Natural History of the Rich: A Field Guide

The concept (and cover) may seem goofy, but this is actually a clever and well-written examination of class in the modern world. By applying a scientific lens and examining human behavior as he might observe a society of frogs or birds, Richard Conniff examines the question of "are the rich really different from the rest of us?" He finds that, in fact, from the perspective of evolutionary psychology, they are a different sort of animal entirely. With humor and some subtlety, he explores this species' strategies for ensuring dominance, their flourishes of display behavior, their internal pecking order, and their sometimes bizarre mating practices. Among his conclusions: Being rich isn't all it's cracked up to be. Many comparisons are drawn to various animal societies, gossip is dished, and illusions are peeled away. Also, there are photographs.

(This book may contain a small, black sharpie mark on the bottom edge, so that it can't be returned to a different wholesaler.)