Darren Bloke is an ordinary, hard-working stiff until a lottery win changes--and ruins--his life. He squanders his windfall and loses everything but his beloved dog, Skittle. Then he is visited by the spirit of John Ruskin--a sharp-eyed art critic and reknowned "holistic" thinker from the 1800s. Ruskin shows Darren the true meaning of Wealth--not how to acquire it, but what is the right way for an honest human to deal with it. Further visits from Ruskin's spirit take him on a journey into Perception, and finally, he learns from Ruskin the true value of Work. In the end, Darren discovers the meaning of Ruskin's favorite saying, "There is no wealth but life."