My new book Cheap:  The High Cost of Discount Culture (Penguin) publishes this week.  It's a narrative investigation of the history, science, psychology, economics, and societal implications of low price in America, very broad based and--I hope--what you would call a "damn good read."  This from an early pre-publication review:

"Just in time for the current economic recession, Shell  investigates America's fixation with discount retail prices.This highly intelligent and disturbing book provides invaluable insight into our consumer culture and should be mandatory reading for anyone trying to figure out our current financial mess. As Shell proves, the hunt for cheap products has hurt us all. Highly recommended for smart readers." --Richard Drezen (Washington Post) for Library Journal, Starred Review

I look forward to reading and responding to your thoughts on cheap culture...