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.

Possession

by A. S. Byatt

Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Literature, Memory, Femininity, The Past, Objects & Materials, Teamwork, Art, Beauty, Fame, Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Postmodernism

A. S. Byatt’s novel Possession: A Romance, published in 1990, is a work of historical fiction that combines the elements of literary mystery and romance. The novel won the Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in English-language literature. Its narrative unfolds along two parallel timelines. In 1986, two young scholars, Roland Michell and Maud Bailey, discover a secret love affair between the eminent Victorian poet Randolph Henry Ash and the lesser-known Christabel LaMotte... Read Possession Summary

Promises to Keep

by Sharon Robinson

Publication year 2004

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Hope, Race, Future, The Past, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fame, Justice, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Biography, African American Literature, Sports, US History

... Read Promises to Keep Summary

Range

by David Epstein

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fame, Art, Music, Science & Technology, Wins & Losses, Perseverance

Tags Business & Economics, Psychology, Self-Improvement, Science & Nature, Education, Sports, Music, Arts & Culture, Education, Leadership, Psychology

... Read Range Summary

Room

by Emma Donoghue

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Grandparents, Childhood & Youth, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Conflict, Nostalgia, Memory, Love, Loneliness, Joy, Literature, Good & Evil, Fame, Justice, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Religion & Spirituality, Order & Chaos, Appearance & Reality, Animals, Environment, Plants, Food, Place

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Crime & Law, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

IntroductionEmma Donoghue’s Room is a 2010 novel about a boy named Jack who lives in a single room with his mother, Ma. Room is a crime thriller novel that explores themes of trauma, innocence, and adaptability through the eyes of five-year-old narrator, Jack. Room has received many awards, including the ALA Alex Award, the Indies Choice Book Award for Fiction, and The New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year award. Room was... Read Room Summary

Run, Rose, Run

by Dolly Parton, James Patterson

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Shame & Pride, Love, Revenge, Justice, Fame, Good & Evil, Music, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Music, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

... Read Run, Rose, Run Summary

Solo

by Mary Rand Hess, Kwame Alexander

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Apathy, Conflict, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Gratitude, Hate & Anger, Joy, Guilt, Memory, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Art, Music, Trust & Doubt, Fame, Love, Death, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Colonialism, Appearance & Reality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Prose, Free Verse, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Music, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Solo Summary

Sooley

by John Grisham

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fame, Perseverance, Equality, Family

Tags Sports, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Poverty, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Sooley Summary

Stripped Down

by Bunnie Xo

Publication year 2026

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Forgiveness, Guilt, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Economics, Fame, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Trauma & Abuse

... Read Stripped Down Summary

Supergifted

by Gordon Korman

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Self Discovery, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Supergifted Summary

Tamerlane

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1827

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Death, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Love, Guilt, Grief, Memory, Regret

Tags Narrative Poem, Horror & Suspense, Classic Fiction

... Read Tamerlane Summary