Buying into the World of Goods

'A wonderful book. It is impressively researched, logically organized, and well written. And far more than most accounts of the colonial backcountry, it introduces real people making choices about how to construct their worlds and how to present themselves to their neighbors and friends.' -- Daniel B. Thorp, Journal of Southern History'By salvaging and examining the transactions of one merchant operating in the Atlantic economy of the period, reveals much that is valuable about the world of goods and indicates several possible directions for future study.' -- Michelle Craig McDonald, Business History Review'The writing is lively and easily understandable, and the mixture of methods used to study the accounts of Hook and the vast variety of topics addressed result in a book that would have broad appeal to antique and historic house enthusiasts, re-enactors and local historians.' -- Mary Ferrari, Roanoke Times'The best study we have to date of early American consumerism.' -- Paul G. E. Clemens, Reviews in American History'An important contribution to the study of consumption in early America that also provides wonderful insight into the significant role of objects in illuminating the past.' -- Adrienne D. Hood, William and Mary Quarterly'This is a book that quite forcefully offers an interdisciplinary analysis based on the abilities of the art historian and the economic historian, a person at ease with artifacts and dusty will books and skilled at describing local vernacular architecture and long-distance consumer behavior. It joins the list of must-read books for anyone interested in economic behavior and consumer practices in the early modern Atlantic basin.' -- Peter C. Mancall, Winterthur Portfolio