A Richer Life

A brilliant critique

Robert Skidelsky, prize-winning biographer of John Maynard Keynes

Impressive. Important, very thoughtful and thought-provoking

Ha-Joon Chang, author of '23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism'

A splendid denunciation of the dismal science [of economics]. . . A fine book, on the side of the angels

Guardian

Very readable and entertaining. Roscoe bemoans the power of economics . . . using some intriguing examples to make his case

Independent

Roscoe is right to remind us that the habit of seeing all our problems in economic terms has fatally narrowed the range of motives to which politicians appeal . . . that the relentless drive to attach a market price to everything is undermining the realm of human values. His most important conclusion is that we must confine the economists to the asylums - universities, for instance - where they can do no harm

Roger Scruton, Prospect

An engaging read, and a powerful description of the many ways we have lost our bearings as a society. A Richer Life makes the case that economics has left us impoverished as human beings

Sunday Times

Roscoe makes a convincing case for the way economics has commodified and devalued aspects of our lives . . . exposing the flawed assumptions in the economic theories of some respected thinkers. He gives us a fresh and incisive critique of a doctrine still shaping our society

Observer

Wide-ranging and readable. Roscoe makes many interesting points about how we judge governments by market standards . . . via an insightful account of some of the problems of mainstream economics. A very engaging, erudite and illuminating account

Times Higher Education

It is true that we sometimes take economists too seriously, and that westerners may have lost something in their rush to replace community values with the individualistic ritual of market exchange. But Roscoe's more powerful argument is that we now approach sex and love in the way we might shop for a low-cost holiday on a price comparison website

Financial Times

A Richer Life's vision of a future world where we are each governed by economics is quite alarming. Despite the gloom, Roscoe concludes that economic-thinking shouldn't be dumped. It just needs to leave behind the dispassionate science.

Scotsman

An intelligent and tightly argued book . . . warranting close attention. There are some great examples in the book of how economic reasoning hides the true cost of things and narrows our decision making into simple profit-maximising

MakeWealthHistory.org

A radical, inspiring, agenda-setting critique that shows how neo-liberal economics has invaded every area of society, including our most intimate decisions. Truly revelatory

Sublime Magazine

Roscoe makes a powerful case that we need to change course

Christian Aid

Written with humour, wisdom and compassion, and investigating the worlds of work, shopping, healthcare, house-buying, online dating, politics and daily life, this brilliant and timely book exposes the true cost of economic thinking, points the way to some compelling alternatives - co-operatives, local currencies, non-Western finance, community - and draws attention to some other, timeless values that few of us have yet forgotten

Politicos

A lively, radical book that challenges dry, dismal principles and champions the greater values of charity and civic virtue

The Times

A fascinating book on so many levels. Timely and important

Scotsman

Loads of economists are lining up to slag this book off, which alone makes it an economically sound buy

Sunday Sport