In trying to understand the power of celebrity in modern life, Richard Schickel ranges through every realm of our culture - film, theatre, television, literature, art, the media, pop music, politics - for examples of how celebrity shapes our world and bends our minds. He considers the careers of figures as diverse as John Kennedy and Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Dwight Eisenhower, Walter Cronkite and Andy Warhol, among dozens of others. And he reflects on the dangerous, sometimes deadly, political and social consequences of the fascinating, largely unacknowledged relationship between the famous elite and the unfamous majority. In demonstrating how the carefully fostered illusion of intimacy between these two groups has created a devastating confusion between public life and private life, in showing how the play of celebrity symbols has largely replaced the play of ideas in our society, Schickel takes us on a journey to the heart of contemporary darkness - and offers, finally, a chilling warning about the psychopathic consequences of our national obsession with celebrity. "Intimate Strangers is, simply, in my estimation, the single most important book about celebrity." - Neal Gabler.

About the Author
Richard Schickel, best known as a film critic for Time magazine, has written many books about the movies. Intimate Strangers is his highly regarded interpretation of contemporary American culture.

Reviews
A fascinating, disturbing book. * Library Journal *
Cogent...Schickel offers white-hot jeremiad. -- Melvin Maddocks * Time *
Intimate Strangers is, simply, in my estimation, the single most important book about celebrity. -- Neal Gabler



Book Information
ISBN 9781566633178
Author Richard Schickel
Format Paperback
Page Count 334
Imprint Ivan R Dee, Inc
Publisher Ivan R Dee, Inc
Weight(grams) 417g
Dimensions(mm) 208mm * 141mm * 25mm