2025 Printers Row Lit Fest: Maureen Dowd on the Culture of Celebrity in America

Notorious is a captivating assortment of Maureen Dowd's most notorious celebrity profiles, featuring conversations with figures like Uma Thurman, Elon Musk, Paul Newman, and Mel Brooks. The book provides a witty and incisive look at influential cultural elites, making it a lively and entertaining read. Dowd's profiles often yield thoughtful, intimate insights into the lives of these celebrities.

John Gray's "False Dawn" is a critical examination of the neoliberal project and its consequences. Gray challenges the optimistic assumptions underlying neoliberal ideology, arguing that it has led to increased inequality and social fragmentation. He analyzes the historical context of neoliberalism, tracing its intellectual roots and examining its impact on various societies. The book offers a pessimistic assessment of the future, suggesting that the neoliberal project is unsustainable and that alternative approaches are needed. Gray's work has sparked considerable debate among economists and political theorists.