Misfortune and Fame: 10 Reasons You Don't Want to be Rich (or Famous)

A lively and satire-laced expose of the rich, famous, and totally miserable that lays bare the dysfunctional cycles of celebrity and wasteful excesses of consumer culture. There is little argument that having enough money to meet your needs is important. But beyond that, what makes us happy? Is a lot of money the answer? Is a glamorous life actually glamorous? Must we have thousands of followers on social media, only to have the internet rabble criticize us at every turn? Amid all the fun and frivolity, there is inevitable misery and madness. A double-edged sword. A poisoned chalice. That's what this book is about: In ten punchy chapters full of anecdotes about the miseries and misfortunes of the affluent, Paul Berton (Shopomania) offers readers ten reasons NOT to wish for fame or fortune. "In his witty and knowing exploration of the most human of foibles, Paul Berton takes a wrecking-ball to the celebrity-industrial complex, laying bare the delusions of wealth and acclaim that tempt us all."-Landon Y. Jones, former People editor and author of Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers

About the Author :
Paul Berton is an award-winning journalist, writer, editor, and public speaker. He is the editor-in-chief of Metroland Media, a conglomerate of local newspapers including The Hamilton Spectator, the Waterloo Region Record, and the Niagara Falls Review, and previously worked as the editor-in-chief of the London Free Press. His writing has been published in the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and Maclean's. His two books, Shopomania and Misfortune and Fame, have both been published by Douglas & McIntyre. He lives in London, Ontario.

Review :
Praise for Misfortune and Fame: "In his witty and knowing exploration of the most human of foibles, Paul Berton takes a wrecking-ball to the celebrity-industrial complex, laying bare the delusions of wealth and acclaim that tempt us all. He brings a special insight to recent atrocity tales of the rich and famous that we've heard about but not thought about. And he doesn't stop there. Most helpfully, he sees a way out of these dilemmas and finds meaning by combating poverty and inequality and helping ourselves by helping others. He knows the lessons we all need to learn." —Landon Y. Jones, former People editor and author of Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers “The seven deadly sins are re-assessed in Paul Berton’s clever and comical take on how lovesick we are with power, money and the greatest of aphrodisiacs . . . fame.” —Vicki Gabereau, host of CBC Radio’s Gabereau and CTV’s The Vicki Gabereau Show “Paul Berton’s hilariously eye-opening book will make you think twice about the wealth and celebrity we’re encouraged to pursue. Being rich and famous is both delightful and terrible, and the greater the excess, the greater the distress. Sharp and engaging, Misfortune and Fame reminds us to be careful what we wish for.” —Jamie Tennant, author of River, Diverted “An antidote for envy. Funny, fascinating, forcefully written and at times unsettling. You will never look at fame and fortune the same way again.” —Will Ferguson, winner of the Governor General’s History Award for Popular Media: Pierre Berton Award, author of Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw “[An] entertaining and bracing romp through the treacherous ‘mine-all-mine’ fields of excess and overindulgence on both the money and the fame fronts.” —The Hamilton Spectator Praise for Shopomania: “[A] reasoned examination of the culture of shopping that uses humor and incisive criticisms to encourage more thoughtful approaches to consumerism.” —Foreword Reviews, “Book of the Day” “At its heart, Shopomania poses questions worth every reader's time—why are our lives so shopping-centric? Are there ways to tame endless shopping-incitements in our lives? Do we really need to buy so much stuff? [H]ighly recommended. . . .” —Midwest Book Review “Shopomania is the improvised explosive device that Paul Berton has planted under the concept of shopping in all its forms.” ―Heather Mallick, Toronto Star “Berton has given us a remarkable gift―a funny and endearing vocabulary for shopping that tells the story of how buying stuff has captured our imagination and shaped our lifestyles.” ―Alex Sévigny, communications professor, McMaster University “Paul Berton takes readers on a sardonic, frightening and hilarious journey through the world of consumerism. This book is a must-read primer for understanding how our thirst for acquiring and showcasing things has exacted heavy tolls on our psychology, on our society, and on the environment. Cataloging the symptoms of our shopaholic culture, Berton shares wisdom about breaking the shackles imposed by our possessions.” ―Mark Cleveland, PhD, professor and Dancap Chair in Consumer Behavior, University of Western Ontario “[A] fascinating and highly entertaining insight into why we shop and the relentless pressure on us to shop. It’s a delightful read, so buy this book! (But no pressure. . .)” ―Adrian Raeside, author of Wildlife for Idiots