Summary of A Year Without "Made in China"

Sara Bongiorni

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Rating

8 Overall

8 Applicability

8 Innovation

9 Style

Recommendation

From head to toe, American consumers are walking advertisements for products from China. But few shoppers realize the depth and national economic implications of their dependence on "Made-in-China" goods. Writing with heart and precision, Sara Bongiorni – who decided that her family wouldn't buy Chinese merchandise for a year – uses trade data, shopping mishaps and family squabbles to outline the complex relationship between Chinese merchandise, U.S. consumers and American job loss. Her narrative is funny, factual and entertaining. She delivers insightful lessons about trade, manufacturing and finance. The author attempts to avoid China-bashing and repeatedly mentions her distant Chinese ancestry, but the book occasionally steps into the uncomfortable territory of nationalism on the subject of race and international commerce. Still, this is a delightful, informative read. getAbstract recommends it for every shopping list.

In this summary, you will learn

How China became the dominant producer of consumer merchandise;
How American jobs moved overseas;
How and why one family stopped buying goods made in China;
Why you should evaluate each item on your shopping list; and
How to shop mindfully in the global marketplace.

About the Author

Sara Bongiorni, a seasoned business reporter, has written for daily newspapers and regional periodicals in Louisiana and California.

Summary

The China Label
The trade numbers are overwhelming. In 2006, about $290 billion worth of Chinese merchandise was sold in the U.S., the destination for roughly 25% of China's exports. In nearly every niche of the consumer products market, China is the lowest-cost producer. But the U.S. ...