What do psychopaths and expenses-fiddling MPs have in common? How can ebay save the economy? Why does a stranger influence your private life? The answer is reputation. 'This book is about how we work out how to trust people. And its flipside: how can I get other people to trust me? And if I can't, why not?' But there's plenty more to the essence of reputation. People Will Talk surveys experiments and theories of animal behaviour, economics, philosophy, sociology and literature in a deft explanation of our social behaviour - which holds some important lessons for everyday life. John Whitfield uncovers the central role reputation has always played, without us really noticing. He reveals exactly how much it influences human development and behaviour, including your reading of this book, and even explains some of the surreal social dynamics behind today's risk-taking bankers and obnoxiously-behaved celebrities.