Economics is the study of who gets what and why. In an acclaimed and fascinating book - part exposé, part user's guide - the insightful Financial Times columnist demystifies how money works in the modern world, from the price of a cup of coffee to why efficiency isn't always the answer to the quest for a just society. From improving healthcare to solving traffic problems, The Undercover Economist delightfully exposes all these tricks and secrets. Harford gracefully explains difficult-to-understand concepts like demand curve pricing and game theory using real-life examples. The book addresses free-market economic theory, and Harford shows how companies from Amazon.com to Whole Foods and Starbucks are gouging consumers through guerrilla pricing techniques, and explains high rental costs (which have more to do with agriculture than you might imagine). The book is simple. covers complex economic theories in language. It will certainly be of interest to readers interested in understanding how free market forces work. The author's examples—sometimes entertaining, sometimes prophetic—will make you think twice before drinking a cup of coffee.