gritshelme's review
5.0
This was a fascinating read, both well-researched and well-written. Much has been written recently about the secondhand clothes trade, but I have come across far less about other secondhand goods. I also really appreciate the author's attempts to debunk some of the myths surrounding what constitutes "waste" in the developed world being "dumped" on developing countries. Very eye-opening. Highly recommend.
laurensands's review
3.0
I enjoyed seeing the processes and industries that take place after you donate your clothes, or your car, or your "stuff." It was educating and also humbling in that most people don't give a lot of value to your stuff besides you, so what happens to all of it after you're gone? Someone has to pick through it and find the useful parts (maybe), but a lot of it might just go to the landfill.
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like I'm in a constant state of cleaning out my house and donating to charity. Just to the left of me right now are five bags of clothing waiting to be donated to a local charity. Last year I donated eleven boxes of children's books to our local library, and will have several more to donate this year. And our house still has too much stuff, but I'm working on it. All my brothers and sisters are dreading the day our mother dies because she is a collector and has a household of stuff: Precious Moments, Norman Rockwell Plates, Hummels, depression-era glassware and dinnerware, you name it, she's collected it. She even has all my old Strawberry Shortcake dolls packed away. We're going to be stuck going through it ourselves or hiring a cleanout company as described in this book.
This book is an interesting look at the global market of secondhand items. At times the book drags on, and other sections left me wanting more info, but overall a very good book for a society of consumers.
The section on the Goodwills of southern Arizona was enlightening. I wish the stores in our area had the same price points of $2.99 or $4.99 for clothes. I shop at my local Goodwill on occasion an never find prices that low, even for obviously-worn items.
The section on secondhand clothing was most interesting to me, because that is a source of great consternation to me and my house. And the section on secondhand books. Of course, I didn't buy the book because I'm working on getting books out of my house, so I borrowed it from the library to read on my Kindle.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bargain-sleuth.com
This book is an interesting look at the global market of secondhand items. At times the book drags on, and other sections left me wanting more info, but overall a very good book for a society of consumers.
The section on the Goodwills of southern Arizona was enlightening. I wish the stores in our area had the same price points of $2.99 or $4.99 for clothes. I shop at my local Goodwill on occasion an never find prices that low, even for obviously-worn items.
The section on secondhand clothing was most interesting to me, because that is a source of great consternation to me and my house. And the section on secondhand books. Of course, I didn't buy the book because I'm working on getting books out of my house, so I borrowed it from the library to read on my Kindle.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bargain-sleuth.com
julieabe89's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
This was a fascinating look at how to reuse various items and the importance of it. I really enjoyed learning how worldwide things donate get reused. It was amazing to think about.
kjersten's review
5.0
This was a very interesting read! I enjoyed following along on Minter's journey around the world detailing the mysterious afterlife of secondhand goods. It was equally heartbreaking and inspiring. The narration was pleasantly conversational, and I could easily visualize the people and places that Minter frequented during his travels.
In the preface, Minter notes that "one 2006 study of Los Angeles middle-class homes found that 90 percent of garage space is now used to store stuff, not automobiles." Yikes. It's clear that people have an excess of stuff, yet they continue to acquire more and more despite a sizeable decline in the quality of these items. To address this growing issue, Minter suggests that "simple, voluntary steps by manufacturers and consumers to encourage the production of more durable and repairable goods could go a long way toward ensuring that secondhand thrives and grows for years to come."
Reading about home cleanouts for deceased relatives was uncomfortable and sad, but lined with hope. It was very encouraging to see how businesses in the USA and abroad can make this as sustainable and supportive of a process as possible for the families experiencing this common yet not often discussed experience.
Learning more about the programs that Goodwill offers, for example, the project that teaches at-risk youth how to fix up landfill-bound furniture, surprised me. The unfortunate reality of the majority of the rest of the unsold inventory, sadly, did not.
Other notable topics: the questionable marketing practices of childrens car seat manufacturers and whether or not they can be reused (spoiler alert: it seems that they can), electronics companies purposely making devices difficult to take apart in order to discourage consumer repair, and the lucrative upcycled cloth rag industry (in Ohio of all places!) that I was entirely unaware of.
I was also previously unaware of the scale of the secondhand market for electronics, particularly the scale of electronic repair in Ghana. Very interesting!
I am curious how things have evolved to present-day as this book was written a few years ago.
Overall, this was a fascinating read. Minter is a great storyteller and communicates the information well. This is a noteworthy read for those that value sustainability, enjoy thrifting, or are just curious what happens to the things that are left behind.
In the preface, Minter notes that "one 2006 study of Los Angeles middle-class homes found that 90 percent of garage space is now used to store stuff, not automobiles." Yikes. It's clear that people have an excess of stuff, yet they continue to acquire more and more despite a sizeable decline in the quality of these items. To address this growing issue, Minter suggests that "simple, voluntary steps by manufacturers and consumers to encourage the production of more durable and repairable goods could go a long way toward ensuring that secondhand thrives and grows for years to come."
