Inequality and poverty have returned with a vengeance in recent decades. To reduce them, we need fresh ideas that move beyond taxes on the wealthy. Anthony B. Atkinson offers ambitious new policies in technology, employment, social security, sharing of capital, and taxation, and he defends them against the common arguments and excuses for inaction.

Have you ever wondered about the staff in retail stores, supermarkets, shops, or showrooms? What are they like? What do they actual do? Are they any good at their job? Here is finally a humorous and witty book that explains the background of such staff. Margaret has put together a number of considerably sharp observations in the form of short stories, some are rude, obnoxious and shocking but mostly very funny. The setting is a Conservatory showroom at a Garden Centre in the university town of Cambridge. It is run by the national chain of conservatory installers called 'Conservatories R us', or 'CRUS' to the staff. The three local staff, Josie, Gordon and Tracy, interacts with, and against each other. Gordon and Tracy are not concerned with the customers, but more with getting to work on time, and spending the day how they want to. Naturally their home life travels with them to work, and their little personal problems soon come to the fore. Working for the minimum wage does encourage them to look at the world differently, especially if you can find coffee tokens in the bins next door, or hear of a better paid job. This book provides detailed characters which would be any employer's nightmare. They have ended up working in a job which is not ideal for them. Gordon and Tracy would rather be at home watching daytime TV, or on a nudist beach abroad. But Josie drives them forward, trying to keep the showroom clean and presentable at all times. This turns out to be a nearly impossible task. Finally Gordon leaves for a new job which proves to be a disaster, and affects the relationship between Tracy and Josie. Happily it all turns out well in the end, after a bit of a fight, well Josie thinks so. In amongst all the turmoil is the introduction of a computer, and more importantly, no training on how to use it. Soon Gordon discovers he can look at the risky websites, and Tracy finds she can chat all day long by emails to her new 'friends'. Who wants to do any work when you can slag-off colleagues all day long? An enjoyable book, funny, well written, a good read, and will keep you smiling from start to finish. You will never look at showroom staff the same again, ever.