Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit - Paperback

by Joseph Epstein (Author)

Gossip is no trivial matter; despite its reputation, Epstein argues, it is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World, along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best--clever, mocking, a great private pleasure--to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet.

Front Jacket

A dishy, incisive exploration of gossip--from celebrity rumors to literary romans a clef, from personal sniping to political slander--by one of our "great essayists" (David Brooks)
To his successful examinations of some of the most powerful forces in modern life--envy, ambition, snobbery, friendship--the keen observer and critic Joseph Epstein now adds "Gossip." No trivial matter, despite its reputation, gossip is eternal and necessary. Himself a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best--clever, mocking, a great private pleasure--to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet. Gossip has even invaded politics and journalism, causing unsubstantiated information to be presented as fact. Contemporary gossip claims to reveal truth, but as Epstein shows, it's our belief in truth itself that may be destroyed by gossip.
Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, "Gossip "captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.

Back Jacket

Epstein brings a journalist s appetite for research and an essayist s talent for reflection to themes that traditionally have been left to novelists. Gossip takes its place as the latest entry in his entertaining and idiosyncratic catalog of human nature. New York Times Book Review
"[Epstein has] a literary tone that makes you think of venerable Manhattan editors with mid-Atlantic accents . . . like a good stand-up comedian (or a discoverer), he inspires confidence [in his writing]." Wall Street Journal
Gossip is no trivial matter; despite its reputation, Epstein argues, it is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World, along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best clever, mocking, a great private pleasure to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet.
Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, Gossip captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.
An erudite writer, gifted with rare insight and a wry sense of humor. USA Today
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