Wendy A. Woloson Livres

Focusing on the historical significance of pawnshops in the U.S., the book reveals their crucial role in the development of capitalism, particularly for the working poor who relied on pawning to survive. It challenges negative perceptions perpetuated by businessmen and cultural critics, highlighting the complexity of pawnbrokers as savvy entrepreneurs from modest backgrounds. Through a wealth of archival materials, the author offers an insightful exploration of a misunderstood institution, shedding light on the economic challenges faced by many Americans throughout history.

"Wendy Woloson considers seriously the detritus of everyday consumerist Western lives--a category that comprises objects that function as art, jokes, tools, embodiments of fantasies, cultural signifiers, status symbols, and much more; a.k.a. "crap." She seeks to use these possessions to illuminate our society, culture, and economy. Why do we--as individuals and as a culture--have these things? Where do they come from, and why do we want them? In her words, this investigation "brings together material culture, consumer culture, behavioral economics, cultural economics, the histories of industrialization, capitalism and international trade, among other disciplines."-- Provided by publisher