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.

In My Craft or Sullen Art

by Dylan Thomas

Publication year 1934

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Space, Fame, Literature, Power & Greed

In “In My Craft or Sullen Art” (1946), renowned Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) asks the age-old question: Why write poetry? In the poem, a poet sits alone at a writing desk bathed in moonlight. He is compelled by an energy he does not entirely understand to spend his night toiling over lines of poetry. The poem explores the creative process that links a lonely poet to the people he writes for—not guaranteed readers, but... Read In My Craft or Sullen Art Summary

In Pieces

by Sally Field

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Mental Health, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Art, Beauty, Fame, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies

Tags Trauma & Abuse, Gender & Feminism

... Read In Pieces Summary

John & Paul

by Ian Leslie

Publication year 2025

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Joy, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Place, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Teamwork, Community, Art, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos

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Life on the Color Line

by Gregory Howard Williams

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Love, Fame, Family

Tags Race & Racism, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Relationships, World History, Social Justice, Biography

Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black, published in 1995, is an autobiographical account of the childhood and adolescence of the American lawyer and educator Gregory Howard Williams. An exceptional achiever throughout his life, Williams devoted 10 years to penning this memoir that centers around his being raised to believe he’s white, only to be told as a 10-year-old boy that he’s of African American... Read Life on the Color Line Summary

Lorne

by Susan Morrison

Publication year 2025

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Teamwork, Community, Politics & Government, Art, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags US History, Arts & Culture

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Love, Pamela

by Pamela Anderson

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Fame, Perseverance, Love, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Mothers, Self Discovery, Beauty

Tags Canadian Literature, Arts & Culture

... Read Love, Pamela Summary

Loving Frank

by Nancy Horan

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fame, Beauty, Art, Self Discovery, Marriage, Family, Daughters & Sons, Femininity, Love, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, Life-Inspired Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts & Culture

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Matriarch

by Tina Knowles

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Midlife, The Past, Family, Mothers, Fame

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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Mind Games

by Nora Roberts

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Love, Revenge, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Mind Games Summary