American Bulk: Essays on Excess is a thought-provoking collection of essays-turned-memoir in which Emily Mester confronts a childhood and culture shaped by overconsumption—the hypothetical "capitalism final boss." While the collection started off a bit slow for me, as I moved through her essays, I found her insights speaking to a broader audience: the American consumer. She weaves her own experiences with a larger critique of the deep-rooted excess in American culture, forcing readers to confront the ugly truths of capitalism, examine their own consumption habits, and challenge the complacency behind the phrase, "no ethical consumption under capitalism."

Beyond its content, Mester’s writing is technically phenomenal. I often found myself marveling at her word choices, just as captivated by her language as I was by the stories she told. I reccommend American Bulk to anyone wishing to explore their own relationship with consumption or just seeking a refreshing new essay collection.