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Affluenza
 
 
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Affluenza (Hardcover)

by Oliver James (Author)
2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Vermilion (25 Jan 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0091900107
  • ISBN-13: 978-0091900106
  • Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.6 x 4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 178,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review

"A wonderfully clear and cogent thesis." -"Guardian"
"Should be mandatory reading for everyone." -Will Self --This text refers to the Paperback edition.


The Guardian, Nick Lezard

"as Oliver James's very important book demonstrates...he has thought about the problem a lot and he approaches it in a very winning fashion...he is consistently engaging in both his apercus and his occasionally eccentric asides"
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews

68 Reviews
5 star:
 (15)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:
 (13)
2 star:
 (9)
1 star:
 (26)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
2.6 out of 5 stars (68 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
100 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Morally bankrupt, 9 Dec 2008
By Dr. George L. Sik (Epsom, Surrey) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Affluenza (Paperback)
Life, points out Macbeth, is a tale told by an idiot. The same, of course, is true of books written by Oliver James. Britain's most self-publicising pretend psychologist (does the British Psychological Society recognise his 'expertise'? Does it heck!) has been writing drivel for years, garbage purporting to be scientific but mainly the product of his distinctly peculiar mind.

The difference between this and some of his other books is that the central idea (money can't buy you happiness) is actually quite an accurate one which has been well researched by real psychologists. Granted, it's not original and even his title is stolen from another book, but he has the germ of an idea here - even if it's someone else's.

However, he is so hopeless with his arguments that he leaves you less convinced of even the most self-evident aspects than you were before you started reading. So Nigerians spend less time on the couch than New Yorkers? No kidding! They're probably busy wondering where their next meal is coming from. The World Health Organisation, which provides some of the data he mangles so incompetently, stress that the data should not be used to make like-for-like comparisons of states of mental health across countries. That doesn't stop Mr James, though.

A lousy book by a terrible author. Perhaps he should give some of his money away? He might feel better.
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44 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting theory, poorly delivered, 12 Jun 2008
By C. J. Paterson "C P" (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Affluenza (Paperback)
I agree that this book is not very well written at all, so much so that it failed to keep me engaged. I gave up half way through. Although I agreed with the authors original premise, I do believe that Alain De Botton wrote a much better book with Status Anxiety and explained the premise in a much clearer and concise manner.
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75 of 86 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars promising concept, disappointing read, 8 Sep 2007
By Claire Cooper - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
The concept of an affluent society really appealed to me, but the content of the book did not live up to the exciting idea it promised. It is full of anecdotes and not really any systematic points or conclusions. I wish I had saved my money.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Patronising, verbose anecdotal observations
The book jacket says that there's an epidemic of 'affluenza' sweeping through the English-speaking world, an obsessive, keeping-up-the-the-Joneses feeling that makes us twice as... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Stephen T.

4.0 out of 5 stars Affluenza
I'm only a 1/4 of the way through this book... but it makes me feel good about myself!

:)
Published 25 days ago by Ms. J. Richards

1.0 out of 5 stars Superficial and full of confirmation bias
Awful, awful book. I thought Freud had been comprehensively removed from modern psychiatric practice, and yet Oliver James, claiming to be a practising psychiatrist, continually... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert J. Kerr

2.0 out of 5 stars A long rant by James
The opening chapter puts forward the premise that society and our mental health is being damaged by overspending. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Barry

1.0 out of 5 stars A bad read
I bought this book as I thought it sounded interesting and relevant to current times. If I'm honest, the glowing quote from Jeremy Vine tipped my decision in favour of making the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Benny

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the negative reviews - I think they're on someone's payroll!
I seriously think that some of the reviews on here are written by people on the payroll of some of the companies which would lose out if everyone were to read Affluenza... Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. Mahoney

4.0 out of 5 stars Uncomfortable but essential
Affluenza

The central contention of Affluenza is that those of us who are already susceptible to emotional distress are inevitably damaged by adherence to the values... Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. Hind

1.0 out of 5 stars Promising cover - but downhill from there
I bought the book because the book had a positive review from Jeremy Vine on the front cover. Did Jeremy not read the book before putting his name to it? Read more
Published 4 months ago by Penny

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking and inspiring
Well written with an abundance of research and anecdotes which make it very palatable reading. I enjoy the way the author makes his opinions very clear and is not all doom and... Read more
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5.0 out of 5 stars Fabuenza
A fantastic treat for all - well crafted, researched and thoughtfully delivered. A must read for everyone - all the ill-fated, materialistic, desperate, greedy people need to know... Read more
Published 7 months ago by M. Terry

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