THE CELEBRITY EFFECT
How Star-Powered Book Clubs Drive Bestsellers
Nowadays, celebrities influence countless consumer decisions, from buying cosmetics to backing charities. However, few sectors have been more deeply affected than book publishing. Celebrities from Reese Witherspoon to Dua Lipa are triggering rising sales of an increasingly varied selection of books. Publishing industry sources credit their book clubs with creating closer reading communities and more adventurous book choices among millennial and Gen Z readers. Oprah’s Book Club kickstarted the trend in the 1990s, sparking millions of book sales with a single mention. In a recent shift, other celebrities are using their clout to fast-track book choices into TV adaptations. Reese Witherspoon, who rivals Oprah in her book-picking clout, turned Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere” into a bestseller and a TV adaptation (starring herself). Actress and producer Dakota Johnson founded a book club called TeaTime last year, which is linked to her production company by the same name. The club aims to adapt book picks such as Maria-Helene Bertino’s “Beautyland” into TV shows and movies.
her friend and co-organizer Karah Preiss, Roberts tends toward indie bookstore picks with an intellectual vibe, heavy on literary and historical fiction and memoirs. Pop star Dua Lipa calls her Service 95 platform a “cultural concierge” that includes shopping guides, travel ideas, and book picks. The singer has recommended a global potpourri of works to broaden readers’ perspectives, including Polish author Tomasz Jedrowski’s “Swimming in the Dark,” Korean-American author Michelle Zauner’s “Crying in H Mart,” and Argentine author Hernan Diaz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Trust.” Actress Emma Watson followed a different path when she launched Our Shared Shelf in 2016. The “Harry Potter” co-star’s choices tilt more toward political and personal causes, including Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” and “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” by Reni Eddo-Lodge. Whatever their motive, these stars deserve credit for endearing books to a much bigger audience. In an era when many talented authors have a hard time paying the rent, that can only be a good thing!
Actress Emma Roberts’ book club, Belletrist, has produced two TV shows based on books she recommended, “First Kill” and “Tell Me Lies.” With
Sunny Skin Savvy TIPS FOR A SAFE SUMMER COMPLEXION
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 THE SCIENCE BEHIND MOSQUITO BITES The itchy, bumpy remnants of mosquitoes’ unwanted visits on our bodies are as much a summer tradition as barbecues and fireworks. Some people get covered in bites wherever they go, while others enjoy the great outdoors relatively unscathed. If you’re typically in the former category, scientific reasons explain why insects find you so irresistible. Studies have shown that people with type O blood are twice as likely to attract mosquitoes, while pregnant women are more susceptible to bites due to increased body heat and the higher level of carbon dioxide they exhale. If you tend to be active outdoors in summer, be aware that the lactic acid and ammonia in your sweat can Summertime is a fun season for most folks, but it’s rarely a party for our skin. Big bites and sunburn are pesky nuisances that can make our days in the sun less than perfect. Here are some interesting facts about their causes and ways to better protect our skin from their effects.
often entice little creatures who love to dive onto your skin and leave their mark.
THE TRUTH BEHIND SUNRAY REMEDIES Before taking full advantage of the great summer weather, prepare for the sun’s effect on your skin by consulting your health care provider to confirm whether any current medications have side effects that can lead to increased sensitivity. Remember that not all sunscreens are created equal. Most people know sunscreens’ strength is determined by their sun protection factor (SPF) numbers, but what do those actually mean? As an example, applying an SPF 50 sunscreen is supposed to provide 50 times more protection than going outside with nothing on your skin. While no sunscreen offers 100% protection from the sun’s rays, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using SPF 50, which is said to protect you against at least 95% of sunbeams that could damage your epidermis.
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