Synopsis:
A survey of how American spending patterns have spiraled out of control.
Review:
I am having an enjoyable debate about how fast is too fast when it comes to reading in the comments portion of the Zadie Smith post I linked to earlier, so it’s a tad ironic that I’m going to tell you that I TOTALLY skimmed this book.
Reason #1. I forgot I already read it.
Reason #2. There isn’t anything in here that I wouldn’t rather just watch on an episode of “Intervention” devoted to shopaholics.
Reason #3. It feels really out-of-date. So much has changed since it was written in 1998 that it’s almost funny. But even for 1998, it’s written in some alternate universe where there wasn’t a dotcom bubble that made people lose their minds.
Reason #4. Her case studies felt manufactured.
Reason #5. It tries too hard to be prescriptive.
I promise that I will always be up front when I skim a book. I give you my word as a superhero that I will never pretend I can read faster than I can. Which is pretty darn fast.
The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don’t Need
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5 responses so far ↓
1 Wesley Dumont // Nov 19, 2006 at 3:20 am
superfast, what advice do you have for people who live with readers, but are themselves only modestly interested in the world of “books”?
2 superfastreader // Nov 19, 2006 at 3:45 am
You should spend more times on chores around the house so your reader will have more time for “books.”
3 Wesley Dumont // Nov 19, 2006 at 3:55 am
such sass, from a lowly maid.
4 willie mink // Nov 19, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Hmm, it seems that you skimmed over the task of writing a review too. The lack of details supporting your review’s points makes it entirely unconvincing. On other hand, I guess I only wasted one minute reading it instead of five or ten.
5 superfastreader // Nov 19, 2006 at 7:18 pm
Willie’s correct that this is not a “proper” review. This site is more of a diary or a record of what I’m reading & my thoughts about what I’ve read. If I tasked myself with writing a proper essay every time I read a book, I’d have much less time for actually reading.
And that, in my opinion, would be the definition of a waste of time.
Thanks for giving me a minute, Willie. Hope you find what you’re looking for!
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