way. He seemed to look at things not so much as an academic but as a very smart and curious explorer-a documentary filmmaker, perhaps, or a forensic investigator or a bookie whose mar- kets ranged from sports to crime to pop culture. He professed little in- terest in the sort of monetary issues that come to mind when most people think about economics; he practically blustered with self- effacement. "I just dont know very much about the field of econom- ics," he told Dubner at one point, swiping the hair from his eyes. "Im not good at math, I dont know a lot of econometrics, and I also dont know how to do theory. If you ask me about whether the stock markets going to go up or down, if you ask me whether the economys       vii An Explanat ory Not e     going to grow or shrink, if you ask me whether deflations good or bad, if you ask me about taxes-I mean, it would be total fakery if I said I knew anything about any of those things." What interested Levitt were the stuff and riddles of everyday life. His investigations were a feast for anyone wanting to know how the world really works. His singular attitude was evoked in Dubners re- sulting article:     As Levitt sees it, economics is a science with excellent tools for gain- ing answers but a serious shortage of interesting questions. His par- ticular gift is the ability to ask such questions. For instance: If drug dealers make so much money, why do they still live with their mothers? Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What really caused crime rates to plunge during the past decade? Do real-estate agents have their clients best interests at heart? Why do black parents give their children names that may hurt their ca- reer prospects? Do schoolteachers cheat to meet high-stakes testing