Self-Exposure

“An exemplary history of a key genre of journalism often ignored by histories of news.”—Journal of American History

“Historians of American culture who are interested in celebrity, culture, and
identity will find much to consider in this book. . . . And the growing number of historians writing about journalism with a subtle, cultural perspective will find Self-Exposure a useful addition to their literature.”—Reviews in American History

“A nuanced portrait of the interaction of audience demand and repertorial supply.”—American Historical Review

“A fascinating contribution to one of the most important developments of modern America. One has only to think for a moment about contemporary culture to wish to know where our obsessions with celebrity come from and, more profoundly, what impact celebrating celebrity has had on our civilization.” — James B. Gilbert, University of Maryland at College Park

“Self-Exposure fills an important gap in historical scholarship, providing the first sustained consideration of how the notion of celebrity status emerged from the late nineteenth century until the mid-twentieth. It should appeal to those interested in how journalists shaped American culture and the emergence of celebrities.” — Daniel Horowitz, Smith College

“[Self-Exposure: Human-Interest Journalism and the Emergence of Celebrity in America] is an important book which matches conceptual innovation with empirical rigor. It is a compelling account of the historical roots of factors that continue to play significant roles in our own time.” — Australasian Journal of American Studies

“A fascinating contribution to one of the most important developments of modern America. One has only to think for a moment about contemporary culture to wish to know where our obsessions with celebrity come from and, more profoundly, what impact celebrating celebrity has had on our civilization.” — James B. Gilbert, University of Maryland at College Park