3 Review(s)

Fifteen Minutes of Fame is a satirical commentary on contemporary culture. The book celebrates the cult of celebrity, the wonders of everyday experience, and lots in between. Andrew Godsell, with pen in hand and tongue in cheek, explores diverse subjects, as fact mingles with fiction. The enduring influence of such literary figures as Lewis Carroll, George Orwell, Samuel Pepys, J K Rowling, and Evelyn Waugh is considered. Political themes range from Thatcherism to the Con-Dem coalition, either side of New Labour. The importance of history stretches from Stonehenge, and the legends of King Arthur, to the growth of Internet genealogy. The excitement of sport is reflected in football, and the communal spirit of Sport Relief. Music by John Lennon, Madonna, Patti Smith, and Bruce Springsteen sits alongside a folk festival. The established arts of theatre and cinema combine with the emergence of Reality TV.