The Spirit Level : Why Equality is Better for Everyone Pickett Richard (2010)

Richard Wilkinson and Kate Picketts The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone examines why inequality affects societies more profoundly than overall wealth. Drawing on years of research, the book explores differences in life expectancy, mental illness, violence, illiteracy, teenage pregnancy, obesity and trust, arguing that societies with a wider gap between rich and poor are worse for everyone, including the well-off. It presents positive solutions for moving towards a happier and fairer future and includes a new chapter on the controversy the book has sparked. Richard Wilkinson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School and Honorary Professor at University College London. Kate Pickett is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York and a National Institute for Health Research Career Scientist. Their work was shortlisted for Research Project of the Year 2009 by the Times Higher Education Supplement, and the book was chosen as one of the New Statesmans Top Ten Books of the Decade.