Object Lessons
A book series, 100+ books strong, about the secret life of ordinary things. Published by Bloomsbury.
Object Lessons is a series of concise, affordable, beautifully designed books and of smart, short essays based around singular objects and the lessons they hold. Books are published and distributed worldwide by Bloomsbury. Essays were published at The Atlantic from 2013 to 2019, and now we publish essays in a special Object Lessons Impressions series at Pittsburgh Review of Books. .
At around 25,000–30,000 words, each book starts from a specific prompt: an anthropological query, archeological discovery, historical event, literary passage, personal narrative, philosophical speculation, technological innovation—and from that starting point develops an investigation or inquiry around the object of the title, gleaning a singular lesson or multiple lessons along the way. Essays, which typically range from 1,500 to 2,000 words, are drawn from authors in industry, academia, design, and beyond, written for a broad and general readership.
In this way Object Lessons harnesses recent movements in material culture studies and critical theory—while also forming a collection of volumes that will be of perennial interest, able to adapt and diversify over time and reflect fresh scholarly trends as new objects and lessons appear. The emphasis throughout is lucid writing, imagination, and brevity.
Books & Essays
For a complete and up-to-date list of all books and essays, please visit the Object Lessons series site at objectsobjectsobjects.com . A selection of Object Lessons cover designs appears below (click for full cover view).
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