The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History (Paperback)

~ (Author) "What is honor?" asked Falstaff and answered "a word..." (more)
Key Phrases: visible fame, spiritual fame, art confiscations, Middle Ages, Julius Caesar, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"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

From the Inside Flap

"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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 684 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; 1st Vintage Books Ed edition (November 25, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679776303
• ISBN-13: 978-0679776307
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #126,932 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The history of fame, writ large, December 7, 1999

By	L. Z. - See all my reviews

Can you name the ten most famous people in western European history? After reading this book, you will. A monumental study of the human craving for attention, and the ways that people (mostly men) have sought it. I recommend this book for anyone who has wondered what all the fuss is about regarding celebrities today. This book was originally published in 1987, and Braudy has written an afterward for the 1997 edition -- it's very interesting to read what happens when you write "the book" on fame in the era of O.J.Simpson, Monika Lewinsky, et al.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL, May 18, 2000

By	S. A. Bluvshteyn (San Diego, Ca) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What an incredible book! I had to remind myself that this was not a work of fiction. I was thoroughly impressed by the style , soul and intellect of this beautifully written work.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome piece of work, December 16, 1997

By A Customer

In charting the course of fame, Braudy written a compelling and original history of Western culture. This is an amazing piece of work, clearly the product of insight, devotion, and many years of study. I've recently been seeing references to it in various mainstream publications, so I'm glad it's finally getting some of the attention it deserves, and it's nice to see that it went to paperback. It's ambitious, and I believe successful as well. It's fun to read, and it'll help refresh all that western history you forgot from school. If you don't completely love this book, you're a moron. (OK, that last statement's probably a bit much...) Anyway, note that I have no connection to the author, publisher, author's department (USC Literature), their families, or anything like that, other than having read this book.