The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived: How Characters of Fiction, Myth, Legends, Television, and Movies Have Shaped Our Society, Changed Our

by Dan Karlan, Allan Lazar, Jeremy Salter, et al.

Book Overview

From detectives and criminals (Dick Tracy, Perry Mason, and Norman Bates) to the legendary characters of the theater (Hamlet, Shylock, Romeo, and Juliet), this lively, informative guide introduces dozens of well-known fictional figures and explores how they have helped shape our culture and our lives. An encyclopedic look at several dozen of the most well known "people" of literature, television, mythology, and film, The 101 Most Influential People...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061132217
• ISBN13: 9780061132216
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Amazing that Fictional People Have the Influence they Do

Well you can pretty much guess what this book is all about just from reading the title. The only thing left to argue about is the content of the list. Uncle Sam is there, as is Uncle Tom, there's Sherlock Holmes and Luke Skywalker. But there's no Harry Potter, perhaps when he grows up. Mickey Mouse is there, along with Buck Rogers and Superman, but no Charlie Brown or any of the Peanuts gang. Atticus Finch is there - Who's that again? Atticus Finch, the defense lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. I could go on, but with 101 people to argue about it would take forever. After you argue about who is included in the list, then you can start to argue about their ranking. I can't believe that The Marlboro Man #1, ranks higher than Santa Claus - #4. With each name on the list there is a page or three of description as to who is this person and why he was included. All in all, this shows an amazing amount of research into these characters and I must admit present pretty good arguments to justify their inclusion. Pretty good arguments, wrong, but pretty good. Delightful reading.

Well researched and well written--and also entertaining!

This is an unusual book. On the surface, it's an entertaining and often humorous read. For someone who wants a birds-eye's view of classics s/he was too busy to read, or for the reader who would like the true history and origins of some of the most popular (and sometimes unpopular) figures in history who weren't real, this book is a true little treasure. The authors did an amazing amount of research to uncover the origins and historical context of the characters they discuss. They mention primary sources, in case these little vignettes make you crave to know your fictional hero(ine) in depth. For this, I as a researcher salute them. But the real value of this book lies in the social analysis that suffuses the book and goes down real easy. Throughout, the authors thoughtfully discuss social conditions--from the disempowerment of women and how it's perpetuated through myths and advertising and fairy tales, to the racism and insanity of the most beloved historical non-persons. Similarly, we are concisely briefed on how greed, and how fascination with money and power, have negatively affected us culturally and psychologically. For such an entertaining read, the authors exhibit an immense amount of sensitivity to what's really important. That said, there is one minor annoyance. Sometimes, the humor is silly and self-indulgent rather than witty, and detracts from the information. The reader is forced to work to separate the historical facts from the tongue-in-cheek jokes. I found myself having to read some passages twice to see if these guys were being serious or not. Readers not from the United States, and those unfamiliar with the individuals being profiled, might not be able to tell the difference. Which is a shame, because otherwise this book is so well done. Nevertheless, it's still a great read. And it's nice to see what's out there, especially if you're like myself--you don't have TV reception, never read your share of the classics, and are outside of the popular culture loop. Now I don't have to read all those ponderous, sexist novels that show the worst side of human nature (which is why I never wanted to read them in the first place). Now I don't have to drown myself in hundreds of pages of Captain Ahab's counterproductive obsession with revenge; or suffer through boring plots of boring people (the "great" Gatsby). And thank goodness I don't have to get cable to steep myself in commercial crassness. These guys have told me everything I won't be missing, with the bonus of great social analysis and a lot better humor than the originals. To be fair, some of the figures profiled are noble and very interesting. I learned tons about Rosie the Riveter, Mammy, Uncle Tom, and others. And I was glad to see some of my favorites, The Cat in the Hat and Superman, profiled. So if you're looking for a well written, humorous and entertaining read, filled with historical tidbits that are surprisingly well researched, along with social commentary that is

Entertaining and Educational; Fun and Addictive!

I couldn't put this book down. Each essay is entertaining, yet educational enough that I felt I was gaining great value from the time invested. The short "biographical" essays of the fictional characters reveal much about our culture, history, and values. There's plenty to disagree with (who should be on the list, but isn't; who ranks where and why; who should be booted off the list . . .) and plently enough to be grateful to the authors for pulling it all together into a fun, easy to read, and fairly priced way to invest an afternoon or two. Far better investment than the money I've spent on most of the movies I've seen lately! Highly recommended!

Let the Debate Begin!

I laughed...I cried...Ok so maybe it wasn't THAT dramatic, but it certainly was extremely entertaining and very intelligent and will no doubt spurn many great debates. Those who dare think of themselves as intellectuals, will assuredly find the iconoclastic, think-outside-the-box flavor an irresistible treat! The perfect choice for Book Club or Holiday Gift!

Best bathroom book ever!

The short essays are hysterical and entertaining, not to mention informative. This book makes a great gift as well. You may not agree with all the numbering but who cares!!!