Celebrity Nation

“A disquieting, well-researched exploration of the celebrity phenomenon and its consequences for our society.” —Kirkus Reviews “Jones is an astute chronicler of celebrity culture.” —Publishers Weekly “A well-researched, astute examination of the blurred lines between heroes and celebrities. The book’s narrative and plot points are immensely readable.” —Library Journal “Others have—and will—explore this topic in more depth, but Jones’s clear-eyed, often rueful take on the phenomenon is an excellent starting point.” —Shelf Awareness “A triumph of human insight into an all-too-often inhuman institution that can become a mortal threat to celebrities themselves.” —The Milken Review “An irresistibly readable history and critique of our vertiginous celebrity culture.” —Joyce Carol Oates, author of Blonde “As one of the founding editors at People, Lanny Jones helped chronicle and invent the rise of celebrity culture. In this fun and insightful book, he explores the difference between celebrities and heroes, a distinction that is more important than ever in our age of Kardashians and Trumps.” —Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs “As the editor of People magazine during its early glory days, Landon Jones was present at the creation of the Celebrity Nation. He brings a sharp eye and deep understanding—as well as warmth and humor—to exploring a phenomenon that once seemed like an entertaining diversion but now threatens to consume us all.” —Evan Thomas, author of First: Sandra Day O’Connor and Road to Surrender “The final arbiter of all matters celebrity in America.” —former columnist Frank Rich, New York Times “As a former editor of People magazine, Landon Jones is an expert on the rise of celebrity culture in this country and its troubling social costs. His mesmerizing book, revealing in unsettling detail how America’s addiction to celebrity has heightened its political and class divisions and weakened community and family ties, is a must-read.” —Lynne Olson, author of Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt’s Ancient Temples from Destruction