Secondhand, Adam Minter
Secondhand, Adam Minter
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Secondhand
Travels in the New Global Garage Sale

Author: Adam Minter

Narrator: Daniel Henning

Unabridged: 10 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/13/2020


Synopsis

When you drop a box of unwanted items off at the local thrift store, where do they go? Probably across the countryor even halfway across the worldto people and places eager to reuse what you dont want. In Secondhand, Adam Minter delves into the vast, multibillion-dollar industry that resells used stuff around the world. He follows the trail of unwanted objects from the closets, garages, and storage units of Middle America to epic used-goods markets in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Ghana, India, Malaysia, and beyond. Secondhand takes us through the often painful and heartbreaking process of cleaning out a lifetimes worth of possessions and shows that used stuff still has a place in a world that values the new and shinyit entertains us, makes fortunes, fulfills needs, and transforms the way we live and work.

About Adam Minter

Adam Minter is the author of Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade and a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He lives in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Rachel on October 27, 2019

This book is engrossing and eye-opening. I had no idea how extensive the secondhand industry is on a global scale, and to what extent discarded/donated things get restored, refurbished, rebuilt, and resold the world over! The author travels all over the globe, from the Goodwill distribution center i......more

Goodreads review by Lilatovinl on December 26, 2019

The best part of the book is where he debunks the myth that car seats should not be reused. I have been telling all my parents friends this for years. It was a scare tactic created by the makers of car seats. Think about it... most car seats are made from the same grade of material that goes into th......more

Goodreads review by Anne on February 23, 2020

Four stars for scope of research and good questions to think about. One less for irrelevant details about people's haircuts and what they ordered at the diner.......more

Goodreads review by Bandit on June 28, 2019

Who knew there was such a thing as recycle themed journalism. Well, there is, Adam Mitner’s doing it. And this is his second book on the matter, titled appropriately enough Secondhand. Mitner was raised into a family of scrap dealers and spent years traveling the globe reporting on recycling industr......more

Goodreads review by Susan on June 25, 2019

I really enjoyed this book and it’s caused me to rethink what I buy and what I donate to Good Will (I now vow to to donate more because others can better use things I am not using and otherwise letting clutter up my place). Adam Minter is a great storyteller and follows the secondhand industry aroun......more