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Secondhand : travels in the new global garage sale
2019
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Library Journal Review
Rag and bone men were a feature of 19th-century urban life. They were among the poorest of the poor, earning their living by scavenging scraps of bone, rag, and metal, then sorting and reselling it. Today, the sale of secondhand merchandise is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Goodwill Industries, a nonprofit, operates in multiple countries and in 2014 generated $5.6 billion in revenue, most of which funded its charitable operations. Minter's (Junkyard Planet) latest is a fascinating piece of journalism, navigating the journey of goods from the donation box to their final destinations. It also takes a look at the profitable business of assisting with downsizing, decluttering, or cleaning out the treasured possessions of departed loved ones. There is much more to the secondhand and reuse market than is commonly imagined. Daniel Henning gives a crisp narration well suited to the material. VERDICT Will engage those with an interest in business, consumer choice, or the environment, as well as those who enjoyed the author's first book.--Cynthia Jensen, Gladys Harrington Lib., Plano, TX
Publishers Weekly Review
Starting at what many people would consider the end of the story, when it's time to dispose of possessions that are unwanted, unused, or broken, business journalist Minter (Junkyard Planet) takes readers on a surprisingly jaunty trip through the global market for secondhand goods. Starting at a storage unit in the Minneapolis suburbs and winding up in Ghana's Golden Jubilee Terminal, a major import crossroads, with stops in Japan, India, and Malaysia along the way, Minter introduces a colorful cast of characters, such as 41-year-old "Shoe Guy," a (self-declared) 35-year veteran of the U.S.-Mexico trade in used goods, and Robin Ingenthron, a Vermont entrepreneur who exports computer monitors from the U.S. to the developing world. Largely a portrait of an industry in decline due to items such as clothing becoming cheaper and less durable and higher ticket electronics being developed to insure that they are difficult to repair, Minter's book reveals an economy hampered by an increasing overabundance of supply ("The things I value, I quickly realized, generally aren't valuable to anyone but me"). This is a fascinating, eye-opening look at a dynamic, largely unseen world that only starts when one drops off something at a thrift store. Agent: Wendy Sherman, Wendy Sherman Associates. (Nov.)
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