I Want That!

Shopping has a lot in common with sex. Just about everybody does it. Some people brag about how well they do it. Some keep it a secret. And both provide ample opportunities to make foolish choices. Choosing and using objects is a primal human activity, and I Want That is nothing less than a portrait of humanity as the species that shops. It explores the history of acquisition -- finding, choosing, spending -- from our amber-coveting Neolithic forebears to Renaissance nobles who outfitted themselves for power to twenty-first-century bargain hunters looking for a good buy on eBay. I Want That explores the minds of shoppers in the quest to nourish and feed fantasies, to define individuality, to provide for family, and to satisfy the needs for celebration, power, and choice -- all of which lead us to malls, boutiques, websites, and superstores.