SuperFreakonomics question

I loved the book, I listen to the radio show, and I'd be curious to read the discussions that come out of it. Will only students have access?

It's even better than the first! The first book is not needed at all in order to read it.

this one raised a lot of controversies. I for one liked it except for the chapter about the environment which didn't make an aorta of sense to me. In fact I thought less of the authors after I read the last chapter.

Now, if you have to read one book, read the first one, it is much better. if you want to read two read this one .

The book is okay from an economic standpoint (see link to harper collin's notes on economic principles covered in book). This book is an economic foray into sociology. It's certainly provocative. Teaching sociological take on the book, thus introducing critical, feminist, queer, and post-modern critiques, would be more difficult to manage in a class of undergrads. The great thing about freshman is that they are largely blank slates. Their response will be "from the gut." This would give a professor the chance to really explore the underlying economic principles in the book and broaden perspectives.
The book opens strong on the chapter about prostitution (BTW the chapter closes with the story of Allie who was brought up in the Southern Baptist church and served in the military - your patriotic answer). The unsafe to walk drunk was funny. The banking algorithms to locate possible terrorist very insightful. The fifth chapter on global warming widely discredited.
This type of provocative reading is routinely done in upper-tier sociology classes. Introducing it to a full freshman class should be very interesting.

http://files.harpercollins.com/OMM/Su...

Yes, worth reading without having read the first.
I agree with Harper, I also think it's actually better than the first. Or at least the subjects it touches are more varied.
There is one part about global warming which is VERY intriguing to say the least, I am not saying what they say is true, its just that it is quite original.

Worth reading both and you can read second without reading first one if you need.
I like these books because they gave a very sudden understanding of modern social processes.

It's a wonderful and insightful (as well as controversial) book...the first one is definitely worth your time as well, but the second book can stand alone too.