In his investigation of the social life of electronic goods in late socialist Poland, Patryk Wasiak has uncovered important connections between consumer desire, the failures and successes of the command economy, and human ingenuity. Carefully researched and surprising in its conclusions, this is an important book.

Cristofer Scarboro, King's College

Firmly rooted in scholarship and unearthing previously untapped sources, Patryk Wasiak sheds light on the ‘performance of modernity’ enacted by the conception, production, and promotion of electric appliances in late socialist Poland. It is a solid analysis of the discursive strategies undertaken by various actors in order to highlight the domestic industry’s achievements and gloss over (or actually uncover) its flaws. This book is a crucial contribution to the history of consumer technology in Eastern Europe.

Gleb J. Albert, University of Lucerne