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You Didn't Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip
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6/99
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About This Book
A delightfully insightful exploration of our obsession with gossip that weaves together journalism, cultural criticism, and memoir, from the host of the massively popular Normal Gossip podcast. Can you keep a secret? As the pandemic forced us to socialize at a distance, Kelsey McKinney was mourning the juicy updates, jaw-dropping stories, and idle chatter that she'd typically collect over drinks with friends. She realized she wasn't the only one missing these little morsels and her hunger for this aspect of normalcy took on a life of its own and the blockbuster Normal Gossip podcast was born. With listenership in the millions and gossip quickly becoming her day job, Kelsey found herself with the urge to think more critically about gossip as a form, to better understand the role that it plays in our culture. In YOU DIDN'T HEAR THIS FROM ME, McKinney explores the murkiness of everyday storytelling. Why is gossip considered a sin and how can we better recognize when gossip is being weaponized against the oppressed? Why do we think we're entitled to every detail of a celebrity's personal life because they are a public figure? And how do we even define "gossip," anyway? She dishes on the art of eavesdropping and dives deep into how pop culture has changed the way that we look at hearsay. But as much as the book aims to treat gossip as a subject worthy of rigor, it also hopes to capture the heart of how enchanting and fun it can be to lean over and whisper something a little salacious into your friend's ear. With wit and honesty, McKinney unmasks what we're actually searching for when we demand to know the truth – and how much the truth really matters in the first place.
Reviews
"Her voice is smart and funny, and her arguments for considering gossip valuable and meaningful are compelling and clearly heartfelt."
"The result is a work that, despite some intriguing observations, would have landed with more impact in a more condensed format."
"To many of these, McKinney finds satisfying answers, or at least compelling arguments."
"With a blend of research and anecdote, You Didn't Hear This from Me is a robust consideration of an often-maligned topic."
"The book is laden with references to very recent history; topics that were obviously the talk of le tout internet at the time of writing but already feel dated ..."
"Reads as a buffet of tasty tidbits rather than a sustained inquiry into the rights and wrongs of spilling the tea."
"This will give readers plenty to talk about."
"We get sprinklings of science: citations of philosophers, anthropologists, neuroscientists, ethicists ..."
"McKinney paints a complicated portrait of how gossip's virtues and vices are directly intertwined with power and who wields it."
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