Gossip
The Untrivial Pursuit
Joseph Epstein
- 256 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Gossip
The Untrivial Pursuit
Joseph Epstein
About This Book
A look at the delightsâand dangersâof gossip, from a New York Times âbestselling, "erudite writer, gifted with rare insight and a wry sense of humor" ( USA Today ). Gossip is no trivial matter. In this enlightening and entertaining study, the author of Snobbery takes a look at a human activity that may be looked down upon, but nevertheless plays a persistent role in our societyâand therefore, must be taken seriously. Joseph Epstein, who admits to indulging in this activity himself from time to time, serves up mini-biographies of history's famous gossips, and makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned bestâclever, mocking, a great private pleasureâto a corrosive, destructive new version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet. This is an erudite and witty read from "a master observer of humanity's foibles" ( Kirkus Reviews, starred review). "Epstein defines categories of gossip, from personal to celebrity, workplace, and political, and discusses how gossip 'enforces a community's norms' or, conversely, helps foster tolerance.... In his briskly erudite, zestfully original, and provokingly enjoyable anatomy of gossip, Epstein revels in the risky collusion of gossip within shared worlds and resoundingly condemns media-disseminated gossip that diminishes our ability to ascertain or value the truth." â Booklist