The Urge To Splurge

Tracing the cultural evolution of shopping from outdoor bazaars to suburban malls, this brazen look at the history and psychology of one of humankind's oldest pursuits considers the variety of reasons (and excuses) that drive the impulse to buy. An opulent collection of shopping places are described, including ancient markets, covered arcades of 18th-century France, gallerias of 19th-century Italy, and megamalls of 1950s America. Examples from literature and other sources explore the historically conflicted attitudes about shopping, it seems that fashionistas have always fought over the trendiest hemlines and hats. The development of buying options is detailed, from mail order catalogs and Internet stores to retail districts and massive supermarkets.

Accessible, smart and expansive, 'Point of Purchase' shows the incredible impact shopping has had on American life, stretching from the mid-19th century to today's shopping trends from the Internet to Zagat guides.

Shopping as an Entertainment Experience explores the ways in which shopping has become a significant entertainment feature in our daily lives. Dr. Mark H. Moss examines the department store, the mall, and the e-store to demonstrate how shopping is often the most common leisure experience that people indulge in to occupy themselves. This unique book focuses on the historical evolution of shopping environments into contemporary entertainment or cultural zones. Through a phenomenological framework, Moss analyzes the way stores, outlets, and restaurants in malls mingle and merge aspects of consumption and merchandising. Shopping as an Entertainment Experience appeals to sociologists, cultural theorists, and those interested in popular culture.

A fascinating and informative self-help book that identifies the problems of shopping addiction and offers in-depth advice for the shopper on how to bring life and spending back in focus.

The house is quiet. You walk in to the kitchen and find a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the stove. What do you do?Did you eat one or three or more? How many of you asked yourself if you were hungry? If not, maybe sugar is a problem in your life.How about eating something you wish you hadn't and feeling like a loser afterward. Are sweets, carbohydrates or alcohol your go-to stress relievers? If so, you may be addicted to sugar and that is why I wrote this book.So many of us struggle with these agonizing, uncontrollable cravings and commit to one diet after another! But if we don't throw everything we've got at this emotional, physical, social, and even spiritual issue, we will continue to stay stuck on the relentless merry-go-round of sugar cravings.Weaving stories and practical tips, tools and resources into this little book will help you find freedom from the urge to splurge (unless you have a special occasion and deliberately make that choice).So, if you are sick and tired of the mood swings, irritability, skin or other chronic health problems, and lack of energy, this book gives you everything you need to get on the path to freedom and greater health. I have been there myself and share my research, my trials and errors and what has worked for me. I know it can work for you, too!

Get ready – it's time to create a happy closet!The Happy Closet will help you transform your wardrobe (and your mind) into an organised and clutter-free space, ensuring you dress for the person you are today and never again utter the ill-fated words, 'I have nothing to wear'.In this inspirational book you'll find out how to move past the unconscious hoarding patterns in your personality. You will learn how to go from collecting rails of clothes you rarely wear to shopping effectively and mindfully to building a wardrobe that works for you, whatever your lifestyle. Once your clothes are in order, you will feel more confident, more in control and less anxious.This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to have more with less. Get ready to discover your Happy Closet, where well-being is always well-dressed.

Explores the challenges of translating Chinese works for Western readers, particularly premodern texts. This book explores the challenges of translating Chinese works, particularly premodern ones, for a contemporary Western readership. Reacting against the “cultural turn” in translation studies, contributors return to the origin of translation studies: translation practice. By returning to the time-honored basics of linguistics and hermeneutics, the book inquires into translation practice from the perspective of reading and reading theory. Essays in the first section of the work discuss the nature, function, rationale, criteria, and historical and conceptual values of translation. The second section focuses on the art and craft of translation, offering practical techniques and tips. Finally, the third section conducts critical assessments of translation policy and practice as well as formal and aesthetic issues. Throughout, contributors explore how a translation from the Chinese can read like a text in the Western reader’s own language. Ming Dong Gu is Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is the author of Chinese Theories of Fiction: A Non-Western Narrative System, also published by SUNY Press. Rainer Schulte is Professor of Comparative Literature and Director of the Center for Translation Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is the author of Geography of Translation and Interpretation: Traveling Between Languages.