Consumer Culture

In this signal work of history, Bancroft Prize winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Lizabeth Cohen shows how the pursuit of prosperity after World War II fueled our pervasive consumer mentality and transformed American life. Trumpeted as a means to promote the general welfare, mass consumption quickly outgrew its economic objectives and became synonymous with patriotism, social equality, and the American Dream.

An Other Kingdom takes us out of a culture of addictive consumption into a place where life is ours to create together. This way depends upon a neighborly covenant—an agreement that we together, will better raise our children, be healthy, be connected, be safe, and provide a livelihood. The authors invite you on a journey of departure from our consumer market culture. Discover an alternative set of beliefs that have the capacity to evoke a culture where poverty, violence, and shrinking well-being are not inevitable.

Few works of political and cultural theory have been as enduringly provocative as Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle. From its publication amid the social upheavals of the 1960s to the present, the volatile theses of this work have decisively transformed debates on the shape of modernity...

From “one of the great (greatest?) contemporary popular writers on economics” (Tyler Cowen) comes a smart, lively, and encouraging rethinking of how to use statistics. Today we think statistics are the enemy, numbers used to mislead and confuse us. That’s a mistake, Tim Harford says in The...

Denise Baudu arrives in Paris seeking work after her parents' deaths. Her uncle owns a small draper's shop being systematically destroyed by the massive department store across the street: The Ladies' Paradise. Despite her uncle's rage, Denise seeks employment there. She enters an environment transforming nineteenth-century commerce completely. The owner, Octave Mouret, understands that modern retail isn't selling goods but creating desires—women must be seduced through theatrical display, shopping must become entertainment. Émile Zola published The Ladies' Paradise in 1883 after ...

In the market for a home, but don't know where to start? Not to worry! From financing, mortgages, and credit scores to closing the deal, bestselling real estate authors Eric Tyson and Ray Brown walk you step by step through the entire home-buying process. Discover how to: Harness the Internet to...

The Mobile Wave argues that the changes brought by mobile computing are so big and widespread that it’s impossible for us to see it all, even though we are all immersed in it. Saylor explains that the current generation of mobile smart phones and tablet computers has set the stage to become the universal computing platform for the world. In the hands of billions of people and accessible anywhere and anytime, mobile computers are poised to become an appendage of the human being and an essential tool for modern life.

Unlock the hidden mechanisms that shape your choices, desires, and perceptions. Influence by Design: How Advertising Shapes Consumer Behavior and Thought takes you inside the unseen architecture of persuasion that defines modern consumer culture. This book reveals how advertising manipulates psychology, identity, and society—not through overt force, but through subtle techniques that feel natural, effortless, and even empowering. Drawing from theories in psychology, sociology, linguistics, and cultural studies, this work explores how attention is captured, how emotions are triggered, and ...

In the tradition of bestselling classics such as Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed and Benjamin Lorr’s The Secret Life of Groceries comes a character-driven exploration of the modern supermarket, unpacking what works and what doesn’t, and delivering a blueprint for a better way to shop...

One of Porchlight's Business Books of the Year | One of Vox's Best Books of 2023 | An NPR Book of the Day | Required Reading from New York Post | One of Nylon's 13 May Books to Add to Your Reading List | One of PureWow's 14 Books to Read for AAPI Heritage Month | One of W Magazine's 14 Books to...

The only user-friendly beginner’s guide to Six Sigma Six Sigma is the most common—and perhaps least understood—methodology for streamlining processes in manufacturing, service delivery, management, and almost any other business activity. For business leaders seeking increased efficiency...

An illuminating look at the way the thoughts we have and the decisions we make are influenced by forces that aren't always in our control Why are people named Kim, Kelly, and Ken more likely to donate to Hurricane Katrina victims than to Hurricane Rita victims? Are you really more likely to...

With updated information on new types of loans From adjustable-rate mortgages to balloon loans, this friendly, easy-to-understand guide helps you find your way through the home-financing jungle. Bestselling real estate authors Eric Tyson and Ray Brown cover everything you need to know about the...

Culture transformation expert Siobhan McHale defines culture simply: “It’s how things work around here.” The secret to the success or failure of any business boils down to its culture. From disengaged employees to underserved customers, business failures invariably stem from a culture...

Persuading other people to say ""yes"" is an essential skill in life—whether you're selling a product, an idea, or yourself. Packed with tried-and-true tips and real-life examples, this revised edition walks you step by step through the fundamentals of successful selling, with an emphasis on...

AMERICAN POP: ICONS — Disneyland: Building the American Dream Machine From the opening day chaos of “Dateline: Disneyland” to the timeless lure of Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland and the Architecture of American Fantasy explores how Walt Disney’s theme park reshaped American culture—not just how we play, but how we shop, remember, dream, and believe. This rich cultural history reveals Disneyland as both a beloved destination and a blueprint for the modern American experience: a space where nostalgia is curated, identity is performed, and entertainment becomes infrastructure. ...

In a vastly overpopulated near-future world, businesses have taken the place of governments and now hold all political power. States exist merely to ensure the survival of huge transnational corporations. Advertising has become hugely aggressive and boasts some of the world's most powerful...

AMERICAN POP: MOMENTS — THE MOON LANDING How Apollo 11 Became One of Pop Culture’s Greatest Hits On July 20, 1969, more than half a billion people tuned in to watch a ghostly figure descend a ladder and speak a line that would echo for generations. But Apollo 11 was never just a feat of engineering. It was the greatest pop culture event of the twentieth century, crafted, staged, and broadcast as a performance of American power, optimism, and imagination. This entry in the American Pop: MOMENTS series reveals how the Moon landing became more than history. It became entertainment, ...

"The challenge facing Christianity today is not a lack of motivation or resources, but a failure of imagination.A growing number of people are disturbed by the values exhibited by the contemporary church. Worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become...

A deeply researched, invigorating love letter to the beloved American Girl brand, its unforgettable female founder Pleasant Rowland, and her then radical, now iconic line of eighteen-inch dolls that surprised and transfixed a nation. Are you a Samantha? A Felicity? An Addy? Dive into the world...