Customer Reviews

The Value of Nothing

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Some good points in the book but I do not agree with everything he writes.
Oh yes I would give the book to my Grandchild and then start to discuss about it.
I find the book has too many examples,"verzettelt" therefore a bit confusing, and too one-sided to prove his point.
Overall: Too much to the left, yet a good and valuable book to read.

I watched the author speak about this book on a morning Canadian TV show and it sounded interesting, so I bought it. In the interview he mentioned how a Big Mac, after adding in all the hidden costs relating to the energy and pollution costs from cow to table, is actually around $200. This part is covered in a few short pages in the book. He mentions that "Pesticide contamination, nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions are compounding the environmental debt of industrialised agriculture" and I agree. This argument is expanded on somewhat. He tells the interesting story of the Volkswagen share price defying gravity during the recent economic meltdown, causing short sellers to panic and endure great losses. However,in its entirity the book is far too academic and philosophical for the average reader, in my opinion. It does make some interesting points but takes too long to make many of them.