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Dead Famous

 25.00

by Greg Jenner

‘Fizzes with clever vignettes and juicy tidbits… [a] joyous romp of a book.’ Guardian

‘A magical mystery tour through the history of celebrity – eye opening, provocative, triumphant.’ Kate Williams, bestselling author and historian

‘A fascinating, rollicking book in search of why, where and how fame strikes. Sit back and enjoy the ride.’ Peter Frankopan

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SKU: 9780297869801 Categories: , Tags: , , , , , ,

Empire of Things

In this ambitious history, that spans the Bronze Age to the coming of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Greg Jenner assembles a vibrant cast of over 125 actors, singers, dancers, sportspeople, freaks, demigods, ruffians, and more, in search of celebrity’s historical roots. He reveals why celebrity burst into life in the early eighteenth century, how it differs to ancient ideas of fame, the techniques through which it was acquired, how it was maintained, the effect it had on public tastes, and the psychological burden stardom could place on those in the glaring limelight. Dead Famous is a surprising, funny, and fascinating exploration of both a bygone age and how we came to inhabit our modern, fame obsessed society.

About the Author

Greg Jenner is a British public historian, broadcaster, and author noted for using humor and pop culture to communicate the complexities of the past. Greg is also the Historical Consultant to BBC’s Emmy and multi-BAFTA award-winning comedy sketch-show HORRIBLE HISTORIES, being solely responsible for the factual accuracy of over 1,800 sketches and 130 comedy songs. He also worked on HORRIBLE HISTORIES: THE MOVIE – ROTTEN ROMANS.

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Weight 0.3 kg
Dimensions 12.8 × 2.6 × 19.7 cm