The book centers around Jagan, a sweet vendor in India who lives by the principles of Gandhi, and his relationship with his westernized son, Mali. Despite Jagan's efforts to provide a traditional upbringing, Mali rejects his father's values and moves to America to pursue a career in writing. The novel explores the generational and cultural clashes between father and son, as Jagan struggles to understand his son's choices and the tension between tradition and modernity in post-colonial India.

"Resources, Values, and Development" is a comprehensive examination of the interplay between the availability of resources, the values that guide their use, and the resulting impact on development. The book challenges traditional economic measures of development, such as GDP, and argues for a broader understanding that incorporates human welfare and freedom. It delves into the role of ethics in economics, the importance of individual capabilities, and the need for equity in the distribution of resources. The author's influential ideas on development economics and social choice theory are presented, advocating for a more humane and inclusive approach to economic development that prioritizes the enhancement of human lives over mere economic growth.