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 the cheap labor of 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 motivating forces 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 prices of a vote in corrupt São Tomé and in the ostensibly aboveboard 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 in 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.
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"i was very fortunate to have won this in first reads contest and found eduardo porter to be an excellent researcher. there were all kinds of interesting facts and statistics. perhaps more suited for several magazine articles instead of a book but many things made me say "aahhh". i had some trouble following the thread the author was weaving but sure it was my fault for having to read some things a few times as his thoughts and his iq are sometimes hard to transfer to words and the way something is expressed. a good read, thanks."
— Gary (4 out of 5 stars)
" A lot of interesting ideas and also fairly well written. only problem is that it's a bit thrown together and doesn't flow well to the point of becoming confusing and losing focus. "
— Sarah, 2/11/2014" was an interesting reading this month, is seems it is true that every thing has its tag price from the pair of socks we buy to the kidney in our bodies "
— Mohammed, 2/1/2014" This is a book for people who know very little about economy or psychology. "
— Maeve, 1/27/2014" LOVED IT. Let's face it - I'm somewhat obsessed with economics and how prices effect our lives. This book does a great job breaking it down and discussing the price of everything from religion to healthcare. Thanks for the birthday gift, Mom! :) ~NR "
— Nick, 1/17/2014" This reads more like a textbook than anything else. And unfortunately, I didn't learn much. Some of the facts and figures are interesting, but too much of is spent in rhetoric and his personal views on them. Maybe it just has a bad title because, to me, it certainly didn't follow thru on that promise. He covers lots of subjects that can't possibly be quantified (faith, the future, women, etc.) and tries to put some value on them, but it isn't possible, so it falls flat. It might have been more interesting if he took some everyday items and at least used them as an example instead of this promising, but highly unfocused, approach. "
— Daniel, 1/9/2014" I'm impressed by the amount of ground the author covered. So many topics - well-done in a thought-provoking manner. "
— Clare, 1/5/2014" Not a heavy read at all. I enjoyed the stories and ideas but nothing was revolutionary or mind blowing. A great read for someone interested in economics but that has no formal education in it. "
— Ryan, 12/6/2013" Interesting book, but when it wasn't a recitation of statistics, it was clear he had a Keynesian bias even before he called him a hero and then bashed both the Austrian and Chicago schools. "
— Charles, 11/16/2013" Excellent review of microeconomics, irrationality, and bias in discussion of economics. "
— Smellsofbikes, 10/1/2013" It was an interesting read. Some chapters more so than others, but I enjoyed this economic view. "
— Kirsten, 9/28/2013" Very interesting look about society and money. "
— Aggie, 8/12/2013" Good for what it was. I don't think like an economist, so that might have been part of the problem. However, I know a lot of it was slanted by opinion as well...still pretty interesting statistics and information. "
— Sarah, 6/4/2012" Every single decision or choice has a consequence. We pay a price for everything we do - so it's up to each and every one of us to make sure we act in our own best interests. Mr. Porter explains the critical role prices play in our everyday lives. "
— Jennifer, 11/9/2011" The author provides interesting in-depth discussions of a number of fascinating economic value questions. However, he makes his point early on that everything can be evaluated in terms of "price" and then keeps hammering it home. "
— carl, 5/21/2011" This is an awesome economics application to real life book....if you liked freakonomics, you'll like this one! "
— Jenny, 5/10/2011" A lot of interesting ideas and also fairly well written. only problem is that it's a bit thrown together and doesn't flow well to the point of becoming confusing and losing focus. "
— Sarah, 4/25/2011" This book erects a number of profound question that most of us avoid answering or even thinking about because of the taboo associated with it or other tangible reasons. Very interesting read, and I highly recommend it! "
— Hashim, 4/21/2011" was an interesting reading this month, is seems it is true that every thing has its tag price from the pair of socks we buy to the kidney in our bodies "
— Mohammed, 4/20/2011" very informative in an understandable way for the most part. <br/>shows in a convincing way with proof of how irrational we determine the value of things and what we are willing to pay for things from tvs to culture to the future. "
— Jim, 4/13/2011" Very interesting look about society and money. "
— Aggie, 3/20/2011" This book started out well but then dragged on. A Malcolm Gladwell sort of book but Gladwell writes in a much more entertaining way. Two stars - just OK <br/> "
— Cheryl, 3/8/2011" I'd say that this is more of a book of economic history and perspective, rather than a book "solving the mystery of why we pay what we do." To that extent, it's OK, but I was hoping for more insight into "why we pay what we do." "
— Barry, 2/14/2011" Lots of interesting facts but also some surprisingly inaccurate conclusions, especially where a cause-effect conclusion is made only considering price/cost as a cause. Still worth a read. "
— Ruth, 2/11/2011" Interesting book. I particularly liked the chapter on the price of religion. "
— Cori, 2/8/2011" Fascinating! Can money make us happier? Read this, if knowledge is power we all need to be educated in this subject. Governments and companies are! "
— Horsenwz, 2/4/2011Eduardo Porter is an economics reporter for the New York Times, where he was a member of the editorial board from 2007 to 2012 and the economic-scene columnist from 2012 to 2018. He began his career in journalism as a financial reporter for Notimex, a Mexican news agency, in Mexico City. He was a correspondent in Tokyo and London, and in 1996 moved to São Paulo, Brazil, as editor of América Economía, a business magazine. In 2000, he went to work at the Wall Street Journal in Los Angeles to cover the growing Hispanic population. He is the author of The Price of Everything an exploration of the cost-benefit analyses that underpin human behaviors and institutions.
Walter Dixon is a broadcast media veteran of more than twenty years’ experience with a background in theater and performing arts and voice work for commercials. After a career in public radio, he is now a full-time narrator with more than fifty audiobooks recorded in genres ranging from religion and politics to children’s stories.