USING everyday examples of just about everything – from petrol to coffee to funerals to drugs – Porter’s illuminating book lifts the veil of consumer pricing and reveals some shrewd and uncomfortable truths.

According to Porter, the implications of economics show that some people are inherently worth more than others – Americans’ lives are worth 100 times more than Chinese lives, for example.

The Price Of Everything isn’t just a moral commentary but a fascinating insight into universal human behaviour, with little-known nuggets of truth and wisdom on every page.

As such, it’s a must for anyone with an interest in how we live, as well as how we should.

Sarah Warwick