We are witnessing the emergence of a unified world economy, as exemplified by NAFTA and GATT, that will, in theory, make goods available at cheaper...
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reviews
Aug 16, 2011
Chandra
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I checked this out from the library thinking I'd get some enjoyment flipping through it over the next couple of weeks. Fast forward to me sitting on the couch ignoring everyone for about 5 hours straight so I could read this cover to cover.
Visually, it's stunning - I've never seen anything like this. 30 families from 30 different countries were selected to represent the 'average' (subjective I know). They are photographed sitting outside their home along with all of their material More...
Visually, it's stunning - I've never seen anything like this. 30 families from 30 different countries were selected to represent the 'average' (subjective I know). They are photographed sitting outside their home along with all of their material More...
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Feb 21, 2011
Laura
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I enjoyed this look at families and the possessions they value, across 31 countries. What the photographer did was contact statistically average families from 30+ countries, photograph the contents of their house for 'The Big Picture' and then follow them around for a few days, to get a better picture of their daily lives. Even though only a few pages were dedicated to each family, you did feel like you got a taste of their lives. It also was impossible to be completely detached - in one fami
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Feb 10, 2011
Kelley
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This was a really neat book. I first heard about it in my World History class. We were talking about the present day and my teacher pulled up a website that had a bunch of pictures from this book. It's was really shocking to see how much people eat in a week and how little some people spend.
I used this book and A Hungry Planet this past summer at my church camp were I was a consular. We all looked at some of the pictures that I had pulled out and we talked about how we could help peo More...
I used this book and A Hungry Planet this past summer at my church camp were I was a consular. We all looked at some of the pictures that I had pulled out and we talked about how we could help peo More...
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Aug 02, 2009
Julie
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Well, this book consumed my Sunday, and I feel that I've taken a quick tour of the average family in 20 countries. The content via photograph was amazing, but I felt that there wasn't enough explanation. I'd have preferred a documentary, I suppose, as I didn't feel that was able to learn enough from the pictures. Perhaps I didn't dedicate enough time to each photograph, but I ended up with way more questions than answers.
I think my son will enjoy this, but the text is too More...
I think my son will enjoy this, but the text is too More...
Aug 19, 2010
Elise
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To be honest, I didn't read every word in this book. Viewing the pictures and reading bits and pieces here and there is definitely sufficient. This fabulous book shows how people live around the world. Specifically, it shows a family from each selected country with all (or most of) their material possessions.
I picked up this book a couple of nights ago, quickly became engrossed in it and suddenly, an hour had passed. Today, I looked at the book with my 3 girls (ages 9, 7 and 4). The More...
I picked up this book a couple of nights ago, quickly became engrossed in it and suddenly, an hour had passed. Today, I looked at the book with my 3 girls (ages 9, 7 and 4). The More...
Jan 28, 2010
Lisa
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A great book about how families live in different countries around the world. It goes into just the right amount of depth. I loved how the question, what is your most valued possession? is answered differently by everyone. It was really cool to be able to get a little tour of each family's life and see what goes into the make-up of their household. My favorite part of the book was the "photographer's notes" which accompany each family and country. That made it really personal. Great
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Jan 29, 2009
OneWorldLibrary
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ŇAnne Majusiak: It's astounding to see these photos all the possessions of families in Mali or Kuwait or Italy or Japan. I think this book can be especially helpful for children to see how their lives compare with others around the world. ----- Library Description: Nonfiction, A visual portrait of statistically average families from 30 nations around the globe; Portrays each typical family's daily life and culminates with a remarkable portrait of the family outside of its home surrounded
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Mar 26, 2011
Deb
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I remember what year I read this because it was just after my first child was born. The stories and photos in this book are incredible and eye-opening, but what really changed me was the "wish list" each family gave. The contrasts between what industrialized country families wanted and what "developing" county families wanted was amazing. The U.S. family was in Texas, and one of the things they wished for was (if I remember correctly) a new boat. A family in an African co
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May 27, 2011
Sarah
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Amazing book that uses beautiful photographs, meaningful statistics (how many TVs and bikes do they own instead of GDP), and minimal text to illustrate an average home and lifestyle of families from around the globe. (I will say that the uber-religious Texas family is not what I think of as the "average" American family, but I guess you have to pick someone.)
