On the Edge

"“Engaging and entertaining… Silver describes how the decision-making methods of the professional gambler have spread to encompass a wide swath of human activities, from cryptocurrency investment to the pursuit of a more ethical life. He offers readers an interview-driven tour of the parts of America where the outlooks and incomes depend on sophisticated forms of risk-taking. The result is a glimpse of the economy of the future.” —Tim Wu, New York Times Book Review “Silver had initially intended to write mostly about gambling but ultimately widened his scope as he became convinced that gambling might provide a framework for understanding risk takers in other fields. The result is a book that’s more interesting—Silver managed to land an interview with Bankman-Fried shortly before his arrest in the Bahamas—and more subversive.”—Max Chafkin, Bloomberg Businessweek “Endlessly informative and fascinating, On The Edge is an indispensable guide to identifying the most feasible options in a messy, hypercompetitive world of uncertainty and risk.” —Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post Gazette “A compelling read… Silver covers a lot of ground in this likeable, insightful read, investigating risk-taking ability and how it applies to blue-sky investing. It’s worth the price of the tour.”—Alan Livsey, Financial Times ""Silver compellingly theorizes that humans are in general too risk averse... a thought-provoking interdisciplinary book which covers a host of timely topics from artificial intelligence, political theory and what happens when risk takers go too far.""—Krysta Fauria, AP “Masterly… If you — like me — find gambling irresistible … [A] highly readable and engaging tour.”—Sam Freedman, The Times (UK) “A clever look into a unique realm. An enlightening study of the people who play the game of risk and win.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred) “Colorful and enlightening”—Publishers Weekly"