Fascinating and entertaining: the path to the modern society of abundance. What we consume has become a defining aspect of modern life. We define ourselves by our possessions. But how did it come to be that we own so much today? How has this changed the course of history, and what are the consequences of our increasingly lavish lifestyle for our planet? Frank Trentmann, a historian at Birkbeck College in London, tells for the first time the captivating story of consumption, from Ming Dynasty China, the Italian Renaissance, and the British Empire to the present day. A unique panorama that sets standards - in research and in the political and economic debates of our time.