I read this a few years back, but I recall it being fascinating, and it made a deep impression on me. Leach's book is a scholarly and very readable account of a particular period in American history. It traces the early years of modern consumer culture. I guarantee it will change your perception of going to the mall; to this day, whenever I walk into a grand department store, my mind whisper's Leach's words: "colour, glass, and light...." ( )