{"product_id":"crap-a-history-of-cheap-stuff-in-america-9780226664354","title":"Crap: A History of Cheap Stuff in America","description":"\u003cp\u003eCrap. We all have it. Filling drawers. Overflowing bins and baskets. Proudly displayed or stuffed in boxes in basements and garages. Big and small. Metal  fabric  and a whole lot of plastic. So much crap. Abundant cheap stuff is about as American as it gets. And it turns out these seemingly unimportant consumer goods offer unique insights into ourselvesour values and our desires.  In Crap: A History of Cheap Stuff in America  Wendy A. Woloson takes seriously the history of objects that are often cynically-made and easy to dismiss: things not made to last; things we dont really need; things we often dont even really want. Woloson does not mock these ordinary  everyday possessions but seeks to understand them as a way to understand aspects of ourselves  socially  culturally  and economically: Why do weas individuals and as a culturepossess these things? Where do they come from? Why do we want them? And what is the true cost of owning them?  Woloson tells the history of crap from the late eighteenth century up through today  exploring its many categories: gadgets  knickknacks  novelty goods  mass-produced collectibles  giftware  variety store merchandise. As Woloson shows  not all crap is crappy in the same waybric-a-brac is crappy in a different way from  say  advertising giveaways  which are differently crappy from commemorative plates. Taking on the full brilliant and depressing array of crappy material goods  the book explores the overlooked corners of the American market and mindset  revealing the complexity of our relationship with commodity culture over time. By studying crap rather than finely made material objects  Woloson shows us a new way to truly understand ourselves  our national character  and our collective psyche. For all its problems  and despite its disposability  our crap is us.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45253652643893,"sku":"ByrdShop_022666435X","price":33.62,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/crap-a-history-of-cheap-stuff-in-america-9780226664354","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}