I really enjoyed this one--did you ever realize how our concept of "gossip" is gendered? Women gossip. Men...discuss?

Gossip isn't frivolous--it's useful. Without gossip, marginalized people have less of a voice. Corrupt individuals and organizations stay in power.

This really made me see its utility in a whole different way.

A revolutionary book about gossip. I appreciate all of the different perspectives and angles on the topic. They really helped me understand my own relationship with gossip, and will shape my decisions around the subject moving forward.

This book was a very interesting perspective on the topic of “gossip” and how it weaves its way through life and culture. As I read the book I became aware of real time examples in my own life, of the way humans use gossip all the time to inform, learn, protect, and deceive. It isn’t always a bad thing, and I think this book helped me take a closer look at the way we communicate.

*A sincere thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing the advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.*

Though not a listener of McKinney's podcast (Normal Gossip), I, like many, have always had a 'guilty pleasure' approach to gossip. Growing up I was told, and believed, that gossip was bad because it was only used to hurt others. Yet YOU DIDN'T HEAR THIS FROM ME managed to break through that long held belief and remind me that not all gossip is bad, and not all gossip is good - in truth, gossip is simply information, it's what you do with it that matters.

Through this collection of essays I really began to think about my relationship with gossip, why I sometimes do it, why I sometimes crave it, and why the world is so against it. I particularly liked the bit that focused on gossip as a tool women use to protect themselves, be it in relationships, in workplaces, or just in moments of everyday life. This book is clearly well researched, with McKinney citing a wealth of resources to back up her own words, and I think it ultimately does a wonderful job of highlighting the fact that gossip is more complex than most people believe. Would absolutely recommend!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a thought-provoking book of essays centered on the topic of gossip. Kelsey McKinney offers original and well-researched perspectives on a variety of subjects, from Mean Girls to religion to parasocial relationships to Britney Spears to the limits of human senses and the slippery nature of truth.
I appreciated that McKinney establishes gossip as a vital human behavior and acknowledges early on that the demonization of gossip is a feminist issue. She really effectively uses those lenses in most of the essays. I found that the essays at the beginning of the book tended to be stronger and toward the end they were a little more speculative.
Her tone is rather conversational which helps keep the content accessible and fun, but I found myself getting a little impatient with it sometimes. I think some of the essays would probably have been more engaging and clear to listen to than read, because of inflection or pacing, (which was not entirely unexpected from a podcaster).
I’ve already recommended it to several friends for when it’s released, and I’ve added a couple of the books McKinney references to my TBR. Overall an enjoyable, enlightening read and a fun and worthwhile contribution to the conversation around human communication.

While I have only listened to the author’s podcast once, I do love me some gossip so thought this would be an interesting read and it was!

I have to admit, it took me a bit to get into it. The chapters and long and without breaks which I find makes it harder for me to pick up a book. However each chapter had a focus which would make it tricky to break up. Some of the chapters I was more interested in than others but all were good. The writing was engaging and entertaining, especially for a non fiction book. I think this book would be even better as an audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Loved this! My only hesitation to rate it 5 stars is that I wish Kelsey been a little bit more confident in her (hilarious and intelligent) voice, instead of relying on quotes from so many experts. There were times where I felt more like I was reading a Masters thesis than a book. That said, it is obviously VERY well researched, and Kelsey's point of view on gossip and the world at large are a breath of fresh air in an ecosystem that doesn't research enough. So I'm going to rate it 5 stars anyway.

If you're a fan of Normal Gossip, you'll certainly be a fan of this!

You Didn’t Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip by Kelsey McKinney is a sharp, insightful, and often hilarious exploration of the power and impact of gossip in our lives. McKinney dives into the complexities of how gossip shapes relationships, reputations, and even the media, with a mix of personal anecdotes and cultural analysis. What I loved about this book is McKinney’s ability to balance humor with depth—while she discusses some serious topics, her writing is witty and engaging, making it feel like you're having a conversation with a smart, funny friend. If you're into pop culture, media, or just want to understand the behind-the-scenes of gossip and its effects on society, this book is a must-read!

This book was everything I wanted from the Normal Gossip book!! I read it because I'm a big fan of the podcast, and it delivered. It was slightly more academic than I thought it would be, but still easily digestable. Every new topic introduced I was like, YES! The essays were all cohesive and interesting. Can't wait to buy a print copy!

From the host of Normal Gossip comes a collection of essays exploring gossip and its place in our society. While I don’t listen to the podcast (though I constantly see it rec’d to me based on similar shows..maybe it’s time I check it out?), I tore through this! These essays range from Gossip Girl and “Leave Britney Alone” to how urban legends start and separating the art from the artist; while I went in expecting something juicer (Real Housewives and Deuxmoi grace these pages after all), I couldn’t help but be fascinated by this look at our relationship with gossip.

A solid and fun perspective on gossip and its meaning, significance, and how it shapes our lives. Normal Gossip is one of my absolute favorite podcasts, so I was glad to get my hands on this early. I will say, I was pretty familiar with a lot of the talking points from listening to the podcast. I felt like a lot of the book tried to convince me of both the fun and seriousness of gossip, but I was like... oh, I'm already on this train! You don't need to convince me! That said, Things Half Heard is an STANDOUT essay for me. I found the discussion of Kelsey's hearing loss and how it impacts her gossiping both poignant and hilarious. Great stuff.

What an interesting concept for a book. I really enjoyed it and Rae curiosity of gossip resonates with most people. Thanks NetGallery for the ARC of this book.

This book is a fascinating deep dive into a gossip. It's about what it is and isn't. It's about how it's used for not so good and good. It's about how it's evolved through the years and how it's been misunderstood. I learned so much about a topic I thought I knew. It was well-researched, but also great storytelling. I read this as someone who's heard of the podcast Normal Gossip, but hasn't listened (and not because people haven't said over and over that's it's amazing) - Being a listener isn't necessary to dig this book, AND it's also something that has made me want to (finally) check it out. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this February 2025 release!

An interesting look at how information informally travels and the impact gossip has on the social order. Written in an informative and entertaining manner.

I had a phenomenal time with this book! Compulsively readable, sharp, and empathetic! I especially loved the chapters on parasocial relationships and the dangers of the influencer surveillance state. I honestly could've read another hundred pages of this.

Have you listened to the Normal Gossip Podcast? If not, stop everything. Go listen (and come back).
Kelsey McKinney is a true natural interviewer and a delight to listen too. She takes time to explore why the subject of her show, gossip, is to tantalizing to so many of us. From discussing the stories of Picasso to the idea of lore, McKinney talks about pop stars, conspiracy theories and social psychology, weaving amongst the stories the reasons why we are so sure we know something (when we certainly don't). It may not answer the most burning questions, but it certainly tells you something you should have already known - humans love to gossip.

Absolutely fun and interesting, this is a great book for your best friend - you know, the one that told you about...
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