A tender, critical and curious window into the American ethos of quantity over quality
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Summary
A tender, critical and curious window into the American ethos of quantity over quality
Description
In a series of deeply personal essays, Mester explores how the things we buy, eat, amass, and discard become an intimate part of our lives. We guiltily watch Amazon boxes pile up on the porch, wade through endless reviews to find the perfect product, and crave the comforting indulgence of a chain restaurant. With humor and sharp intellect, Mester reflects on the joys and anxieties of Costco trips, how a seasonal stint at Ulta Beauty taught her the insidious art of the sale, and what it means to get "mall sad." In a nuanced examination of diet culture and fatness, Mester recounts her teenage summer at fat camp and the unexpected liberation she finds there. Finally, she ventures to Storm Lake, Iowa, to reckon with her grandmother's abandoned hoard, excavating the dysfunction that lies at the heart of her family's obsession with stuff. American Bulk introduces readers to a striking new literary talent from the American heartland, one who dares to ask us to regard consumption not with guilt but with grace and empathy.
Critic Reviews
"[American Bulk] excels at restoring texture to the smooth banalities of our consumer existence. Mester is like a Midwestern Baudrillard...[A] cultural critic of such promise deserves a big welcome mat." -- The New York Times Book Review
"A dryly witty and deeply thoughtful essay collection that delves into everything from the bulk-buying psychology that powers Costco's popularity to what it's like to work seasonal shifts at Ulta Beauty." -- Vogue
"A dryly witty and deeply thoughtful essay collection that delves into everything from the bulk-buying psychology that powers Costco's popularity to what it's like to work seasonal shifts at Ulta Beauty." -- Vogue
About the Author
Emily Mester is a writer from the suburban Midwest, where her family went to Costco every Sunday. She holds an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Iowa, where she was the winner of the Prairie Lights Nonfiction Prize. She lives in New York.
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