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Book Synopsis

“Empire of Things isn''t just an insightful and surprisingly entertaining read, but a crucial one.”—NPR

What we consume has become a central—perhaps the central—feature of modern life. Our economies live or die by spending, we increasingly define ourselves by our possessions, and this ever-richer lifestyle has had an extraordinary impact on our planet. How have we come to live with so much stuff, and how has this changed the course of history?

In Empire of Things, Frank Trentmann unfolds the extraordinary story of our modern material world, from Renaissance Italy and late Ming China to today’s global economy. While consumption is often portrayed as a recent American export, this monumental and richly detailed account shows that it is in fact a truly international phenomenon with a much longer and more diverse history. Trentmann traces the influence of t

Empire of Things

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    A Hardback by Professor of History Frank Trentmann

    10 in stock

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      Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 29/03/2016
      ISBN13: 9780062456328, 978-0062456328
      ISBN10: 0062456326
      Also in:
      Behavioural economics Market research

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      “Empire of Things isn''t just an insightful and surprisingly entertaining read, but a crucial one.”—NPR

      What we consume has become a central—perhaps the central—feature of modern life. Our economies live or die by spending, we increasingly define ourselves by our possessions, and this ever-richer lifestyle has had an extraordinary impact on our planet. How have we come to live with so much stuff, and how has this changed the course of history?

      In Empire of Things, Frank Trentmann unfolds the extraordinary story of our modern material world, from Renaissance Italy and late Ming China to today’s global economy. While consumption is often portrayed as a recent American export, this monumental and richly detailed account shows that it is in fact a truly international phenomenon with a much longer and more diverse history. Trentmann traces the influence of t

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