The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History“Remarkably ambitious . . . an impressive tour de force.” —Washington Post Book World For Alexander the Great, fame meant accomplishing what no mortal had ever accomplished before. For Julius Caesar, personal glory was indistinguishable from that of Rome. The early Christians devalued public recognition, believing that the only true audience was God. And Marilyn Monroe owed much of her fame to the fragility that led to self-destruction. These are only some of the dozens of figures that populate Leo Braudy’s panoramic history of fame, a book that tells us as much about vast cultural changes as it does about the men and women who at different times captured their societies' regard. Spanning thousands of years and fields ranging from politics to literature and mass media, The Frenzy of Renown explores the unfolding relationship between the famous and their audiences, between fame and the representations that make it possible. Hailed as a landmark at its original publication and now reissued with a new Afterword covering the last tumultuous decade, here is a major work that provides our celebrity-obsessed, post-historical society with a usable past. “Expansive . . . Braudy excels at rocketing a general point into the air with the fuel of drama. ” —Harper's |
Contents
Introduction | 3 |
Lindbergh and Hemingway | 19 |
Public Men and the Fall of the Roman Republic | 55 |
Copyright | |
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achievement Aeneas Aeneid Alexander Alexander's ambition American Antony aristocratic artistic aspiration assertion audience Augustine Augustus Augustus's authority Barnum become believe Byron Caesar Callisthenes career celebrated Charlemagne Chaucer Christian Church Cicero classical Constantine create culture Dante death depicted desire divine Divine Comedy early eighteenth century Einhard emperor empire England face famous figure France genius glory Greek Henry Henry VIII heroes history of fame honor Horace House of Fame human imagery individual Jesus Julius Caesar king later Lindbergh literary lives medieval military modern monarchical Napoleon nature nineteenth century Octavian Odysseus one's Ovid painters painting past patron Petrarch Plutarch poem poet political Pompey Pope portrait posterity praise present Renaissance role Roman Rome Rousseau ruler saints sanction says seems self-consciousness sense social society spiritual status story style success Suetonius suicide theater tion tradition turned urge Virgil virtue visual writers