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The Things They Fancied
A zine about the sick and twisted hobbies of rich people throughout history. Researched and written during the quarantine of 2020.
56 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
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417 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 9, 2021
This zine was fascinating! I was recommended it by a coworker and fellow librarian, and being the nosey little peasant I am, immediately went to buy it. I'm obsessed with reading about the infuriating nonsense that rich people love to drop big bucks on, so this was the perfect read for me. It's the closest I can get to rifling through a rich mf's medicine cabinet like a little rat, which is something I would totally do if I ever found myself in said rich mf's bathroom.
Like the author mentions, people of all classes love to spend money on stupid stuff, but often the most unnecessary and bizarre of purchases are made by those who have already spent money on literally everything else that exists on the planet. A person with 50k lying around might cash it in on a custom perfume tailor-made to their sensory desires. Or, if this were the 1700s, they might spend the equivalent of 11,000 present-day USD on pineapple. I could see this one zine easily turn into an infinite series spanning the gazillion years that man has walked this god forsaken earth. This was so much fun and such a quick read, and I was surprised but pleased to see it on Goodreads to give it a well-earned 5 stars!
Like the author mentions, people of all classes love to spend money on stupid stuff, but often the most unnecessary and bizarre of purchases are made by those who have already spent money on literally everything else that exists on the planet. A person with 50k lying around might cash it in on a custom perfume tailor-made to their sensory desires. Or, if this were the 1700s, they might spend the equivalent of 11,000 present-day USD on pineapple. I could see this one zine easily turn into an infinite series spanning the gazillion years that man has walked this god forsaken earth. This was so much fun and such a quick read, and I was surprised but pleased to see it on Goodreads to give it a well-earned 5 stars!
March 22, 2021
Not a lot of zines make it to Goodreads for me to review! This little book of essays accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, made me laugh out loud several times; completely charming. Also as a zine-maker myself I appreciate the author's justification of zines.
June 16, 2021
Molly Young is such a talented writer, every sentence is a delicious morsel, and it is well-researched, hilarious, and fascinating. I hope she writes more!!
March 17, 2022
Gave me a deeper understanding of that scene in The Favourite where Emma Stone tells Rachel Weisz that she’s going to go try a pineapple, what more can I ask for!
July 9, 2024
Hilarious
September 9, 2025
Enjoyable and funny. FYI, as far as I know the only way to get this zine is to buy it from the author's website.
August 14, 2021
The second I read the synopsis of this book on NPR’s 2020 best books of the year list and saw the Fragonard cover, I immediately added it to my TBR and it did not disappoint! 🙌🏼
First off, I discovered when purchasing online through the author’s website that this isn’t actually classified as a book but a ZINE! Be still my 90s riot grrrl heart. 😍 So it’s basically a book just without the spine, but it still made me feel just a liiiittle bit cooler.
Young chronicles outrageously extravagant things that rich folks have entertained themselves with in the past few centuries. Favorite chapters include delightful subjects like pineapple crazes, pubic hair spray, and domesticated squirrels.
I knew I was going to adore this from the first page. Young is such a witty writer and she had me hooked straightaway. I couldn’t help but read it all in one super enjoyable sitting.
Coming in at just over 50 pages, this makes for the perfect fun little afternoon read. Plus, who doesn’t want to make fun of bougie people? 🎩 As my late grandmother would say (in a thick Southern accent), “You cayn’t hide money!”
First off, I discovered when purchasing online through the author’s website that this isn’t actually classified as a book but a ZINE! Be still my 90s riot grrrl heart. 😍 So it’s basically a book just without the spine, but it still made me feel just a liiiittle bit cooler.
Young chronicles outrageously extravagant things that rich folks have entertained themselves with in the past few centuries. Favorite chapters include delightful subjects like pineapple crazes, pubic hair spray, and domesticated squirrels.
I knew I was going to adore this from the first page. Young is such a witty writer and she had me hooked straightaway. I couldn’t help but read it all in one super enjoyable sitting.
Coming in at just over 50 pages, this makes for the perfect fun little afternoon read. Plus, who doesn’t want to make fun of bougie people? 🎩 As my late grandmother would say (in a thick Southern accent), “You cayn’t hide money!”
March 2, 2021
Amusing, short zine collection of essays. I particularly enjoyed the one about pineapple.
March 6, 2021
Delightful zine full of various stories about the spoils of the rich. Very romantic yet information? A treat through and through
April 7, 2021
This book is weird in the best possible ways. I laughed out loud and couldn’t put it down. I am going to buy copies for friends because I need to talk about this stuff now.
November 21, 2021
I loved this! I loved every chapter so much! I giggled while I learned things.
Why wasn't it 500 pages long? I would have read 500 pages delightedly. Maybe it will get expanded someday?
Why wasn't it 500 pages long? I would have read 500 pages delightedly. Maybe it will get expanded someday?
July 20, 2022
I'm glad I finally ordered this zine because the stories were a pleasure to read and had me laughing out loud.
July 6, 2025
Just delightful.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews