The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis Summary
Overview of The Undoing Project
Explore how two brilliant psychologists revolutionized our understanding of decision-making. Kahneman and Tversky's unlikely friendship changed economics, medicine, and data science forever. Even Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey applies their insights - why do we trust algorithms over human intuition now?
Similar books to The Undoing Project
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
When Two Brilliant Minds Rewrote How We Think
Picture a Houston Rockets executive staring at his draft board, armed with the most sophisticated analytics in basketball. His model says one player is a "can't-miss" prospect. Every number screams success. Yet something nags at him-a shirtless photo showing the player looking pudgy, a nickname his staff gave him: "Man Boobs." Despite all the data, this mental image overrides everything. The player flops. Meanwhile, another prospect his model dismissed becomes an NBA All-Star. What's happening here isn't stupidity. It's something far more interesting: the systematic way our minds betray us, even when we know better. This is the puzzle that obsessed two Israeli psychologists, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Their partnership would become one of history's most transformative intellectual collaborations, fundamentally changing how we understand human judgment. When Barack Obama awarded Kahneman the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, it marked how thoroughly their ideas had infiltrated everything from medical diagnosis to financial regulation to how we draft basketball players. What began as abstract psychological experiments became a revolution in self-understanding.
The Refugee and the War Hero: An Unlikely Partnership
The Spark: When Certainty Met Skepticism
Mental Shortcuts: How Our Brains Take Dangerous Detours
Prospect Theory: Why We Fear Losses More Than We Love Gains
From Theory to Bedside: Saving Lives by Recognizing Bias
The Price of Brilliance: When Partnership Becomes Competition
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to The Undoing Project Summary in 8 Minutes
Break down key ideas from The Undoing Project into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 9 Insights from The Undoing Project in a Nutshell
Distill The Undoing Project into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - The Undoing Project Lessons Told Through 17-Min Stories
Experience The Undoing Project through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to The Undoing Project Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the The Undoing Project summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.