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The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity | 
 enlarge | Author: Russell Roberts
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $16.30
You Save: $8.65 (35%)
New (11) Used (5) from $16.22
Avg. Customer Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 20359
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 216
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.7 x 0.9
ISBN: 0691135096
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780691135090
ASIN: 0691135096
Publication Date: August 17, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new book delivered from the UK in 10-14 days.
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Product Description
Stanford University student and Cuban American tennis prodigy Ramon Fernandez is outraged when a nearby mega-store hikes its prices the night of an earthquake. He crosses paths with provost and economics professor Ruth Lieber when he plans a campus protest against the price-gouging retailer--which is also a major donor to the university. Ruth begins a dialogue with Ramon about prices, prosperity, and innovation and their role in our daily lives. Is Ruth trying to limit the damage from Ramon's protest? Or does she have something altogether different in mind? As Ramon is thrust into the national spotlight by events beyond the Stanford campus, he learns there's more to price hikes than meets the eye, and he is forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew. What is the source of America's high standard of living? What drives entrepreneurs and innovation? What upholds the hidden order that allows us to choose our careers and pursue our passions with so little conflict? How does economic order emerge without anyone being in charge? Ruth gives Ramon and the reader a new appreciation for how our economy works and the wondrous role that the price of everything plays in everyday life. The Price of Everything is a captivating story about economic growth and the unseen forces that create and sustain economic harmony all around us.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Easy reading economics. December 14, 2008
If you are interested in Hayekian (F.A. Hayek) concepts explained without arcane language but with a flowing story line, this book is for you. Great book.
Very Believable, very instructive December 13, 2008
Wonderful book on the idea of emergent order. The reviews that say the story line is not believable because the fictionalized student wouldn't be this ignorant of economics must have never taught or had a conversation with a reasonably well educated friend who proceeds to utter economic nonsense during the course of a conversation. To you I say, "Just wait." That conversation is coming soon. I have taught college economics for almost 20 years now and have had numerous conversations with well intentioned, well educated peers who have prattled of utter gibberish when it comes to the basics of how market decisions happen. This book is not only a wonderful way to introduce economics to anyone it is also utterly believable. Thanks Professor Roberts. Great book
 The intricacies of emergent systems November 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The story builds itself around the ongoing dialog between an economics professor Ruth Lieber and Ramon Fernandez, a Stanford student of Cuban origin. Observing a large corporate (aptly named Big Box) jacking up prices of necessities after an earthquake Ramon turns sympathetic to labor activists. Ruth explains to him wisely, compassionately, and in detail that there are many more factors (and results) that are in play behind the incident.
The author as he evinces in the book's afterwords is an admirer of the economist Friedrich Hayek and of emergent systems. Ruth's words to Ramon are basically descriptions of the intricacies and the beauty of emergent systems.
While I can claim that I've learned how to appreciate emergent systems better, I can't really say that I enjoyed how the author delivered his story. I felt the book wasn't really a piece of fine literature as the praises on the back cover of the book claimed it to be (and there were many, from luminaries Paul Romer, Vernon Smith, Nassim Taleb, and Deirdre McCloskey).
"The Price of Everything" is worth the price! October 24, 2008
Excellent book! Want to have an understanding of economics beyond "those darn oil companies are price gouging" AND be entertained with an engaging story? Then read this book!
 My expectations were low October 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book exceeded my expectations. It gave me a few key points to make when the topic of "price-gouging" comes up around here (it always does.) I did not find it too preachy or obtrusive, I thought the story was coherent, and the characters likeable. I liked the questioning style. And really, any novel where Castro dies is going to get an above-average rating from me.
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