Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture »

Ellen Ruppel Shell is a correspondent for The Atlantic and has written for numerous other national publications. She also is a professor of journalism at Boston University, where she co-directs the graduate program in science journalism. She lives in Boston.

Atlantic Monthly correspondent Ellen Ruppel Shell uncovers the true cost—-in economic, political, and psychological terms—-of our penchant for making and buying things as cheaply as possible.

The New York Times - Laura Shapiro

Ruppel Shell doesn't conclude with any grand ideas for reshaping the world's economy…But she doesn't need to formulate grand ideas here. She's delivered something much more valuable: a first-rate job of reporting and analysis. Pay full price for this book, if you can stand to. It's worth it.

Introduction Gresham's Law 1

1 Discount Nation 7

2 The Founding Fathers 30

3 Winner Take Nothing 55

4 The Outlet Gambit 88

5 Markdown Madness 109

6 Death of a Craftsman 125

7 Discounting and Its Discontents 149

8 Cheap Eats 163

9 The Double-Headed Dragon 188

10 The Perfect Price 207

Acknowledgments 233

Notes 239

Bibliography 281

Index 287