Land of Desire, William R. Leach
Land of Desire, William R. Leach
List: $29.99 | Sale: $21.00
Club: $14.99

Land of Desire
Merchants, Power, and the Rise of a New American Culture

Author: William R. Leach

Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt

Unabridged: 18 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 06/25/2019


Synopsis

This monumental work of cultural history was nominated for a National Book Award. It chronicles America's transformation, beginning in 1880, into a nation of consumers, devoted to a cult of comfort, bodily well-being, and endless acquisition.

About William R. Leach

William R. Leach is a professor of history at Columbia University. His books include Butterfly People, Country of Exiles: The Destruction of Place in American Life, and Land of Desire: Merchants, Power, and the Rise of a New American Culture, which was a National Book Award finalist.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jordan on October 26, 2007

a damn fine book detailing the transition in America from a culture of need and use to a culture of want. Manufactured demand gets a good looking-at in this book. Leach also gives some good stuff about the beginnings of advertising and design used to entice people to buy shit they don't need.......more

Goodreads review by reine on May 20, 2021

I've recently gotten really into topics dealing with the sociological factors leading to common day ideologies, i didn't really take these topics seriously. I thought i was smart enough to understand history and to connect the dots and trace things back to what they mean with my "common sense", but......more

Goodreads review by Russell on September 02, 2020

"Land of Desire" traces the rise of American consumer culture since the late 1800's from several viewpoints: individuals purchasing goods, businesses retailing them, advertisers discovering how to spur demand for new items, the entry of fashion into mass marketing, and government encouragement of pr......more

Goodreads review by Adam on April 07, 2019

unbelievably boring......more

Goodreads review by Maggie on March 03, 2025

A book everyone who studies American history should read!......more