You Didn't Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of the book? Did it challenge or reinforce your existing ideas about gossip?

2. Most of the examples of gossip are fairly contemporary. Do you recall interacting with or following any of them as they unfolded? What were your impressions at the time, and are they different now?

3. How does the book compare to other nonfiction books that you have read—particularly those that blend memoir, cultural commentary, and social analysis? Does the tone of this book feel like gossip? Why or why not?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Have you ever been part of a gossip network—intentionally or unintentionally—that helped to protect someone or, conversely, that caused someone harm? If so, how did this book change your view of that experience?

2. Did the chapter about growing up in a religious environment resonate with you or resonate with your own upbringing? How did your own community talk about or discourage gossip?

3. In Chapter 5, McKinney introduces the concept of “entitlement gossip” through the lens of

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