On Luxury: A Cautionary Tale: A Short History of the Perils of Excess from Ancient Times to the Beginning of the Modern Era - Hardcover

Adams, William Howard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1612344178 ISBN 13: 9781612344171

Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc., 2012

Synopsis

The Western world is fascinated by the new, the luxurious and the expensive. We are exposed on a daily basis to fresh ideas and innovations that feed what has become a constant hunger for the latest trends. This desire is not a new one - since Ancient Times man has sought to surround himself with symbols of power and wealth. In this lively and unexpected narrative, William Howard Adams shows how our simultaneous distrust and embrace of luxury has pervaded Western thought for three millennia. He questions the effect of this unusual relationship and strives to explain some of our most complex and some might say unattractive traits as human beings.

About this title

Review:

"In On Luxury, William Howard Adams gives us the most comprehensive and accessible history to date of luxury and Western culture's ongoing engagement of it. Together, his conversational style and impeccable scholarship make this volume a treasure for every thinking American."--Phyllis Tickle, author of Greed: The Seven Deadly Sins--Phyllis Tickle

"Some today lust for luxury. Others snicker at it. In a world of outrageously concentrated wealth and dwindling natural resources, William Howard Adams helps us understand that both these responses doom us to dangerous dead ends. His insightful--and eminently readable--history offers up a far better path."--Sam Pizzigati, author of The Rich Don't Always Win and editor of Too Much, an online weekly on excess and inequality--Sam Pizzigati

"William Howard Adams's On Luxury is an intellectual and insightful study of what luxury is--its history, its evolution, and how it is in danger of extinction. A must read for anyone who wants to understand our consumer society today."--Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster--Dana Thomas

"This is a delightful reflection on luxury and excess--from the 'pernicious cash' that the ancient Romans believed sapped their moral fiber to the gold-plated yachts and vast ranches of the modern super-rich. Adams offers some well-timed warnings here, but with a lively elegance and without preaching."--Mary Beard, professor of classics, Cambridge University--Mary Beard

About the Author:

William Howard Adams, an independent scholar, lives and writes at his farm in the Shenandoah Valley in West Virginia. His books include Nature Perfected: Gardens through History, The Paris Years of Thomas Jefferson and Gouverneur Morris: An Independent Life. He was curator of the National Gallery of Art's landmark exhibition "The Eye of Thomas Jefferson" and the Museum of Modern Art's exhibition "Roberto Burle Marx: The Unnatural Art of the Garden."

About this edition

• Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1612344178
• ISBN 13: 9781612344171
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 232