Search results for ""author greg jenner""

'Fizzes with clever vignettes and juicy tidbits... [a] joyous romp of a book.' Guardian'A fascinating, rollicking book in search of why, where and how fame strikes. Sit back and enjoy the ride.' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads'[An] engaging and well-researched book... Jenner brings his material to vivid life' ObserverCelebrity, with its neon glow and selfie pout, strikes us as hypermodern. But the famous and infamous have been thrilling, titillating, and outraging us for much longer than we might realise. Whether it was the scandalous Lord Byron, whose poetry sent female fans into an erotic frenzy; or the cheetah-owning, coffin-sleeping, one-legged French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who launched a violent feud with her former best friend; or Edmund Kean, the dazzling Shakespearean actor whose monstrous ego and terrible alcoholism saw him nearly murdered by his own audience - the list of stars whose careers burned bright before the Age of Television is extensive and thrillingly varied. In this ambitious history, that spans the Bronze Age to the coming of Hollywood's Golden Age, Greg Jenner assembles a vibrant cast of over 125 actors, singers, dancers, sportspeople, freaks, demigods, ruffians, and more, in search of celebrity's historical roots. He reveals why celebrity burst into life in the early eighteenth century, how it differs to ancient ideas of fame, the techniques through which it was acquired, how it was maintained, the effect it had on public tastes, and the psychological burden stardom could place on those in the glaring limelight. DEAD FAMOUS is a surprising, funny, and fascinating exploration of both a bygone age and how we came to inhabit our modern, fame obsessed society.

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'A wonderful idea, gloriously put into practice. Greg Jenner is as witty as he is knowledgeable' - Tom Holland'You will love Greg Jenner's jolly account of how we have more in common with our ancestors than we might think ... all human life is here, amusingly conveyed in intriguing nuggets of gossipy historical anecdote' - Daily MailEvery day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our pillow at night, we all take part in rituals that are millennia old. In this gloriously entertaining romp through human history - featuring new updates for the paperback edition - BBC Horrible Histories consultant Greg Jenner explores the hidden stories behind these daily routines.This is not a story of politics, wars or great events, instead Greg Jenner has scoured Roman rubbish bins, Egyptian tombs and Victorian sewers to bring us the most intriguing, surprising and sometimes downright silly nuggets from our past.It is a history of all those things you always wondered - and many you have never considered. It is the story of our lives, one million years in the making.

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From the alarm clock to the toilet, discover the incredible history all around you in this hilarious and fascinating book from popular historian and podcaster Greg Jenner.Thought history was only in museums? Think again! Join Greg Jenner as he takes you on a trip through the amazing history hidden in the things you use every day. Did you know that the first TV was made out of biscuit tins and knitting needles? Or that the humble paperclip helped lead an anti-war movement? Or that a few hundred years ago it was fashionable to style your hair with cat poo?! Find out the delightful, daft and downright deadly history of your everyday life that your teachers won't tell you about. Bursting with humorous illustrations and entertaining true stories, this is history but not as you know it!

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'Brilliantly funny' SHAPARAK KHORSANDI'Immensely enjoyable' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE'Every page contains delights' LINDSEY FITZHARRISWhy is Italy called Italy? How old is curry? How fast was the medieval Chinese post system? How do we know how people sounded in the past? Who invented maths?Responding to fifty genuine questions from the public, Greg Jenner takes you on an entertaining tour through history from the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts and historical characters from the past. From ancient joke books, African empires and the invention of meringues, to mummies, mirrors and menstrual pads - Ask A Historian is a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities.

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From the alarm clock to the toilet, discover the incredible history all around you in this hilarious and fascinating book from popular historian and podcaster Greg Jenner.Thought history was only in museums? Think again! Join Greg Jenner as he takes you on a trip through the amazing history hidden in the things you use every day. Did you know that the first TV was made out of biscuit tins and knitting needles? Or that the humble paperclip helped lead an anti-war movement? Or that a few hundred years ago it was fashionable to style your hair with cat poo?! Find out the delightful, daft and downright deadly history of your everyday life that your teachers won’t tell you about. Bursting with humorous illustrations and entertaining true stories, this is history – but not as you know it!

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The first book in a fantastically funny new history series from best-selling author and chart-topping podcaster Greg Jenner!Think history is just a boring list of facts and dates? Think again! History is hectic, exciting and unpredictable in fact, it's absolute CHAOS! Join bestselling author Greg Jenner on a riotously fun journey through ancient Egypt, from brilliant beginnings to epic ending. Accompanied by expert Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price and with side-splitting illustrations from Rikin Parekh, Greg's whirlwind tour will cover everything you need to know about the Egyptians and show you what it would REALLY have been like to live through thousands of years of chaotic history. Hold on tight, because with history, you'll never believe what happens next!

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The second book in a fantastically funny new history series from best-selling author and chart-topping podcaster Greg Jenner!Think history is just a boring list of facts and dates? Think again! History is hectic, exciting and unpredictable in fact, it's absolute CHAOS! Join bestselling author Greg Jenner on a riotously fun journey through Roman Britain, from brilliant beginnings to epic ending. Accompanied by expert Roman historian Dr Emma Southon and with side-splitting illustrations from Rikin Parekh, this whirlwind tour will cover everything you need to know about Roman Britain and show you what it would REALLY have been like to live through hundreds of years of chaotic history. Hold on tight, because, with history, you'll never believe what happens next!

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