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The Science of Celebrity . . . or Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?

Author Timothy Caulfield On Tour
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$21.00 US
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Penguin Canada
On sale Apr 14, 2020 | 400 Pages | 9780735239777
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PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS IS GWYNETH PALTROW WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING?

Over the past few decades, celebrity culture's grip on our society has tightened. For Timothy Caulfield, a health science expert, this trend has had a measurable influence on individual life choices and health care decisions.
     In typical Caulfield manner, it isn't enough to simply interview experts and read the current studies (which he does). He tries celebrity-recommended beauty routines and diets. After attending a modeling competition, he enrolls in an assessment/audition for a modelling agency in Hollywood. In his quest to understand the relationship between celebrity and culture and our indivudal health choices, he follows celebrity Twitter feeds, scans gossip blogs, and forces himself to read every issue--cover to cover--of People magazine, for an entire year. In this fun, factual book, Caulfield separates sense from nonsense and provides usable and evidence-informed advice about what actually works and what is a waste of money and time.
  • WINNER | 2015
    Science in Society Book Award
“[Caulfield] thinks with an academic’s rigor and precision and knows the health maintenance territory inside out.” —The New York Times

“Caulfield’s cure for the mess we’re in is this lucid and well-researched compendium of the best-available science about diet, fitness, genetics, pharmaceuticals and alternative medicine. . . . A compelling and timely argument for science and a reminder that science is an iterative process, breakthroughs are rare, and there are no magical cures for everything.” —The National Post

“An intelligent mix of research and pop culture, Caulfield's analysis of celebrity trends gets to the heart of America's obsession with the fame monster.” —Kirkus Reviews

“You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book.” —A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

 “Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health.  If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book!” —Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People

“Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read.” —CBC Books

“An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens.” —Maclean’s
© Curtis Trent
TIMOTHY CAULFIELD is a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. He was the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy for over 20 years (2002-2023). His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy has allowed him to publish almost 400 academic articles. He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness (Penguin 2012) and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash (Penguin 2015), and Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety (Penguin Random House, 2020). His most recent book is The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters (Penguin Random House, 2025). Caulfield is also the co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and has written, hosted and produced documentaries, including the award-winning TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America. View titles by Timothy Caulfield

About

PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS IS GWYNETH PALTROW WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING?

Over the past few decades, celebrity culture's grip on our society has tightened. For Timothy Caulfield, a health science expert, this trend has had a measurable influence on individual life choices and health care decisions.
     In typical Caulfield manner, it isn't enough to simply interview experts and read the current studies (which he does). He tries celebrity-recommended beauty routines and diets. After attending a modeling competition, he enrolls in an assessment/audition for a modelling agency in Hollywood. In his quest to understand the relationship between celebrity and culture and our indivudal health choices, he follows celebrity Twitter feeds, scans gossip blogs, and forces himself to read every issue--cover to cover--of People magazine, for an entire year. In this fun, factual book, Caulfield separates sense from nonsense and provides usable and evidence-informed advice about what actually works and what is a waste of money and time.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2015
    Science in Society Book Award

Reviews

“[Caulfield] thinks with an academic’s rigor and precision and knows the health maintenance territory inside out.” —The New York Times

“Caulfield’s cure for the mess we’re in is this lucid and well-researched compendium of the best-available science about diet, fitness, genetics, pharmaceuticals and alternative medicine. . . . A compelling and timely argument for science and a reminder that science is an iterative process, breakthroughs are rare, and there are no magical cures for everything.” —The National Post

“An intelligent mix of research and pop culture, Caulfield's analysis of celebrity trends gets to the heart of America's obsession with the fame monster.” —Kirkus Reviews

“You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book.” —A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

 “Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health.  If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book!” —Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People

“Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read.” —CBC Books

“An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens.” —Maclean’s

Author

© Curtis Trent
TIMOTHY CAULFIELD is a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. He was the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy for over 20 years (2002-2023). His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy has allowed him to publish almost 400 academic articles. He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness (Penguin 2012) and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash (Penguin 2015), and Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety (Penguin Random House, 2020). His most recent book is The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters (Penguin Random House, 2025). Caulfield is also the co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and has written, hosted and produced documentaries, including the award-winning TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America. View titles by Timothy Caulfield

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