The Power of Cute, 9780691271149
Paperback
Cuteness isn’t just fluff: it’s power, uncertainty, and maybe menace.

The Power of Cute

$23.80

  • Paperback

    256 pages

  • Release Date

    31 May 2025

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Summary

The Allure of Adorable: Unveiling the Power of Cute

An exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressions

Cuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokemon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T. all reflect its gathering power. But what does ‘cute’ mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so perv…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780691271149
ISBN-10:0691271143
Author:Simon May
Publisher:Princeton University Press
Imprint:Princeton University Press
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:256
Release Date:31 May 2025
Weight:216g
Dimensions:171mm x 114mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“May is a lively guide to the uncanny world of Cute, his analysis keen and his sense of humour sharp. You won’t look at Kim Jong-il and Donald Trump in the same way again.”—Francesca Carington, Tatler“A short, snappy treatise… . A playful riposte to our self-conscious, drearily introspective age.”—Frankie McCoy, Standpoint”[May] posits that our mania for cute can have sinister repercussions, and might even explain the rise of Donald Trump.”—Kate Wills, Evening Standard

About The Author

Simon May

Simon May is visiting professor of philosophy at King’s College London. His books include Jump! A New Philosophy for Conquering Procrastination, How to Be a Refugee, and Love: A New Understanding of an Ancient Emotion.

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