My Review

The author also shares her experiences and encounters with these objects as a child and then as a grownup and then shares how her deep research affected the way she looked at these objects as an adult and became wiser regarding their obsession and use. Her mind is starting to look at the true cost hidden behind these unbearably beautiful objects with a shadow of decay lurking underneath them.

Did you know lipsticks were made with crushed beetle shells, or that makeup had levels of mercury that were fatal to women in history? Did you know that rodents and worse yet cadavers, went into the making of perfume? Did you ever imagine that the fine china dishware you eat from has cow bone dust in it? Or how that beautiful marble slab you always wanted on your porch has killed hundreds of workers through silicosis? Did you know that the story of the movie Blood Diamond has more real than you thought?

Kelleher’s writing keeps us hooked on the unraveling secrets blended with the support of science, history, and biography. I loved the way the author has written about these goods without making us feel guilty about desiring them or pressurizing us to give up on them. Along with giving us facts, about these goods, she also shares how we can ethically and sustainably share our passion for these beautiful things.

Final Verdict

I look forward to reading more such fascinating histories from Katy Kelleher and recommend it to readers looking to read world history and how it affects us.

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster for sharing a copy of this book with me.

Happy Publishing Day to Katy Kelleher.

Quotes from the book

• Beauty happens in our minds; it's an experience that we have when using our sense and our critical faculties together.
• Perhaps that's the ugliest thing about mirrors. They reveal more about society than they do about individuals. 
•  Embodying femininity can be a protective measure in a world that discriminates against trans women, and makeup can often be central to this construction. 
• Beauty is sharp, it is intense, and it often comes at a cost. 
• Beauty can arrive when we least expect it, and often it takes a form we don't anticipate.