The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History
In a masterful historical analysis that moves from the Homeric age to People , Braudy demonstrates that the elusive concept of fame changes as its historical context changes. More than two millennia ago the urge to fame existed because political power could be centralized by controlling imagery. Because communication was slow and lives brief, some became famous only in retrospect. To be famous today means only to be talked about, and it is possible to win instant recognition worldwide. The chase for fame has both "inspired and warped individuals and cultures," as Braudy demonstrates with his subtle portraits of Alexander, Caesar and Augustus, Jesus and Augustine, Charlemagne and Dante, Napoleon and Byron, Washington and Lincoln, Lindbergh and Hemingway. A solid and absorbing work that will be useful in many academic disciplines. Milton Meltzer, New YorkCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.