This book offers a sobering and detailed approach to the matter of consumption in socialist countries. By addressing the East German case, one gets and informed view of the topic. The work is well documented and balanced. It relies on comparative methods which help to contextualise and understand the content properly. The conclusion is interesting: a proper study of the shortcomings of early stage socialism is to be put in context. Otherwise, the attempts to analyse the topic may not provide an accurate picture. Landsman does so with merit. It would have been nice to see the results of his investigations, should he have chosen to extend his study to the Honecker era, which he does in a superficial manner.