About the book
Supermarkets are a mundane feature in the landscape, but as Tracey Deutsch reveals, they represent a major transformation in the ways that Americans feed themselves. In her examination of the history of food distribution in the United States, Deutsch demonstrates the important roles that gender, business, class, and the state played in the evolution of American grocery stores.
Deutsch’s analysis reframes shopping as labor and embeds consumption in the structures of capitalism. The supermarket, that icon of postwar American life, emerged not from straightforward consumer demand for low prices, Deutsch argues, but through government regulations, women customers' demands, and retailers' concerns with financial success and control of the “shop floor.” From small neighborhood stores to huge corporate chains of supermarkets, Deutsch traces the charged story of the origins of contemporary food distribution, treating topics as varied as everyday food purchases, the sales tax, postwar celebrations and critiques of mass consumption, and 1960s and 1970s urban insurrections. Demonstrating connections between women’s work and the history of capitalism, Deutsch locates the origins of supermarkets in the politics of twentieth-century consumption.
Editions of Building a Housewife's Paradise
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807833278
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807859766
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890883469
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469604121
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807898345
Read an Excerpt
Supermarkets are a mundane feature in the landscape, but as Tracey Deutsch reveals, they represent a major transformation in the ways that Americans feed themselves. In her examination of the history of food distribution in the United States, Deutsch demonstrates the important roles that gender, business, class, and the state played in the evolution of American grocery stores.
Deutsch’s analysis reframes shopping as labor and embeds consumption in the structures of capitalism. The supermarket, that icon of postwar American life, emerged not from straightforward consumer demand for low prices, Deutsch argues, but through government regulations, women customers' demands, and retailers' concerns with financial success and control of the “shop floor.” From small neighborhood stores to huge corporate chains of supermarkets, Deutsch traces the charged story of the origins of contemporary food distribution, treating topics as varied as everyday food purchases, the sales tax, postwar celebrations and critiques of mass consumption, and 1960s and 1970s urban insurrections. Demonstrating connections between women’s work and the history of capitalism, Deutsch locates the origins of supermarkets in the politics of twentieth-century consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Building a Housewife's Paradise about?
Supermarkets are a mundane feature in the landscape, but as Tracey Deutsch reveals, they represent a major transformation in the ways that Americans feed themselves. In her examination of the history of food distribution in the United States, Deutsch demonstrates the important roles that gender, business, class, and the state played in the evolution of American grocery stores.
Deutsch’s analysis reframes shopping as labor and embeds consumption in the structures of capitalism. The supermarket, that icon of postwar American life, emerged not from straightforward consumer demand for low prices, Deutsch argues, but through government regulations, women customers' demands, and retailers' concerns with financial success and control of the “shop floor.” From small neighborhood stores to huge corporate chains of supermarkets, Deutsch traces the charged story of the origins of contemporary food distribution, treating topics as varied as everyday food purchases, the sales tax, postwar celebrations and critiques of mass consumption, and 1960s and 1970s urban insurrections. Demonstrating connections between women’s work and the history of capitalism, Deutsch locates the origins of supermarkets in the politics of twentieth-century consumption.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Building a Housewife's Paradise?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Gender studies, gender groups > Gender studies: women and girls
Where can I read a sample of Building a Housewife's Paradise?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807833278
How long is Building a Housewife's Paradise and how many pages does it have?
Building a Housewife's Paradise has 352 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Building a Housewife's Paradise?
Tracey Deutsch
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Building a Housewife's Paradise is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807833278) and paperback(ISBN 9780807859766) and ebook(ISBN 9798890883469) and ebook(ISBN 9781469604121) and ebook(ISBN 9780807898345)
Where can I buy Building a Housewife's Paradise online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Building a Housewife's Paradise from below
Where can I buy Building a Housewife's Paradise?