<p>&quot;The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and Life&quot; By Dixit and Nalebuff. It's recommended by Steven Levitt so I guess it is fun.</p>
<p>And also &quot;Thinking, Fast and Slow&quot; is a great book if you are interested in behavioral econ.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T22:42:27.383Z
2022-03-31T18:08:19.303Z
2022-03-31T18:08:19.303Z
The R
<p>I am not going to recommend a book but </p>

<ul>
<li>a <a href="http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/faculty/chwe/austen/dixit2005.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">short paper</a> by Avinash Dixit Prof at Princeton and published in the Journal of Education where it talks about restoring fun to game theory. He suggests using interactive games to be played in the classroom or in computer clusters,  clips  from  movies  to  be  screened  and  discussed,  and  excerpts  from novels and historical books to be read and discussed.</li>
<li>and an <a href="https://ncase.me/trust/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">interactive game theory simulator</a> that shows how trust and mistrust evolve.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Update</strong>
Let me recommend <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/20886/the-predictioneers-game-by-bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/9780812979770/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Predictioneer's Game</a>, written by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita a political scientist. A book praised by 2 Nobel Prize-winning economists!</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“Bruce Bueno de Mesquita has demonstrated the power of using game
  theory and related assumptions of rational and self-seeking behavior
  in predicting the outcome of important political and legal processes.
  No one will fail to appreciate and learn from this well-written and
  always interesting account of his procedures.”—Kenneth Arrow.</p>
  
  <p>“The Predictioneer’s Game teaches us that we can predict how a
  conflict may be resolved if we carefully consider the incentives for
  all parties in the conflict.  In an extraordinary range of
  applications, from ancient history to tomorrow’s headlines, Bruce
  Bueno de Mesquita demonstrates the power of the game-theoretic
  approach.”—Roger B. Myerson.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T08:30:01.210Z
2019-03-16T21:52:03.417Z
2019-03-16T21:52:03.417Z
emeryville
<p>I really like <a href="https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B00LZ7GQJQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">"Who Gets What — and Why" by Al Roth</a>.
This book is not about game theory per se, but about an important application of game theoretic concepts. Since you are doing a PhD, you do not need a book explaining the concepts. This book is about market design and incentives. I think it is a very accessible introduction to (and celebration of) the field. Even for non-economists it is an interesting read.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T13:39:15.187Z
2019-03-16T13:39:15.187Z
Bayesian
<p>In addition to other good books already mentioned, take a look at  <a href="https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0471168130" rel="nofollow noreferrer" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Gaming the Market: Applying Game Theory to Create Winning Trading Strategies</em> by Ronald Shelton</a>.  It is written from a traders' point of view rather than a mathematician's.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-02T22:05:48.320Z
2021-03-02T22:05:48.320Z
Dimitri Vulis
<p>Ken Binmore - Just Playing, is a nice read for evenings. It’s follow up Playing for Real is also enjoyable.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-02T21:33:42.117Z
2021-03-02T21:33:42.117Z
oyy
<p>I am looking for a book on game theory, but I am not looking for a textbook. What I am after is more of a narrative form book that still provides valuable insights about game theory that I can pick up for my night-time reading. I am in my first year of an Economics PhD program, so I do enough difficult reading/thinking during the day. What I'd like is a more heuristic breakdown of some famous games, light on math, that explains using more words rather than complex notation (of which I get enough of during lectures), or perhaps a book about events surrounding game theory over the years that can give me valuable insights into "game theory thinking." In other words, a book about game theory that isn't overly academic.</p>

<p>Any and all recommendations are welcome and appreciated. </p>

<reference-request><game-theory><books>
Game Theory Book
Jordan
# Game Theory Book

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-15)

I am looking for a book on game theory, but I am not looking for a textbook. What I am after is more of a narrative form book that still provides valuable insights about game theory that I can pick up for my night-time reading. I am in my first year of an Economics PhD program, so I do enough difficult reading/thinking during the day. What I'd like is a more heuristic breakdown of some famous games, light on math, that explains using more words rather than complex notation (of which I get enough of during lectures), or perhaps a book about events surrounding game theory over the years that can give me valuable insights into "game theory thinking." In other words, a book about game theory that isn't overly academic.

Any and all recommendations are welcome and appreciated.

**Tags:** reference-request, game-theory, books

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-15. Score: 5

"The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and Life" By Dixit and Nalebuff. It's recommended by Steven Levitt so I guess it is fun.

And also "Thinking, Fast and Slow" is a great book if you are interested in behavioral econ.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-03-16. Score: 4

I am not going to recommend a book but

* a [short paper](http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/faculty/chwe/austen/dixit2005.pdf) by Avinash Dixit Prof at Princeton and published in the Journal of Education where it talks about restoring fun to game theory. He suggests using interactive games to be played in the classroom or in computer clusters, clips from movies to be screened and discussed, and excerpts from novels and historical books to be read and discussed.
* and an [interactive game theory simulator](https://ncase.me/trust/) that shows how trust and mistrust evolve.

**Update**
Let me recommend [The Predictioneer's Game](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/20886/the-predictioneers-game-by-bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/9780812979770/), written by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita a political scientist. A book praised by 2 Nobel Prize-winning economists!

> “Bruce Bueno de Mesquita has demonstrated the power of using game
> theory and related assumptions of rational and self-seeking behavior
> in predicting the outcome of important political and legal processes.
> No one will fail to appreciate and learn from this well-written and
> always interesting account of his procedures.”—Kenneth Arrow.
>
> “The Predictioneer’s Game teaches us that we can predict how a
> conflict may be resolved if we carefully consider the incentives for
> all parties in the conflict. In an extraordinary range of
> applications, from ancient history to tomorrow’s headlines, Bruce
> Bueno de Mesquita demonstrates the power of the game-theoretic
> approach.”—Roger B. Myerson.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-03-16. Score: 2

I really like ["Who Gets What — and Why" by Al Roth](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B00LZ7GQJQ).
This book is not about game theory per se, but about an important application of game theoretic concepts. Since you are doing a PhD, you do not need a book explaining the concepts. This book is about market design and incentives. I think it is a very accessible introduction to (and celebration of) the field. Even for non-economists it is an interesting read.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-03-02. Score: 1

In addition to other good books already mentioned, take a look at [*Gaming the Market: Applying Game Theory to Create Winning Trading Strategies* by Ronald Shelton](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0471168130). It is written from a traders' point of view rather than a mathematician's.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-03-02. Score: 0

Ken Binmore - Just Playing, is a nice read for evenings. It’s follow up Playing for Real is also enjoyable.


---

