All the World’s a Mall is a memorable, hallucinatory travel adventure to five of the biggest malls in the world.
Description
All the World’s a Mall details a whirlwind world tour in five stops: Edmonton, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, and Casablanca, chosen because they are home to some of the biggest malls on the planet. Cities within cities, these malls are wonderlands where visitors come from afar to: walk, eat, sleep, watch, swim, ride, photograph, and, of course, shop. With a curious, critical, and sometimes ironic eye, Swiss journalist Rinny Gremaud recounts her travels to and through these monstrous spaces of excess, relaying her conversations with patrons, employees, and executives, and contemplating the effects of globalized commerce. Informative and thoughtful, exhilarating and exhausting, jet-lagged and always air conditioned, All the World’s a Mall is a truly memorable, hallucinatory adventure.
Reviews
"While the apparent goal of the narrative is to learn about the world’s largest malls, Gremaud’s journey is as much about globalization, income inequality, and the author’s own multicultural heritage as it is about shopping." Karen Sternheimer, University of Southern California
"We feel Gremaud’s exhaustion as she crosses yet another time zone, entering another mega-mall where she is unlikely to see the light of day for hours or breathe fresh air. Her observations of her fellow travellers are razor sharp." Jonathan Kaplansky, literary translator
"Any tourist can describe Burmese jungles or the snows of Kilimanjaro. It takes talent to write a travel book about shopping malls....All The World’s A Mall pops and snaps.... All The World’s A Mall is fresh and funny and sad. It is the best thing since free parking." Holly Doan, Blacklock's Reporter, November 18, 2023 [Full review at https://www.blacklocks.ca/book-review-malls-on-earth/]
Named one of the 100 Best Books of 2023 by The Hill Times, December 19, 2023