An Evening with Chuck Collins

A scathing exposé of the hidden impact of America’s ultra-wealthy on our social, economic, political, and ecological landscape.

Phoenix Books Burlington is thrilled to host celebrated Vermont author Chuck Collins to celebrate the release of his new book, Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet.

Chuck Collins is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies where he coedits Inequality.org. He is the author of several books, including Born on Third Base, The Wealth Hoarders, Wealth and Our Commonwealth (with Bill Gates Sr), and Economic Apartheid in America and Burned by Billionaires (both from The New Press). He lives in Vermont. 

About the book: 

Even if you don’t begrudge the ultra-rich their multiple vacation homes, fancy boats, and private jets, the truth is that billionaire power touches you –where you live, what you pay for housing, what you eat, and what news you consume.  In this explosive new book, Chuck Collins, a leading scholar of economic inequality, chronicles how the actions of the top .01% have severe consequences for the rest of us. 

Illustrating with humorous cartoons and shocking graphics how we are all “burned by billionaires,” Collins demonstrates how the über-wealthy have rigged tax policies in their favor, shifting costs onto working people while reducing public funding for schools, roads, and other essential infrastructure. In a world of have-yachts and have-nots, billionaire travel habits are literally burning up the planet, with private jets and boats the size of apartment buildings pumping disproportionate amounts of carbon into our atmosphere.  The wealthiest people’s investments in luxury skyscrapers and hoarding of residential real estate are shrinking the pool of affordable housing, pushing the American dream out of reach for many families.  Acquisitions of health care by venture capitalists are causing hospitals to close and even the cost of your dog’s trip to the vet to skyrocket. Perhaps worst of all, this concentration of wealth and power is leading to oligarchic capture of our government by a few extraordinarily wealthy people -- Elon Musk being only the most flagrant example – thereby undermining the democratic principle that our votes matter equally.  

Against this picture of rising inequality, Collins offers concrete prescriptions for how we can take power back from the billionaire class, creating a society of universal abundance instead of abundant inequality.

DATE: Wednesday, November 5 at 7PM

LOCATION: Phoenix Books Burlington, 89 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401

ADMISSION: $3. Your ticket comes with a coupon for $3 off one of the featured books. Coupons expire at closing the evening of the event. Tickets can be purchased at the registration link below, or at the door. 

BOOKS: Copies of Burned by Billionaires will be available at the event for signing and personalization.

Host or Publisher Phoenix Books