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windingdot's review against another edition
4.0
This is a comprehensive and sobering account of contemporary American retail culture, and how discounting has become pervasive, and what the consequences are for our economy and even our health. She delves into the history of discount stores, the psychology of shopping, agricultural practices, and more.
Some of the discussion I'd seen of the book made it sound as if the author was a straight up elitist, blaming ordinary Americans for wanting to save a few dollars. But I don't think that's the case. She discusses how the structural, institutional, and cultural environment makes it difficult if not impossible to avoid shopping practices that have negative consequences. As such, the book is short on "solutions" per se (be more like Wegman's seems to be the main one), but sometimes it's just as important to put the critique out there and get people thinking about their practices in a way they hadn't before.
This isn't a dense or difficult book (I read it in about a day). I recommend it (but you might want to get that Ikea trip out of the way before you read it...)
Some of the discussion I'd seen of the book made it sound as if the author was a straight up elitist, blaming ordinary Americans for wanting to save a few dollars. But I don't think that's the case. She discusses how the structural, institutional, and cultural environment makes it difficult if not impossible to avoid shopping practices that have negative consequences. As such, the book is short on "solutions" per se (be more like Wegman's seems to be the main one), but sometimes it's just as important to put the critique out there and get people thinking about their practices in a way they hadn't before.
This isn't a dense or difficult book (I read it in about a day). I recommend it (but you might want to get that Ikea trip out of the way before you read it...)
virtuallori's review against another edition
2.0
Wow, does this book need a good editor. And a good proofreader. (Hello, Penguin? I do both of those things professionally. Hint-hint.) Lots of irritating typos and other infelicities.
I'm fascinated by the subject matter, but I'm finding it really hard to slog through this one, and may elect to simply skim the rest or skip it altogether.
I'm fascinated by the subject matter, but I'm finding it really hard to slog through this one, and may elect to simply skim the rest or skip it altogether.
pearseanderson's review against another edition
3.0
Picked this up and learned a good amount about Ikea and shrimp and discounts/rebates, but I couldn't motivate myself to keep listening, often because Shell was going over topics I've already read deeper dives into. I probably listened to roughly 30% of this book, in fits and starts. 6/10.
antheasaw's review against another edition
4.0
WOW WOW WOW
This book. An absolute eye-opener and captivating from the start till the end.
I am a cheapskate, I admit. I'll head over to the discount rack whenever I am shopping (clothes/cosmetics). I am a sucker for low prices. The cheaper, the better. After reading this book though, I am contemplating ALL the purchases I'd made in the past and I'm just......
This book, it traces all the stuff where it came from. From clothes to toys to furniture to food etc. It's really astounding how much effort it takes to produce/make/export those items which we (developed countries) take for granted.
This is a must-read for everyone. I can't recommend this enough.
This book. An absolute eye-opener and captivating from the start till the end.
I am a cheapskate, I admit. I'll head over to the discount rack whenever I am shopping (clothes/cosmetics). I am a sucker for low prices. The cheaper, the better. After reading this book though, I am contemplating ALL the purchases I'd made in the past and I'm just......
This book, it traces all the stuff where it came from. From clothes to toys to furniture to food etc. It's really astounding how much effort it takes to produce/make/export those items which we (developed countries) take for granted.
This is a must-read for everyone. I can't recommend this enough.
echolanding's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It covers a lot of ground starting with the history of discount culture, touching on the psychology of price, and of course addresses the global consequences of "cheap." This book doesn't play the blame game, but instead just lays out how we got to where we are. As a quick side note, after reading this, I think I will give up shrimp and also shop at big box stores as little as possible.
alijc's review against another edition
2.0
Neither of us were particularly fond of shopping, and so may not have been the intended audience for this book. Some of the chapters were disturbing. I'd heard bad things about Walmart, but not about Ikea. And certainly not about Whole Foods. The psychology of how our brains deal with the concept of price was interesting and could have been expanded. On the whole the book was depressing, with a great deal of evidence of how we've dug ourselves into a shopping frenzy, and not a hint at what any of us can do to break this cycle.
gmaz's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of good information. Maybe too much. It dragged at times.
jcronk's review against another edition
3.0
This, along with "Omnivore's Dilemma" should be required reading. It covers the history and current practice of discount retail operations, including outlet stores, IKEA, and Wal-Mart, and discusses some of the environmental, cultural, and economic implications of their practices.
nicciobert's review against another edition
3.0
This was an important book to read, but it read more like a textbook than a lot of popular non-fiction books. I learned a lot, but it was not a particularly entertaining read; I know that's not always the point, but I wish I'd been more prepared before I opened the cover.
Entertainment value aside, the book was very accessible, even for someone who somehow manage to take zero business/economics classes in college. Very enlightening discussion on how our economy has changed in such a way that the rich keep getting richer and eliminating more and more jobs, keeping the poor poorer.
Entertainment value aside, the book was very accessible, even for someone who somehow manage to take zero business/economics classes in college. Very enlightening discussion on how our economy has changed in such a way that the rich keep getting richer and eliminating more and more jobs, keeping the poor poorer.