Customer Reviews

Consuming Desires: Consumption, Culture, and the Pursuit of Happiness

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This book consists of a series 13 new essays by well-known writers on the topic of consumerism, together with an introduction by Roger Rosenblatt. About half the essays are sermons on the demons of consumerism and consumption. Mixed in with the diatribe are some interesting more informative pieces on such topics as competitive spending (Juliet Schor), youth consumerism (Alex Kotlowitz), ecology (Bill McKibben), publishing (Andre Schiffrin), and housework (Jane Smiley). Bharati Mukherjee contributes an Indian immigrant's view on consumerism, which hints at the lack of concern or comprehension about hyper-consumerism held by the population of one of the world's largest developing countries. If you are interested in consumerism (or preparing your own sermon on the topic), you may find some material of interest in this book.

I read this book two years ago and, like with any compilation, found some writers interesting and others bland. That being said, I find it fascinating that some use these "reviews" to shoot a book like this down; you may not agree with Juliet Schor's theory of what drives us to consume, or with Alex Kotlowitz's comparison of classes in downtown Chicago, and that's okay. This book is not about true verses false, but about expressing opinions on the why and how of social conditions. If you enjoy editorials longer than 80 words, this book may serve you well.