Book at Lunchtime welcomes Dr Sandra Mayer, (Elise Richter Fellow, Austrian Academy of Sciences) and Dr Ruth Scobie to discuss their highly regarded book “Authorship, Activism and Celebrity”.

Since long before the age of celebrity activism, literary authors have used their public profiles and cultural capital to draw attention to a wide range of socio-political concerns. This book is the first to explore – through history, criticism and creative interventions – the relationship between authorship, political activism and celebrity culture across historical periods, cultures, literatures and media. It brings together scholars, industry stakeholders and prominent writer-activists to engage in a conversation on literary fame and public authority.