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Having and Being Had

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( 6,233 ratings, 922 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Having and Being Had by Eula Biss is an exploration of capitalism through the lens of personal experience. The author delves into the complexities of ownership, consumerism, and privilege in modern society, weaving together anecdotes, research, and philosophy. It's a thoughtful examination of how our possessions shape our identities and lives.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're interested in exploring the nuances of capitalism through a blend of personal essays and philosophical reflections. Eula Biss crafts a narrative that examines the complexities of ownership, money, and value, encouraging readers to question societal norms in economics with a thoughtful and personal touch.

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Celebrated writer Eula Biss pens a collection of personal essays on capitalism, class and consumerism

Celebrated writer Eula Biss pens a collection of personal essays on capitalism, class and consumerism.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Celebrated writer Eula Biss pens a collection of personal essays on capitalism, class and consumerism.

A timely and arresting new look at affluence by a consistently surprising writer.

My adult life can be divided into two distinct parts, Eula Biss writes, the time before I owned a washing machine and the time after. Having just purchased her first home, she now embarks on a roguish and risky self-audit of the value system she has bought into. The result is a radical interrogation of work, leisure and capitalism. Described by the New York Times as a writer who 'advances from all sides, like a chess player', Biss brings her approach to the lived experience of capitalism.

Playfully ranging from IKEA to Beyoncé to Pokémon, across bars and laundromats and universities, she asks, of both herself and her class, In what have we invested?

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Eula Biss's Having and Being Had is a captivating exploration of capitalism's influence on everyday life. Critics praise the book for its incisive questioning of concepts like money, work, and ownership, delivered with wit and intellectual sharpness. The writing is noted for its blend of autobiography and critical analysis, with reviewers highlighting its clarity, humility, and thought-provoking nature. Biss's work encourages readers to reflect on societal structures and personal responsibilities, offering an engaging blend of philosophy and personal insight.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922268013

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 September 2020

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 232.0mm

Weight: 430g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Eula Biss is the author of three books, including the New York Times bestseller On Immunity- An Inoculation, which was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2014 by the New York Times Book Review, and Notes from No Man's Land- American Essays, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism. Her work has appeared in Harper's, the New York Times, Believer, and elsewhere, and has been supported by an NEA Literature Fellowship, a Howard Foundation Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

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