"Ambitious, absorbing, and continually delighting, The Chattering Mind is gleamingly argued and studded with arresting insights. McCormick beautifully makes a case for seeing the history of attitudes toward chatter as essential to the understanding of media and communication. His readings of Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and Lacan show that, far from being identifiable with alienation and vacuity, speech that is poor in information turns out to be rich in the communication of a sense of community. McCormick's tact, brio, and assurance are hugely impressive and highly engaging."– "Steven Connor, University of Cambridge"