You Didn’t Hear This From Me

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

A deliciously insightful exploration of why we are so obsessed with gossip, and what it can tell us about humans and their search for truth.

“Can you keep a secret?”

It’s harder than it seems – after all, it’s only human to thirst after the juicy updates, jaw-dropping stories, and idle chatter that we typically collect over drinks with friends.

No one knows this better than journalist Kelsey McKinney, whose Normal Gossip podcast has accrued a listenership of millions. In YOU DIDN'T HEAR THIS FROM ME, McKinney explores the murkiness of everyday storytelling.

What even is gossip, and why is it considered a sin? Why are we obsessed with the details of celebrity drama and tabloid headlines? How do we use and abuse gossip – and why do we want to do it at all?

McKinney dives deep into a range of cultural cornerstones – from the Epic of Gilgamesh as told by chatbots, to the scandalous betrayals in The Traitors – and captures the heart of gossiping: 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.

© Kelsey McKinney 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

McKinney has written this book to prove that gossip isn't just bitchy women with raised eyebrows exchanging each other's secrets like currency. It's a vital means of communication, and part of an ancient tradition of oral storytelling...This book is not simply a manual for those who like to harvest facts about their former friends on Facebook. Sure, it uses the Barbie film as a serious scientific case study, but it's also sharp-witted and thoroughly researched. There's history, theology, legal cases, a detailed physiology of the ear. Most usefully, McKinney convincingly proves that gossiping is a legitimate part of modern life
The Times

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