Willful

“[I]mportant.”—Gillian Tett, Financial Times Magazine 

“Carefully thought out and designed.”—Michael Liss, 3 Quarks Daily

"Indeed, Willful is a remarkable achievement. Despite starting from apparently a very distant premise, namely, rational choice theory, Robb has nonetheless managed to articulate an economic translation of existentialism. At the same time, his contribution is concrete; it allows us to include in choice theory elements of everyday life that had largely eluded economists."—Jean-Paul Fitoussi, International Review of Science

“Willful is a breakthrough in economics. Richard Robb’s tremendously insightful book shows how much of our behavior is not explained by existing theories of human action and explains in sparkling prose why understanding decisions made seemingly without reason presents a fuller picture of our world.”—Edmund S. Phelps, Nobel Laureate in Economics

“Richard Robb has written a provocative and beautifully crafted challenge to conventional economics, introducing the concept of will as an important factor that must be reckoned with in explaining the choices people actually make. Drawing on his unique experience as a trained Chicago School economist and as a trader in financial markets, he engages the reader in the compelling personal odyssey of his evolution of thought.”—James Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics

“In this clear and wise book, Robb supplements the theory of rational choice by showing how behavior that may seem stubborn or foolish can be quintessentially human, and not in a bad way.”—Anthony Gottlieb, author of The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy

“Willful provides us with an extraordinarily engaging and persuasive theory of action that explains why we often make what seem like idiosyncratic choices. A fascinating read for anybody with a shred of intellectual curiosity.”—David Folkerts-Landau, Deutsche Bank, Chief Economist