Wow! eBook
On Luxury: A Cautionary Tale: A Short History of the Perils of Excess from Ancient Times to the Beginning of the Modern Era
Author(s): William Howard Adams (Author)
- Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
- Publication Date: 1 Oct. 2012
- Language: English
- Print length: 232 pages
- ISBN-10: 1612344178
- ISBN-13: 9781612344171
Book Description
In this lively and unexpected narrative, William Howard Adams shows how our simultaneous distrust and embrace of luxury has pervaded Western thought for three millennia. He questions the effect of this unusual relationship and strives to explain some of our most complex and some might say unattractive traits as human beings.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Some today lust for luxury. Others snicker at it. In a world of outrageously concentrated wealth and dwindling natural resources, William Howard Adams helps us understand that both these responses doom us to dangerous dead ends. His insightful–and eminently readable–history offers up a far better path.”–Sam Pizzigati, author of
The Rich Don’t Always Win and editor of Too Much, an online weekly on excess and inequality“This is a delightful reflection on luxury and excess–from the ‘pernicious cash’ that the ancient Romans believed sapped their moral fiber to the gold-plated yachts and vast ranches of the modern super-rich. Adams offers some well-timed warnings here, but with a lively elegance and without preaching.”–Mary Beard, professor of classics, Cambridge University
“William Howard Adams’s
On Luxury is an intellectual and insightful study of what luxury is–its history, its evolution, and how it is in danger of extinction. A must read for anyone who wants to understand our consumer society today.”–Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its LusterAbout the Author
,”datePublished”:”1 Oct. 2012″,”isbn”:”9781612344171″,”numberOfPages”:232,”inLanguage”:”English”,”description”:”The Western world is fascinated by the new, the luxurious and the expensive. We are exposed on a daily basis to fresh ideas and innovations that feed what has become a constant hunger for the latest trends. This desire is not a new one – since Ancient Times man has sought to surround himself with symbols of power and wealth.In this lively and unexpected narrative, William Howard Adams shows how our simultaneous distrust and embrace of luxury has pervaded Western thought for three millennia. He questions the effect of this unusual relationship and strives to explain some of our most complex and some might say unattractive traits as human beings.”,”url”:”https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1612344178/”,”bookFormat”:”http://schema.org/EBook”,”additionalType”:”http://schema.org/PDF”,”fileSize”:”78 MB”,”accessibilityFeature”:[“login required”,”member access only”],”accessibilitySummary”:”PDF version available to authenticated members only. File size: 78 MB.”}
