Imagine the most obnoxious tai tai you have ever come across – demanding and loud, dripping with bling, overpowering perfume; a total assault on all your senses. In the realm of books, this is exactly what Fooled by Randomness is. Nassim Taleb has an axe to grind with traditional market thinkers and like the extremely wealthy socialite in the classy restaurant, he isn’t afraid of gesticulating wildly and demanding that immediate and undivided attention be lavished on his ideas. And like the lady in question, there is no question that this book is rich. It is so laden and dripping with gems of ideas and knowledge that one cannot help but grudgingly admire and be captivated.

As with many high society women of leisure, trader, hedge fund manager, academic and self styled philosopher Nassim Taleb does not come across as an agreeable person. His biggest beef with the market is ...