"As Otnes and Pleck so richly detail, the contemporary wedding is at once a rite of passage, a flight of fantasy, an expression of romantic longing, and an orgy of conspicuous consumption. Most significantly, the lavish wedding has become a celebration of contemporary consumer culture and is spreading globally, despite some resistance and backlash. From Barbie's wedding dress to Hollywood films to enormously expensive Asian weddings to gay and lesbian white weddings, we sanction superfluity in weddings to a degree ...
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"As Otnes and Pleck so richly detail, the contemporary wedding is at once a rite of passage, a flight of fantasy, an expression of romantic longing, and an orgy of conspicuous consumption. Most significantly, the lavish wedding has become a celebration of contemporary consumer culture and is spreading globally, despite some resistance and backlash. From Barbie's wedding dress to Hollywood films to enormously expensive Asian weddings to gay and lesbian white weddings, we sanction superfluity in weddings to a degree unparalleled in other key life events including those of birth and death. This is a compelling analysis of the past, present, and future of wedding rituals, that holds a telling mirror to contemporary culture."--Russell Belk, author of "Collecting in a Consumer Society" "Elizabeth Pleck and Cele Otnes pair their distinct talents to offer us a lavish display of the lavish wedding. In fascinating and often surprising detail--across time and place--they make sense of why we have clung to and, in fact, have radically embellished this vestige of Victorian culture."--Gary Cross, author of "An All Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America"
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Good. Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books.
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Very Good Minus. Book Large, light crease to cover corner. Spine is tight; pgs are unmarked. Nice, sturdy copy. The fabulous gown, the multitiered cake, abundant flowers, attendants and guests in their finery. The white wedding does more than mark a life passage. It marries two of the most sacred tenets of American culture-romantic love and excessive consumption. For anyone who has ever wondered about the meanings behind a white dress, a diamond ring, rice, and traditions such as cake cutting, bouquet tossing, and honeymooning, this book offers an entertaining and enlightening look at the historical, social, and psychological strains that come together to make the lavish wedding the most important cultural ritual in contemporary consumer culture. With an emphasis on North American society, Cele C. Otnes and Elizabeth H. Pleck show how the elaborate wedding means far more than a mere triumph for the bridal industry. Through interviews, media accounts, and wide-ranging research and analysis, they expose the wedding's reflection-or reproduction-of fundamental aspects of popular consumer culture: its link with romantic love, its promise of magical transformation, its engendering of memories, and its legitimization of consumption as an expression of perfection. As meaningful as any prospective bride might wish, the lavish wedding emerges here as a lens that at once reveals, magnifies, and reveres some of the dearest wishes and darkest impulses at the heart of our culture.
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Very Good. Very Good condition. With remainder mark. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Very Good. A clean and sound copy. Careful packing and fast, efficient shipping including delivery confirmation. International Priority Air Mail shipping available for this item.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
