In bringing biography and celebrity together, the essays in Making Stars interrogate contemporary and current understandings of each. Although biography was not invented in the eighteenth century, the period saw the emergence of works that focus on individuals who are interesting as much, if not more, for their everyday, lived experience than for their status or actions. At the same time, celebrity emerged as public fascination for the private lives of publicly visible individuals...

Breaking Through: A Father John Brennan Story is a moving, honest, and ultimately uplifting novel about faith, healing, and the power of community. Father John Brennan, a Catholic priest in the affluent town of Belleview, struggles with anxiety, emotional eating, and the pressures of ministry. When his personal and professional life reach a breaking point, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, aided by friends, parishioners, and the gentle guidance of God's grace....