An important book to linger over and look back on when we need reminders about how blessed our lives are--and how mu More...
An important book to linger over and look back on when we need reminders about how blessed our lives are--and how mu More...
Jun 10, 2011
Bailey
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An incredible book! I only wish there were a more recent edition; this one was published in 1995.
From Amazon.com:
A fascinating look at the material possessions of families throughout the world. These people have been determined "average" for their countries and have agreed to have photographers move the contents of their houses outside in order to create visible representations of their relative standards of living. The dirt house and few possessions of Mali resid More...
From Amazon.com:
A fascinating look at the material possessions of families throughout the world. These people have been determined "average" for their countries and have agreed to have photographers move the contents of their houses outside in order to create visible representations of their relative standards of living. The dirt house and few possessions of Mali resid More...
Oct 18, 2009
Richelle
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This book is fascinating. It is collaborative work of 16 photographers who spent a week in 30 different countries with a "statistically average" family (number of family members, wages, size of home, etc). The man who put it all together, Peter Menzel, has his work regularly published in National Geographic, Time, etc. There are enough words, but the pictures tell so much more. The last photo for every family is of them outside their home surrounded by all their possessions from in
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Oct 10, 2008
Cindi
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I just can't get over this book! I've been meaning to get to it and in the time between when I checked it out and when I read it, my kids and husband have been leafing through the pages. I finally picked it up yesterday and in my spare time the last two days I read it all (much of the book is photographs).
It was wonderful, yet heart-wrenching to enter the homes and see the lives of people who struggle every day just to eat. It was interesting to learn what their most treasured ite More...
It was wonderful, yet heart-wrenching to enter the homes and see the lives of people who struggle every day just to eat. It was interesting to learn what their most treasured ite More...
Mar 29, 2007
Lael
rated it:
Borrowing from Amazon:
Amazon.com
In honor of the United Nations-sponsored International Year of the Family in 1994, award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel brought together 16 of the world's leading photographers to create a visual portrait of life in 30 nations. Material World tackles its wide subject by zooming in, allowing one household to represent an entire nation. Photographers spent one week living with a "statistically average" family in each country, learni More...
Amazon.com
In honor of the United Nations-sponsored International Year of the Family in 1994, award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel brought together 16 of the world's leading photographers to create a visual portrait of life in 30 nations. Material World tackles its wide subject by zooming in, allowing one household to represent an entire nation. Photographers spent one week living with a "statistically average" family in each country, learni More...
May 03, 2010
Maren
rated it:
Really a fantastic to way to give you perspective. I love that the author states the purpose as being to give the reader an idea of the average life of the average Joe in other countries. It's amazing to see the disparity between the different middle-classes and be able to peek in the life of those who have outhouses, or never have enough to eat dinner (Haiti), or who live a primitive but very contented existence. Wish they would do another one... Or even an update on the families involved.
Aug 22, 2011
Undercovershygirl
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I wanted this book for a long time and wasn't disappointed. Getting to see a visual picture of a family along with all their belongings in several different countries really puts perspective on what we have, take for granted, don't need, etc. There were also interesting facts at-a-glance which i thought made the book very readable even as a conversation piece when someone picks it up and leafs through it. I would have liked more countries covered and maybe charted comparisons, etc.
Sep 05, 2009
Julie
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Ever feel like your kids (and yourself, for that matter) take for granted all of your "things?" This book is an eye-opener. This is a big book full of photographs and statistics of families from all over the world and from all walks of life. Each family is photographed outside of their dwelling place with all of their earthly possessions. Wow. I might need to purchase this one to have on hand when the kids complain about not having enough shoes! (They actually have TOO many!)
Feb 17, 2008
Corinne
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Nov 04, 2009
Stephanie
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If you only flipped through this book and looked at the pictures you are missing everything. Anyone who gave this book less than a 4 star rating looked at the stuff and missed the content.
This book and "Women in the Material World" are amazing because they explore our values and viewpoint through interviews about how a person looks at the world and what they physically have.
Read these books and please DON'T flip through them.
This book and "Women in the Material World" are amazing because they explore our values and viewpoint through interviews about how a person looks at the world and what they physically have.
