated insider manipulation of the American stock market and hacking of sensitive American banking, commerce, and security firms. The purpose: to shatter the U.S. economy and bring on a financial crisis so devastating that the country loses control of its assets and becomes a vassal state of the world-dominating Chinese. Masterminding the cyber warfare aspect of the plan is Director Chen Lee of China''s Ministry of State Security, who directs New York-based financial tycoon Nikolas Akakios in the arcane manipulation of a select group of U.S. companies for the purpose of crashing the American stock market. Central to the plan to destabilize the U.S. economy is Cuban Colonel Abimbola Cruz, whose Directorate of Intelligence has provided the training and logistics for the Jihadi terrorists. The colonel''s motivation, however, is as much personal as ideological: years earlier, as a CIA operative, Alejandro was largely responsible for foiling a massive money-laundering scheme dubbed "Due Diligence" that the Cuban military maintained in coordination with the Jiminez drug cartel of Mexico. Also involved in the disruption of the colonel''s lucrative arrangement was then-DEA agent Jessica Allison, as well as investment banker Julia Muller Estrada Palma, who was unwittingly a pawn for the Jiminez cartel and is now engaged to "Alex" Cardenas.Soon after his operatives sniff out the rough outline of Operation Black Swan, Alex gets a chilling call from Colonel Ruiz: he has kidnapped Julia and Jackie from Mexico City and is holding them in a beachside enclave in Cuba. If Alex wants his fiancé to live, he will fly to Cuba and surrender himself within the next two days. But the colonel has made the mistake of underestimating the resources of a former CIA operative whose security company employees include former Delta Force and Navy SEAL warriors and a client who manufactures surveillance drones the size of bees and flies. Ricocheting around the world from China to Cuba to Mexico and drug cartel tunnels, CIA Gulfstream jets and Wall Street, Operation Black Swan tells the explosively plausible tale of the grim possibilities for financial terror inherent in the light speed transactions of stock market buying and selling-and how only a Delta Force sniper with the nickname of "The Hulk" and his Alpha Team stand between a strong and independent American homeland and subservience to a dominant Chinese state.

The Black Swan

The Black Swan PDF

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 9780713999952

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Startling, Profound And Universal, The Black Swan Will Change The Way You Look At The World. For Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Bestselling Author Of Fooled By Randomness, Black Swans Underlie Almost Everything, From The Rise Of Religions, To Events In Our Own Personal Lives. A Black Swan Is A Highly Improbable Event With Three Principle Characteristics: Its Unpredictability; Its Massive Impact; And, After It Has Happened, Our Desire To Make It Appear Less Random And More Predictable Than It Was. The Astonishing Success Of Google Was A Black Swan; So Was 9/11. Why Do We Not Acknowledge The Phenomenon Of Black Swans? Why Are We Unable To Estimate Risk: Falling Vulnerable To The Impulse To Simplify, Narrate And Categorize, Rather Than Opening Ourselves Up To The &Lsquo;Impossible&Rsquo;? For Years, Taleb Has Studied How We Fool Ourselves Into Thinking We Know More Than We Actually Do, Restricting Our Knowledge To The Irrelevant And Inconsequential, So That Large Events Continue To Surprise Us An Shape Our World. We May Even Be Hard-Wired To Learn Specifics When We Should Be Focused On Generalities. Now In This Revelatory Book, He Explains Everything We Know About What We Don&Rsquo;T Know. Taleb Is A Vastly Entertaining Writer, With Wit, Irreverence, And Unusual Stories To Tell. He Has A Polymathic Command Of Subjects Ranging From Cognitive Science To Business To Probability Theory. The Black Swan Is A Landmark Book-It Might Even Be A Black Swan.