From combs and keys to sweets and handkerchiefs, certain objects, though seemingly mundane, can have a magical quality, and an often surprising power to arouse, absorb, disturb, or soothe.Take bags, for example. Why do most women carry handbags, while men rely on pockets? Why do so many houses have bags of bags? And why do we 'let the cat out the bag' or 'give someone the sack'? What significance do our bags hold for us? Imaginatively and entertainingly, Steven Connor embarks on a historical, philosophical and linguistic journey that explores our relationships with the curious things with which we have a forgotten but daily intimacy.
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`Recommended... Readers will enjoy the "eroticism of rubber", the fascination of pop-smoking, and the joy of fidgeting' --New Statesman
'A writer who can seemingly conjure the profoundest insights out of the most minute or mundane topics.' --Guardian
'Urbane, witty and seductive ... challenging and often enchanting' --Independent
'the little things we surround ourselves with and barely notice are as important as the huge things we obsess about' --Sean French of Nicci French
'A writer who can seemingly conjure the profoundest insights out of the most minute or mundane topics.' --Guardian
'Urbane, witty and seductive ... challenging and often enchanting' --Independent
'the little things we surround ourselves with and barely notice are as important as the huge things we obsess about' --Sean French of Nicci French
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A unique and quirky exploration of the stories and meanings behind the everyday objects that shape our lives
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Mark Pack
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Format:Hardcover
The author, Steven Connor, is Professor of Modern Literature and Theory at Birkbeck College, a post that signals the sort of book this is - long on literary theory and short on technical historical detail. It is not a more diverse version of, say, The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance but rather a playful application of literary theory to household objects. If that is what you like, then you should find the book highly enjoyable.
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