Reading about home cleanouts for deceased relatives was uncomfortable and sad, but lined with hope. It was very encouraging to see how businesses in the USA and abroad can make this as sustainable and supportive of a process as possible for the families experiencing this common yet not often discussed experience.
Learning more about the programs that Goodwill offers, for example, the project that teaches at-risk youth how to fix up landfill-bound furniture, surprised me. The unfortunate reality of the majority of the rest of the unsold inventory, sadly, did not.
Other notable topics: the questionable marketing practices of childrens car seat manufacturers and whether or not they can be reused (spoiler alert: it seems that they can), electronics companies purposely making devices difficult to take apart in order to discourage consumer repair, and the lucrative upcycled cloth rag industry (in Ohio of all places!) that I was entirely unaware of.
I was also previously unaware of the scale of the secondhand market for electronics, particularly the scale of electronic repair in Ghana. Very interesting!
I am curious how things have evolved to present-day as this book was written a few years ago.
Overall, this was a fascinating read. Minter is a great storyteller and communicates the information well. This is a noteworthy read for those that value sustainability, enjoy thrifting, or are just curious what happens to the things that are left behind.
rachelb36's review
5.0
Where do things go after we give them away? Books, clothing, electronics, furniture, and more: Minter explores the secondhand market (my favorite!) in this book.
I loved that he spends time looking at the consumer side of things in this book, because it will help readers realize that even the small things we do (buy, sell, give, toss) add up to make a huge difference. Hopefully all the knowledge in this book will inspire more people to reduce and reuse!
The information on clean-out businesses in the U.S. and Japan was very interesting to me. Minter also covers Goodwill International, Bookoff, and other companies around the world who shuttle and sell used goods to the people who can use them.
It was discouraging, however, to see that so much of what is donated is still landfilled relatively quickly. I was especially annoyed with the employee of Empty the Nest (a clean out company with a thrift store, supposedly committed to reusing and reselling as much as possible) who trashed perfectly good tchotchkes and asked, 'How many more times are we going to send them through the reuse cycle?' The answer: As many times as possible! That's pretty much the whole point of the reuse cycle!
The book is informative, fascinating, and important! It's also the perfect length. I would recommend it to anyone, especially in the developed world!
Note: There are a few instances of profanity.
I loved that he spends time looking at the consumer side of things in this book, because it will help readers realize that even the small things we do (buy, sell, give, toss) add up to make a huge difference. Hopefully all the knowledge in this book will inspire more people to reduce and reuse!
The information on clean-out businesses in the U.S. and Japan was very interesting to me. Minter also covers Goodwill International, Bookoff, and other companies around the world who shuttle and sell used goods to the people who can use them.
It was discouraging, however, to see that so much of what is donated is still landfilled relatively quickly. I was especially annoyed with the employee of Empty the Nest (a clean out company with a thrift store, supposedly committed to reusing and reselling as much as possible) who trashed perfectly good tchotchkes and asked, 'How many more times are we going to send them through the reuse cycle?' The answer: As many times as possible! That's pretty much the whole point of the reuse cycle!
The book is informative, fascinating, and important! It's also the perfect length. I would recommend it to anyone, especially in the developed world!
Note: There are a few instances of profanity.
dmturner's review against another edition
5.0
Astonishing overview of the thriving reuse industry
I practice what the author describes as “Preemptive Morbid Decluttering (PMDC)” (his wife Christine Tan does it) and thus I read this book on Kindle, borrowed from my local library. But I’m tempted to make an exception to my rule and acquire a physical copy of my own.
The book surprised me and informed me repeatedly about the way things are reused in the world, not least in the final chapter where the author points our that the recycling and repair of electronics in Africa has been reported through a fundamentally racist and classist lens. The reality is much more interesting and factually different from the image of toxic dumping on the benighted poor which dominates the public image of reuse.
I learned a lot about reuse, though I will still be resisting the urge to accumulate because I just don’t need the stuff the world wants me to buy.
I practice what the author describes as “Preemptive Morbid Decluttering (PMDC)” (his wife Christine Tan does it) and thus I read this book on Kindle, borrowed from my local library. But I’m tempted to make an exception to my rule and acquire a physical copy of my own.
The book surprised me and informed me repeatedly about the way things are reused in the world, not least in the final chapter where the author points our that the recycling and repair of electronics in Africa has been reported through a fundamentally racist and classist lens. The reality is much more interesting and factually different from the image of toxic dumping on the benighted poor which dominates the public image of reuse.
I learned a lot about reuse, though I will still be resisting the urge to accumulate because I just don’t need the stuff the world wants me to buy.