Ten Lives

A revelatory exploration of the ways in which wealth – and the lack of it – shapes our lives, told through the stories of ten people, from award-winning data journalist and artist Mona Chalabi.

‘The most vivid and readable exploration of the wealth gap I’ve ever read’ BRIAN ENO

‘I lapped Ten Lives up – a fascinating, compelling read’ KATHY BURKE

‘Astonishing. I was rivetted from start to finish’ ALISON BECHDEL

Anna has a comfortable life thanks to her husband – until he asks for a divorce. Kristina faces a choice between raising her child and finishing her degree; growing other people’s babies affords her a way out. Tiffany, meanwhile, earns so little that the farm which is her greatest reassurance is also her greatest stress. Then there’s Jacob: he earns vast sums in finance, yet he's less concerned about what he has than what he could lose. Ten people, ten different incomes – all somehow afraid.

For five years, Mona Chalabi followed their lives, documenting how wealth shaped their feelings, choices, identities and insecurities. Exposing our various delusions and our universal trappedness, Ten Lives asks how much is actually enough to be – and feel – safe? And can we ever know how much we need, or what we owe one another, until we are more honest about what we have?

‘Cuts through the shame and silence around money to deliver an extraordinarily moving clarion call for honesty and connection’ KATE PICKETT

‘A gripping human drama – eye-opening, infuriating and visually sumptuous’ LAUREN REDNISS

‘Reveals with frank, engaging precision what we’re all really wondering about’ LIANA FINCK