Read these books and please DON'T flip through them.
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Dec 13, 2009
Laura
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Every American should read/look at this book. The authors have captured actual physical representations of the disparity in the standards of living around the world and it is riveting! I've had this book for over ten years and every time I study the pictures, I see something new or it strikes me differently. A great way, especially, to show teens how lucky they are and how much more they have than the rest of the world.
Nov 14, 2010
Vy
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This book is a stunning study of how different standards of living are across the world. It is one thing to know this on an intellectual level and to see tidbits of images here and there, but it's a very visceral experience to see these images all in one place, to study the eyes of the family members as they sit in the midst of all their worldly possessions. With the holidays approaching, I read this with my kids as a reminder to appreciate how much we have and as a blatant attempt to curb the g
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Jan 20, 2009
Emily
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Editor Peter Menzel explains the project best in the foreword: "Madonna, the ultimate Material Girl, came out with her Sex book... The world needed a reality check."
Indeed, the book is from 1994 and the snapshots capture 30 families and their countries in history. That it is now out-of-date is not a drawback; at worst, it is absolutely harrowing. In 1994, the Iraqi family wishes for the embargo to end. The Bosnian family wants the fighting to end. The Haitian family wa More...
Indeed, the book is from 1994 and the snapshots capture 30 families and their countries in history. That it is now out-of-date is not a drawback; at worst, it is absolutely harrowing. In 1994, the Iraqi family wishes for the embargo to end. The Bosnian family wants the fighting to end. The Haitian family wa More...
Aug 26, 2011
Lexi
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I bought this book in 1998 or so, for a school assignment. It still sits on my bookshelf and every so often I take it down and re-read it/ thumb through the amazing pictures. The statistics are a bit out of date at this point, but the intention still rings true. I can't pinpoint a date that I finished reading it, because I feel like I get something new from it every time I pick it up.
Apr 06, 2010
Mariah
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If this book could be an ongoing project, with new editions every several years, it would be so valuable that it should be required reading for every high school geography student. It is a fascinating comparison of families and economies around the world. The pictures really are worth a thousand words, and the writing is journalistic, yet often gives first-person perspectives.
Apr 21, 2009
Stephanie
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The author photographs people from numerous United Nations countries who are statistically average for their nation. The families are pictured outside with all their possessions around them. The disparities are very visbile. He also includes information about each of the countries. You can return to the pictures in the book over and over.
Jan 11, 2011
Patricia
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Skimmed the content (and would like to return to read it completely), a composite of 16 photographers traveling to 30 nations to live with an average family, for a week. At the end of the week, they collaborated on a family portrait, outside their homes, surrounded by all of their possessions. Wow!
Dec 22, 2010
linda
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Another brilliant and fascinating book, where they go to different families the world over and turn out their houses. Just the differences between what people own is amazing. I used to work at Ten Thousand Villages and would leave a copy of this at the front counter to reread it in between customers.
Jul 18, 2011
Melissa
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I thought this book was a great way to talk with my son about how different people all over the world live and work. There is a picture of each family with all of their material possessions, standing in front of their home. The author then profiles each family's living situation.
Nov 05, 2010
Debi
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What a concept! Loved the full page photos of each family from different countries sharing their entire worldly possessions. It certainly gives me pause before I decide what else I *think* I need. It's on my shelf as a constant reminder of how much we have and to be thankful for.
Apr 07, 2009
Tamara
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I'd be interested in seeing an update to this concept. The profiles of typical meals, TVs and toilets from different countries were interesting.
I wonder what my possessions would look like if I piled them all up outside of my house. Sadly, I think I still have way more than I need. But I'm working on it!
I wonder what my possessions would look like if I piled them all up outside of my house. Sadly, I think I still have way more than I need. But I'm working on it!
Feb 27, 2008
Kd
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One of the most absorbing nonfiction books I have ever read. One median family from 31 countries was chosen to remove all the contents of its home and display those contents in front of the home. Surprisingly, USA was not the home with the most contents. Saudia Arabia was, with Iceland second, money wise. Saudia Arabia's family was probably not very common since median is the middle between High and Low. A Saudi low is like a 3rd world home, but a Saudi High would be so rich that a median wo
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