When Private Talk Goes Public: Gossip in American History - Hardcover

Feeley, Kathleen; Frost, Jennifer

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1137442298 ISBN 13: 9781137442291

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014

Synopsis

Gossip is one of the most common, and most condemned, forms of discourse in which we engage - even as it is often absorbing and socially significant, it is also widely denigrated. This volume examines fascinating moments in the history of gossip in America, from witchcraft trials to People magazine, helping us to see the subject with new eyes.

About this title

About the Author

Christine Eisel, Bowling Green State University, USA Mary Beth Norton, Cornell University; USA Virginia Price, Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, USA Nancy Isenberg, Louisiana State University, USA Erica L. Ball, California State University, Fullerton, USA Samantha Barbas, University of Buffalo, USA Molly M. Wood, Wittenberg University, USA Mary Desjardins, Dartmouth College, USA Kimberly Wilmot Voss, University of Central Florida, USA Andrea Friedman, Washington University, St. Louis, USA Anne Helen Petersen, Whitman College, USA Tim Seiber, University of Redlands, USA

Review

'A magnificent and wondrously wide-ranging anthology of articles on 350 years of gossip about politics, power, diplomacy, celebrity, marriage, morals, murder, mayhem, love, and, of course, sex in its multiple variations, "When Private Talk Goes Public" has something for everyone who cares about, studies, teaches, or reads American history.' - David Nasaw, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Professor of History, City University of New York, USA

"Brilliantly - and engagingly - these essays explore the role of gossip and gender in defining the history of our society. From the Salem witch trials to contemporary politics, this volume illuminates how our definition of the issues confronting us goes back to a fascinating dynamic of story-telling." - William H. Chafe, Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of American History, Duke University, USA

'This lively and fascinating collection challenges many common assumptions about the meaning and functions of gossip. Spanning American history from witchcraft trials in the Colonial era to internet blogging in the 21st century, these essays show how gossip has blurred the lines between public and private life. Whether causing scandal or providing social cohesion, gossip remains a central feature of American life. A great read full of surprises!' - Elaine Tyler May, author of "America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation"

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1137442298
• ISBN 13: 9781137442291
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 281