This elegantly produced [ and exceptionally attractive] book, complete with a lavish choice of illustrations all supplied by the author, confirms Stephen Gundles status as the leading historian of Italian cinema in the English-speaking world. Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television
This book will be of great interest to scholars of Italian cinema. Its clear and direct prose makes it particularly suitable for students. European History Quarterly
Fame amid the Ruins is a comprehensive study with an impressive scope and great relevance for questions of history, politics, and intellectual life in postwar Italy. In clear and direct prose, it encompasses a variety of important topics and approaches, including individual biographies, stars roles within the wider industry, performance, and film style. Louis Bayman, University of Southampton
Stephen Gundle admirably devotes close and sustained attention to the stardom phenomenon by providing profiles of stars rarely examined and, most importantly, by looking at the sum of their impact on Italian culture. This is a tour de force for its range and argumentative depth. Giorgio Bertellini, author of The Divo and The Duce: Promoting Film Stardom and Political Leadership in 1920s America
