From Bette Davis to Beyoncé, Maria Callas to Mariah Carey, this gorgeously illustrated book takes a look at what it means to be a diva. Originating from the Latin for "deity" or "goddess," the term "diva" has evolved to become a far more complex—and loaded—term. Delving into public and private personas of performers from Jenny Lind to Sarah Bernhardt, Nina Simone to Rihanna, this book looks at what it means to be a "diva" and how this has been subverted and embraced over time. Editor Kate Bailey opens the book with an essay on the transformation of the diva from 19th-century opera and stage star to the 20th-century silent screen siren.