The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do
by By Porter, Eduardo
Category: Business & Economics , Economics , General

Everything has a price, but it isn't always obvious what that price is.  Many of the prices we   pay seem to make little sense. We shell out $2.29 for a coffee at Starbucks when a nearly identical brew can be had   at the corner deli for less than a dollar. We may be less willing to give blood for $25 than to donate it for free.   Americans hire cheap illegal immigrants to fix the roof or mow the lawn, and vote for politicians who promise to   spend billions to keep them out of the country. And citizens of the industrialized West pay hundreds of dollars a year   in taxes or cash for someone to cart away trash that would be a valuable commodity in poorer parts of the world.    The Price of Everything starts with a simple premise: there is a price behind each choice that we   make, whether we're deciding to have a baby, drive a car, or buy a book. We often fail to appreciate just how critical   prices are as a motivating force shaping our lives. But their power becomes clear when distorted prices steer our   decisions the wrong way. Eduardo Porter uncovers the true story behind the prices we pay and reveals   what those prices are actually telling us. He takes us on a global economic adventure, from comparing the relative   price of a vote in corrupt São Tomé and in the ostensibly uncorrupt United States, to assessing the cost of happiness   in Bhutan, to deducing the dollar value we assign to human life. His unique approach helps explain: * Why   polygamous societies actually place a higher value on women than monogamous ones. * Why someone may find   more value in a $14 million license plate than the standard issue, $95 one. * Why some government agencies believe   one year of life for a senior citizen is four times more valuable than that of a younger person. Porter   weaves together the constant-and often unconscious-cost and value assessments we all make every day. While   exploring the fascinating story behind the price of everything from marriage and death to mattresses and   horsemeat, Porter draws unexpected connections that bridge a wide range of disciplines and cultures. The result is a   cogent and insightful narrative about how the world really works.    Watch a Video