As a public health practitioner in rural central India, issues of access to healthcare as well as cost, quality and equity issues have always interested me. Yet my day to day work has brought only a few aspects into sharper focus. This book caught my attention due to the interesting title and the promise by the editors that the book traces the role of the state and market forces in worsening health inequities. Working in a small part of the country where health inequities abound, I was curious to get a wider perspective on this. My hopes were fulfilled and I enjoyed reading this volume and learnt much from it. I would like to give the reader a quick tour of the book.