"A complex and subtle depiction of a highly irregular conceptual terrain... Sher's discussion is sure to play an important part in future thinking about desert. It has many virtues, foremost among them its thoroughness and clarity and its refusal to dodge difficulties. It represents a stimulating and educative contribution to several different areas of philosophical debate, and on all these grounds deserves to be widely read."--A. C. Grayling, Times Higher Education Supplement "George Sher's book is a comprehensive and constructive account of our pre-reflective intuitions of desert. Sher reviews the great variety of desert-claims that arise in connection with wages, prizes, honors, rewards, and penalties, as well as in miscellaneous settings, and elaborates a set of supporting justifications. The result is a clearly written, closely reasoned, often ingenious defense of desert."--Kenneth Winston, Political Theory "Although I realize it has become a clich to praise a book by saying that it should be required reading, I believe that from now on those who would write on desert (either pro or con), or who would presuppose some notions of desert in their writings on other topics, have an obligation to study Sher's book."--Jeffrie Murphy, The Philosophical Review