Rating: 
Summary: Cosmetic Psychology
Review: Jean Kilbourne has some important points to make in this book. Yet, thanks to her ability to use similar tactics of the ad industry to get her own agenda across, the inclination is to believe her rhetoric as much as her opponent's (i.e. the 'bad' ad industry). Were 'bad habits' and other disorders truly 'forced upon her by ads' when she was young? And do they explain her own modus operandi now? Ads certainly may appeal to our own personal myths, aspirations and be useful tools to promote our own denial and insecurities. But their role as tools or mediums should not be confused with the actual agent or culprit in initiating and continuiung deception and denial. Thus, reading her book gave me the impression that Kilbourne was still struggling -- trying to find her own way out of an all encompassing cosmetic world in which she actually, deep down secretively, believes too literally.
Rating: 
Summary: A bitter pill...
Review: Kilbourne writes about the psychology of mass marketing, which is something she detests and refuses to let go of. Her remarks are often cloyingly accurate--that mass marketing turns people in addicts, disconnects people from genuine and authentic feeling, substitutes objects for people, turns people into objects, and values consumerism above community. Given that mass advertising is the water that we fishies swim in (nearly a zillion ads by the time we are ten years old), it's a pretty depressing and gives me a quasi-paranoid headache.In contrast to another reviewer, however, I did not think Kilbourne was in the least bit funny. Angry--and she has enough to be angry about, every day, ranging from TV to magazines--but no, not funny. Nevertheless, she writes very well and convincingly. This bitter pill gets 4*'s.
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Summary: Mini- Review
Review: Mini- Review
In review of the book I'm reading Can't Buy My Love is about advertising. It doesn't discriminate women as much as I thought it would. It discriminates the advertising world. Jean Kilbourne, (the author) talks about how advertising influences all different kinds of people: blacks, whites, males, females, adults, and children.
Jean Kilbourne really goes in depth with the way she portrays the advertising world. People spend millions of dollars trying to get their commercials on T.V. " You can love it without getting your heart broken." Some company probably paid a lot of money just to get that quote on T.V., or in a magazine.
This is the only book I've read in a long time, I really enjoyed it.
Can't Buy My Love is an informative book about the advertising world.
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Summary: Jean's definition of a beautiful child...
Review: OK, so I have not read the book. However, I listened to an interview with her on NPR yesterday. Anyway, what really caught my attention and what I wanted to share with you was at the end of the interview she was asked what her idea of a beautiful child is. There wasn't a transcript available on the web site, but they did have audio, so I transcribed it the best that I could. Here is her answer:
"A child who's radiant, who's happy, who's civilized but not repressed, who's curious and full of a sense of wonder and adventure, who's confident, loves to engage in conversation and activities and basically feels that her body is powerful and wonderful and can do great things for her, and that her mind opens her up to endless possibilities."
Now that does sound beautiful!
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Summary: A Self-Concept Struggle
Review: Starting from the personal and then on to the political, Jean's drama is quite an account of manipulation and how the self-concept can have a distorting and whitewashing effect. She has a formidable ability to use the tactics of the advertizing industry to get her own agenda across. Thus, it is important not to fall into the trap of thinking and aspiring to the ideals generated by both 'beauty' industries.
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Summary: I read it
Review: The book I have just finished reading is Can't Buy my Love by Jean Kilbourne. I think it's a well-written book. She really breaks down the different styles of advertising and the way each person is affected.
Ms. Kilbourne also talks about how some ads influence men and women. Here is an example from the book its woman talking she dressed very sexy and says, "Until I find a real man, I'll settle for a real smoke". This is just one of the many different ways of advertising.
If you are looking for an informative book that will teach you about advertising. I believe this is the book you have been looking for. So tell a friend about it!!
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Summary: can't hold my attention
Review: this book provides an abundance of information regarding advertising's effect in american culture, and throughout the world. the author mainly focuses on alcohol, tobacco advertising and how it creates an environment which supports addiction. she goes on to discuss addictions, abuse, eating-disorder and the relation to advertising. this book is extremely informative (as it's bibliography is over 30 pages) and eye-opneing; however, it becomes almost unbearably repetitive.
Rating:
Summary: Must read
Review: This book should be required reading for every female high school freshman. Every woman who has dieted, picked herself apart for her appearance or stared longingly at a magazine layout needs to read this book. It is such a fantastic book. You know you are living under myths and lies to a certain extent but just how many is amazing. I love all the excerpts about how magazines try to pull in major advertising dollars. I have recommened to all of my friends who have young female children. I wonder how much smarter I could have been if this had entered my life as a younger woman.
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Summary: A teen's thoughts on this book
Review: This book was a real eyeopener to the way the I am presented images and expectations as a teen in society. I bought this book when I was 16 and just finished re-reading it after my first year of university. I will admit that I did not understand some of the concepts at age 16, but Kilbourne certainly started to open my eyes to the way that advertizing and the cutural enviroment views people in general, and now, at the age of 19 when I go back over the topics, I see that her reflections are very acurate of the enviroment in which I judge myself. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE, and especially to teens, so that they can realize how our self-image is affected and manipulated so that we will be more suceptable to addictions. This is one of the best reads I have had in a very long time.
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