Faux Real: Genuine Leather and 2 Years of Inspired Fakes

Robert Kanigel

Published by University of Pennsylvania Press 2010

Faux Real

Genuine Leather and 2 Years of Inspired Fakes

Robert Kanigel

https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812205596

Overview
Contents

About this book

From Leatherette to Naugahyde, men and women have devoted enormous energy to making fake leather seem real. Faux Real explores this borderland of the almost-real, the ersatz, and the fake, illuminating a centuries-old culture war between the authentic and the imitative.

Author / Editor information

Robert Kanigel is Professor of Science Writing at MIT and author of several books, including The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle and L.A. Times Book awards.

Reviews

"Fantastic cultural history. Smart and sensual prose. You'll never look at your Manolos the same way again."—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash

"Kanigel's book is an easy and pleasurable read. . . . A tribute to leather's physical and tactile properties and to humankind's ingenuity and persistence in attempting to imitate them."—Design and Culture

"A sound researcher and an engaging writer. . . . Kanigel intelligently takes time to address the philosophical question of the importance of faux versus real."—Publishers Weekly

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Part I. Imitating the Inimitable
1. Material World Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	3
2. “Let the Good Work Go On” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	24
3. Leather Alive Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	45
4. Bizarre Effects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
5. One Nature Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	85
6. Nothing Like Leather Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	95
7. “All Shortcomings Have Been Eliminated” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	112
8. Top Grain Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	151
Part II. Inspired Fakes
9. What Nature Had in Mind Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
10. Crocodile Dreams Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
11. Vera Pelle Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	236
Sources and Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	247
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 296
Keywords: History; Cultural Studies; Business; Economics; American History; American Studies

eBook

Published: June 6, 2011
ISBN: 9780812205596