In Personalities, people open doors into their very personal immediate surroundings: their homes and spaces of creative work. As different as they are, what connects them is something very special: the USM modular furniture system.We set out on a journey into their lifeworlds and let them tell the stories behind the pieces of furniture-each one as individual as their owners. While the stories constitute the heart of Personalities, well-known specialist authors supplement the subject of "personality" with a psychological and sociological perspective.We take a trip into personality psychology, cast a glance in the direction of popular culture, and ultimately take a look at personality in the field of tension between having and being, between material culture and lifestyle.The diversity of those portrayed is reflected in the variety of the accompanying essays, which call attention to the facets around the concept of personality in an entertaining and unexpected way.