On the Edge

Nate Silver maps the world of people who think and live by expected value, a group he calls the River, and contrasts them with the more cautious, credential-driven establishment he calls the Village. The first half explores gambling in detail, from World Series of Poker hands and personalities to sports betting and casino math, laying out the analytical, risk-embracing mindset that defines the River. The second half follows that mindset out of the casino and into venture capital, Silicon Valley, cryptocurrency, and the enormous bets being placed on the future of artificial intelligence. The book is both a study of how serious risk-takers reason and an argument that most people, in their careers and finances, take too little calculated risk.