An exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressions.

Cuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokémon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T.—all reflect its gathering power. But what does “cute” mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so pervasive? Is it all infantile fluff, or is there something more uncanny and even menacing going on—in a lighthearted way? In The Power of Cute, Simon May provides nuanced and surprising answers.

The Power of Cute delves into a phenomenon that speaks with strange force to our age. Paperback 256 pages.