Having and Being Had
Complex
Witty
Insightful

Having and Being Had

EULA. BISS2021
A timely and arresting new look at affluence by a consistently surprising writer. "My adult life can be divided into two distinct parts," Eula Biss writes, "the time before I owned a washing machine and the time after." Having just purchased her first home, she now embarks on a roguish and risky self-audit of the value system she has bought into. The result is a radical interrogation of work, leisure, and capitalism. Described by The New York Times as a writer who "advances from all sides, like a chess player," Biss brings her approach to the lived experience of capitalism. Playfully ranging from IKEA to Beyoncé to Pokemon, across bars and laundromats and universities, she asks, of both herself and her class, "In what have we invested?"
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Reviews

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Arie P@ariesweets
3.5 stars
May 1, 2025
Witty
Powerful
Intelligent
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y✦@y4ndsl
3 stars
Feb 2, 2024
Ironic
Photo of Molly Bridge
Molly Bridge@mollyb
4 stars
Aug 20, 2023
Pure
Witty
Candid
Original
Expressive
Insightful
Photo of Hanako T
Hanako T@hananotes
5 stars
Jun 4, 2023
Photo of Karolina
Karolina@fox
4 stars
Jan 2, 2023
Unique
Creative
Page turning
Contemplative
Photo of Katie Chua
Katie Chua@kchua
4 stars
Aug 13, 2022
Photo of Angel Martinez
Angel Martinez@angxlmartinez
1 star
Aug 12, 2022
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Keylan @keybo
1 star
Mar 16, 2022
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Clara Jo@clarajohenry
5 stars
Jan 5, 2022
Photo of Katherine Kenny
Katherine Kenny@kathk9
2.5 stars
Apr 18, 2025
Photo of Olga V
Olga V@berrybell
3 stars
Mar 27, 2024
Photo of Emma Younger
Emma Younger@emmarain
4.5 stars
Feb 22, 2024
Complex
Vibrant
Insightful
Photo of Inês Pinto
Inês Pinto@ines
4.5 stars
Dec 4, 2022
Compelling
Photo of 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮
𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮@caffeineand
3.5 stars
Sep 4, 2022
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reann@reann
2 stars
Jan 13, 2024
Photo of Lindsy Rice
Lindsy Rice@lindsyrice
2 stars
Jan 12, 2024
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Ana Hein@anahein99
5 stars
Jan 5, 2023
Photo of Phillip Santiago
Phillip Santiago@philthepill
4 stars
Oct 20, 2022
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Tiffany@scientiffic
2 stars
Sep 26, 2022
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Jeremy Boyd@jboydsplit
5 stars
Mar 4, 2022
Photo of Rachel Peterson
Rachel Peterson@r-petes
4 stars
Nov 15, 2021
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Zoe Proegler@zoeprglr
4 stars
Oct 31, 2021
Photo of Laura Leila Marta
Laura Leila Marta@lauraleila
4 stars
Oct 31, 2021
Photo of Jack Baty
Jack Baty@jackbaty
3 stars
Jun 10, 2021

Highlights

Photo of Karolina
Karolina@fox
Page 149
Photo of Karolina
Karolina@fox
Page 131
Photo of Karolina
Karolina@fox
Page 87