The Power & Perils of Fame

In this thematic Collection, explore The Power & Perils of Fame through works that discuss the highs and lows of having a following. Featuring autobiographical accounts from those who have achieved celebrity status as well as fictional works, these titles examine the nature of fame, both historically and in contemporary settings, as they explore topics such as power, pressure, and privacy.

Blood and Thunder

by Hampton Sides

Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fame, Indigenous Identity

Tags US History, Military & War, World History, Western, Biography

Published in 2001, Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West is a narrative history of the turbulent period from the 1800s to the 1860s, the “settling” of the American West. It frames the transformation of America into a transcontinental power through the life story of Christopher “Kit” Carson, a larger-than-life frontiersman, guide, and army officer who assisted the conquest every step of the way. Blood and Thunder is not author Hampton Sides’s first... Read Blood and Thunder Summary

Book of Night

by Holly Black

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Social Class, Fame, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Romance

... Read Book of Night Summary

Borges and I

by Jorge Luis Borges

Publication year 1960

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Literature, Loneliness, Fame

Tags Magical Realism, Life-Inspired Fiction, Latin American Literature, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

... Read Borges and I Summary

Born to Rock

by Gordon Korman

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Fathers, Self Discovery, Fame, Music, Truth & Lies, Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Humor

Gordan Korman’s 2006 young adult coming-of-age novel Born to Rock follows teenager Leo Caraway as he sets out to get to know his biological father—the frontman of a legendary punk rock band—hoping to fund his college tuition while navigating the foreign world of punk rock and gets to know his roots. The novel, which was written for and dedicated to Korman’s son, also named Leo, explores themes of genetics, identity, self-expression, and lying.Korman is a... Read Born to Rock Summary

Born to Run

by Bruce Springsteen

Publication year 2016

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Hope, Joy, Memory, Love, Coming of Age, Midlife, Childhood & Youth, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Art, Fame, Justice, Music, Equality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Music, Arts & Culture, Mental Illness, Social Justice, US History, Biography

... Read Born to Run Summary

Bread of Angels

by Patti Smith

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Family, Perseverance, Grief, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, The Past, Objects & Materials, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Art, Beauty, Fame, Literature, Music

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Music, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death

... Read Bread of Angels Summary

Brothers

by Alex Van Halen

Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Love, Memory, Language, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Siblings, Teamwork, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music

... Read Brothers Summary

Chain-Gang All-Stars

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Justice, Fame, Community, Teamwork, Death, Future, Race, Gender Identity, Mental Health

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Satirical Literature, LGBTQ+, Black Lives Matter, Business & Economics, Grief & Death, US History, Incarceration, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Social Justice, Fantasy

... Read Chain-Gang All-Stars Summary

Chasing Lincoln's Killer

by James L. Swanson

Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fame

Tags US History, American Civil War, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Military & War, World History, Biography

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is a YA novel adapted from the adult version, Manhunt, both by James L. Swanson. Manhunt is a meticulously researched nonfiction novel describing the hunt for John Wilkes Booth, and includes previously unpopularized transcripts, archives, and interviews. Published by Scholastic in 2009, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer makes these rare historical finds digestible for younger audiences and provides a rapid-fire, abridged version of the narrative of the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth.Those who only... Read Chasing Lincoln's Killer Summary

Cheaper By The Dozen

by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Publication year 1948

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Joy, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Femininity, Language, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Teamwork, Community, Education, Fame, Order & Chaos, Science & Technology

Tags Humor

Published in 1948, Cheaper by the Dozen is a humorous memoir by siblings Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The book chronicles their unconventional childhood in Montclair, New Jersey, as two of 12 children raised by parents who were pioneering efficiency experts. The authors’ father, Frank B. Gilbreth, treats the family home as a laboratory, applying the principles of scientific management and motion study to every aspect of domestic life, from bathing to... Read Cheaper By The Dozen Summary

Contrapposto

by Dave Eggers

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Aging, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Objects & Materials, Friendship, Art, Beauty, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Literary Fiction, Arts & Culture

Published in 2026, Contrapposto is a picaresque novel and Bildungsroman by American author Dave Eggers. The novel traces the life of a talented artist named Rob “Cricket” Dibb. From his childhood in Indiana to his entanglements with the contemporary art world, Cricket’s journey is a lifelong quest to reconcile his skill-based creative drive with the external pressures of commerce, theory, and ambition. The narrative explores themes such as The Corrosive Nature of the Art Market... Read Contrapposto Summary

Daisy Jones & The Six

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music, Fathers, Fame

Tags Historical Fiction, Music, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s historical fiction novel Daisy Jones & The Six, published in 2019, is a contemporary work of fiction that explores the rich music culture of the 1970s in the United States. This time was known for rock ’n’ roll, partly as a cultural response to the strict rules of the 1960s and the disaster of the Vietnam War. The California dream world of hard partying, no rules, and freedom persists as a major... Read Daisy Jones & The Six Summary