Empire of Things : How We Became a World of Consumers, From the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First

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, & this ever-richer lifestyle has had an extraordinary impact on our planet. How have we come to live with so much stuff, & 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 & late Ming China to today’s global economy. While consumption is often portrayed as a recent American export, this monumental & richly detailed account shows that it is in fact a truly international phenomenon with a much longer & more diverse history. Trentmann traces the influence of trade and empire on tastes, as formerly exotic goods like coffee, tobacco, Indian cotton & Chinese porcelain conquered the world, & explores the growing demand for home furnishings, fashionable clothes & convenience that transformed private and public life. The nineteenth & twentieth centuries brought department stores, credit cards & advertising, but also the rise of the ethical shopper, new generational identities and, eventually, the resurgence of the Asian consumer. With an eye to the present & future, Frank Trentmann provides a long view on the global challenges of our relentless pursuit of more—from waste & debt to stress & inequality. A masterpiece of research & storytelling many years in the making, Empire of Things recounts the epic history of the goods that have seduced, enriched & unsettled our lives over the past six hundred years.°°°Frank Trentmann is a professor of history at Birkbeck College, University of London. His last book, Free Trade Nation, won the Royal Historical Society’s Whitfield Prize. In 2014 he was awarded the Moore Distinguished Fellowship at the California Institute of Technology. Looks At The History Of The Growth Of Consumerism, Exposing The International Nature Of Its Expansion Through The Last Six Hundred Years, And The Challenges It Poses To The Planet. What We Consume Has Become A Central--perhaps The Centra--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 Trade And Empire On Tastes, As Formerly Exotic Goods Like Coffee, Tobacco, Indian Cotton And Chinese Porcelain Conquered The World, And Explores The Growing Demand For Home Furnishings, Fashionable Clothes And Convenience That Transformed Private And Public Life. The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries Brought Department Stores, Credit Cards And Advertising, But Also The Rise Of The Ethical Shopper, New Generational Identities And, Eventually, The Resurgence Of The Asian Consumer. With An Eye To The Present And Future, Frank Trentmann Provides A Long View On The Global Challenges Of Our Relentless Pursuit Of More--from Waste And Debt To Stress And Inequality. A Masterpiece Of Research And Storytelling Many Years In The Making, Empire Of Things Recounts The Epic History Of The Goods That Have Seduced, Enriched And Unsettled Our Lives Over The Past Six Hundred Years. -- Publisher's Description Three Cultures Of Consumption -- The Enlightenment Of Consumption -- Imperium Of Things -- Cities -- The Consumer Revolution Comes Home -- Age Of Ideologies -- Inside Affluence -- Asia Consumes -- Buy Now, Pay Later -- Not So Fast -- From The Cradle To The Grave -- Outside The Marketplace -- Home And Away -- Matters Of The Spirit -- Throwaway Society?. Frank Trentmann. Originally Published In The United Kingdom In 2016 By Allen Lane. -- Verso Title Page. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 693-799) And Index. "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 trade and empire on tastes, as formerly exotic goods like coffee, tobacco, Indian cotton and Chinese porcelain conquered the world, and explores the growing demand for home furnishings, fashionable clothes and convenience that transformed private and public life. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought department stores, credit cards and advertising, but also the rise of the ethical shopper, new generational identities and, eventually, the resurgence of the Asian consumer. With an eye to the present and future, Frank Trentmann provides a long view on the global challenges of our relentless pursuit of more-- from waste and debt to stress and inequality. A masterpiece of research and storytelling many years in the making, Empire of Things recounts the epic history of the goods that have seduced, enriched and unsettled our lives over the past six hundred years"-- Publisher's description

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 trade and empire on tastes, as formerly exotic goods like coffee, tobacco, Indian cotton and Chinese porcelain conquered the world, and explores the growing demand for home furnishings, fashionable clothes and convenience that transformed private and public life. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought department stores, credit cards and advertising, but also the rise of the ethical shopper, new generational identities and, eventually, the resurgence of the Asian consumer.

With an eye to the present and future, Frank Trentmann provides a long view on the global challenges of our relentless pursuit of more—from waste and debt to stress and inequality. A masterpiece of research and storytelling many years in the making, Empire of Things recounts the epic history of the goods that have seduced, enriched and unsettled our lives over the past six hundred years.

None None None None None Three Cultures of Consumption The Enlightenment of Consumption Imperium of Things Cities The Consumer Revolution Comes Home Age of Ideologies Inside Affluence Asia Consumes None None Buy Now, Pay Later Not So Fast From the Cradle to the Grave Outside the Marketplace Home and Away Matters of the Spirit Throwaway Society? None None None None None None None None None