{"product_id":"9781551521435","title":"Spree: A Cultural History of Shopping","description":"\u003cp\u003eTen years ago, Faith Popcorn declared \"the end of shopping\" in her bestselling book \u003ci\u003eThe Popcorn Report\u003c\/i\u003e . But from the looks of things, shopping is as pervasive as ever; we are a culture obsessed and beguiled by the desire for consumer goods.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJournalist and shopping addict Pamela Klaffke documents the history of shopping, from a time when cattle were currency to the current age of contemporary shopping phenoms like QVC and eBay.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTopics covered include:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe history of shopping malls and department stores\u003cbr\u003eThe evolution of retail design\u003cbr\u003eInventions that made shopping easier: the cash -register (1884), the shopping cart (1936), the bar code (1952)\u003cbr\u003eInformation on the largest fashion retail chain (The Gap, 3,676 stores), the largest retail firm (Wal-Mart, with annual revenues of $191 billion), and the world’s largest mall (West Edmonton Mall, at 121 acres)\u003cbr\u003eShopping meccas and customs from around the world\u003cbr\u003eThe dark side of shopping: kleptomania, shopping addictions, anticonsumerism\u003cbr\u003eThe myths of shopping: Men Who Hate Shopping and Women Who Love Shoes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFull of fun and informative sidebars and photos, Klaffke’s book demonstrates that how we shop explains a lot about who we are.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePamela Klaffke\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer, editor, and media consultant. She is currently the literary editor of the \u003ci\u003eCalgary Herald\u003c\/i\u003e and her semiweekly column about popular culture trends can often be read in various newspapers across Canada. \u003ci\u003eSpree: A Cultural History of Shopping\u003c\/i\u003e is her first book.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arsenal Pulp Press, Limited","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47059794198768,"sku":"9781551521435","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781551521435_p0.jpg?v=1763752710","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781551521435","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}