Wilde in America Oscar Wilde and the Invention of Modern Celebrity [Hardcover]

Friedman argues that Wilde was among the very first to realize that celebrity could come before accomplishment.Friedman vividly chronicles the early parts of Wildes careera little-known but crucial period.David M. FriedmansOscar Wilde and Gorgeous George never met, of course, but, if they had, Im sure they would have enjoyed each other immensely. Both understood the importance of image in marketing, and, equally relevant, each grasped the possibilities opened up by gender-bending in the creation of that image. What makes David M. Friedmans book so fascinating is the way he chronicles how intelligentlyand amusinglyWilde worked to pioneer those connections while touring America in 1882, long before he became Oscar Wilde the famous writer. His goal then was to become Oscar Wilde the famous person. Its a joy to read how he did it.No one knows for sure whether Oscar Wilde really told a New York customs officer that he had nothing to declare but his genius. But David M. Friedmans new and spirited account of Wildes 1882 tour of the United States does some marvelous declaring of its own. Part homage to the high priest of nineteenth-century aestheticism and part how-to guide for celebrity wanna-bes,Following Wilde through his American travels, Friedman focuses each chapter on one of Wildes revelations about how to become a celebrity: Take Your Show on the Road, Build Your Brand, Work the Room, Strike a Pose, Celebrity is Contagious, The Subject is Always You, Promote is Just Another World for Provoke, Keep Yourself Amused, and Go Where Youre Wanted (And Even Where Youre Not)i.e., bad publicity is still publicity& Several amusing anecdotes stand out, such as Wildes first meeting with Walt Whitman, himself a self-taught genius at self-promotion& Friedman fashions a lively narrative.Smart, entertaining.Friedman is savvy and strong-minded; he enjoys and for the most part admires Wildes genius for publicity. Friedman always keeplÃ&