Download or read book The Overspent American written by Juliet B. Schor and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1999-04-07 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Overspent American explores why so many of us feel materially dissatisfied, why we work staggeringly long hours and yet walk around with ever-present mental "wish lists" of things to buy or get, and why Americans save less than virtually anyone in the world. Unlike many experts, Harvard economist Juliet B. Schor does not blame consumers' lack of self-discipline. Nor does she blame advertisers. Instead she analyzes the crisis of the American consumer in a culture where spending has become the ultimate social art.