Luxury Fever

robert h. frank

The turn of the twenty-first century witnessed a spectacular rise in gross consumption. With the super-rich setting the pace, everyone spent furiously in a desperate attempt to keep up. As cars and houses grew larger and more expensive, the costs were enormous--not only monetarily but also socially. Consumers spent more time at work and less time with their family and friends; they saved less money and borrowed more.

In this book, Robert Frank presents the first comprehensive and accessible account of these financial choices. Frank uses scientific evidence to demonstrate how these spending patterns have not made us happier or healthier. Luxury Fever offers an exit from the rat race, suggesting ways to curb the culture of excess and restore true value to our lives.

Genres economicsnonfictionsociologypsychologyphilosophymoneyscienceself helppoliticscultural

326 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1999

This edition

Format: 326 pages, Paperback
Published: September 5, 2000 by Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691070117
ASIN: 0691070113
Language: English

About the author

robert h. frank

Robert H. Frank is the Henrietta Johnson Louis Professor of Management and a Professor of Economics at Cornell University's S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management. He contributes to the "Economic View" column, which appears every fifth Sunday in The New York Times.