Ellen Ruppel Shell talked about her book Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture (Penguin Press; The (July 2, 2009). In her book she argues that our love of bargains has led to a market filled with poor quality products and an economy that increasingly excludes the working class. She talked about the psychology of consumerism and the history of consumerism and industrialization. She illustrated her talk with slides and read passages from her book. She also responded to questions from members of the audience at the Newton Free Library on Thursday, October 15, 2009, at 7:30 p.m.

Ellen Ruppel Shell is associate professor and co-director of the Knight Center for Science and Medical Journalism at Boston University. She is a correspondent for dozens of national publications including Time and Atlantic Monthly. She is the author of The Hungry Gene: The Science of Fat and the Future of Thin and A Child's Place.