Sam G. Riley, professor of communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, has edited a new book entitled Star Struck: An Encyclopedia of Celebrity Culture. Riley’s 17th book, published by Greenwood Press (now owned by ABC-CLIO), examines America’s modern celebrity culture from various perspectives.

“This book takes a balanced look at the roles celebrity plays in our lives—how on one hand it sometimes causes us to live in a world of make believe, diverting us from more important matters,” Riley said, “but also acknowledging that the output of America’s enormous entertainment industry (including sports) very likely is our nation’s biggest export.”

Riley penned 35 of the 86 entries. Seven present or former Department of Communication faculty members contributed to Star Struck including Jimmy Ivory, Nancy Jurek, Robert Magee, Stephen Prince, Edd Sewell, John Tedseco, and Beth Waggenspack.