A Scientific Odyssey of Sound

Sonic Wonderland

An original and compelling tour of the world's most amazing acoustic phenomena and a passionate plea for a deeper appreciation of and respect for our shared sonic landscapes.

A riveting ear-opener, Trevor Cox describes in lyrical detail a range of sonic events and new ways of listening that can only brighten our experience of the acoustic world around us. A must-read for sound-lovers of all stripes

Bernie Krause, author of The Great Animal Orchestra

This is acoustician Trevor Cox’s fun but thoroughly detailed tour through some of the world’s aural gems. Sounds like music to our ears

A must read for musicians, producers, sound engineers and nerds of all kinds

A David Attenborough of the acoustic realm, whose knowledge is unimpeachable yet worn lightly, whose language is vivid yet without indulgence

Sonic Wonderland by Trevor Cox is one of those books that require a "this book will change your life" sticker

Sonic Wonderland, a delightfully instructive book, will make you want to listen to the world anew and with beatifically attuned ears

Captivating book... This book does not call for quiet, but for good sound over bad... Reading this revelatory book, it is impossible not to be converted to his cause. He syringes his readers’ ears and the effect is delightful

If there's one man who could give you an informed account of one-hand clapping, it's Trevor Cox. Fascinating …. Thought-provoking

Cox explores a dazzling variety of fascinating sounds... When we actively listen rather than merely hear, the world becomes a richer and fuller place, and Cox's book is the perfect primer for retraining your ears

It's a joy as a reader to follow [Cox's] captivating forays into this "sonic wonderland" that surrounds us all. His enthusiasm is palpable and I challenge anybody to read this book and not want to experience for themselves at least one of the subjects described. This really is a perfect book for anyone with an interest in sound

Compellingly original... Fluent and engaging, the book's lapses into scientific jargon are leavened by Cox's boyish enthusiasm and earnest desire that the world's sonic wonders should not fall on deaf ears

Cox’s strengths are founded in joyful ardour – a love of unusual sound events – and the scientific knowledge and communicative skills to analyse each of these events as he encounters them on his travels

A fascinating book... Cox writes wonderfully, alternating between lyricism, expert testimony and self-deprecating humour

Makes you think... There is lots to pique our interest in this lively book by an adept science communicator

The pace and breathless enthusiasm of this book initially seems at odds with the idea of simply stopping for a moment to listen. It’s a whirlwind trip around the world with an expert guide, allowing us to listen to a vast range of unusual sound phenomena, from the tiniest click to the loudest roar

[Cox’s] sense of adventure transforms field trips into Indiana Jones-esque romps

Trevor Cox takes the reader on a fascinating journey of the acoustic wonders of the world

I loved this book. It is definitely worth the price, and even if it seems strange to read about sound instead of listening to it, Sonic Wonderland is the perfect arrangement

A technological travelogue conducted by an expert tour guide, bursting with aural arcana that adds just the right amount of tech-savvy detail, Sonic Wonderland brings into relief a world often obscured in our image-heavy existence. Even as we follow Cox to the ends of the Earth, what makes his book a real rush is that it's ultimately an ear-buzzing journey to the center of our minds.

This small encyclopedia of strange sounds reveals how much art there is in the act of listening. Reading it made my ears more mindful

Trevor Cox is Professor of Acoustic Engineering at the University of Salford and President of the Institute of Acoustics. He has presented numerous science radio documentaries and has written for the New Scientist. He is an associate editor for an international journal of acoustics. Twitter: @trevor_cox

As an acoustic engineer, Trevor Cox has spent his career eradicating unwanted noises – echoes in concert halls, clamour in classrooms. Until the day he heard something so astonishing that he had an epiphany: rather than quashing rare or bizarre sounds, we should be celebrating these sonic treasures. 
 
 This is the story of his investigation into the mysteries of these Sonic Wonders of the World. In the Mojave Desert he finds sand dunes that sing. In France he discovers an echo that tells jokes. In California he drives down a musical road that plays the William Tell Overture. In Cathedrals across the world he learns how acoustics changed the history of the Church. 
 
 Touching on physics, music, archaeology, neuroscience, biology, and design, Cox explains how sound is made and altered by the environment and how our body reacts to peculiar noises – from the exotic sonic wonders he encounters on his journey, or the equally unique and surprising sounds of our everyday environment. 
 
 In a world dominated by the visual, Sonic Wonderland encourages us to become better listeners and to open our ears to the glorious cacophony around us. Listen to a selection of astonishing sounds here: https://soundcloud.com/sonicwonderland

Trevor Cox

Full of well-I-never insights... A lively, intelligent and persuasive history of speech...Expertly and patiently explained

Fascinating... Illuminating… The book draws on the latest scientific research and is studded with arresting statistics... [Cox] wears his learning lightly... A rewarding read... Cox knows how to make his subject sing. And the narrative is enlivened by colourful anecdotes.

[T]his is a continually interesting and instructive account of our conversational abilities, and a much needed exposé of our remarkable incapacity to infer anything from each other’s talk.

[A] fascinating examination of how the nature of voices invoke prejudice and preconceptions

A brain-pleasing and entertaining read. Cox’s passion for his subject comes through on every page. An entertaining read for anybody.

Cox's investigation sweeps from the putative protolanguage of human ancestor Homo heidelbergensis to the likelihood of creative algorithmic discourse.

An epic and multi-stranded tale… Cox ably and entertainingly explores the political and cultural dimensions of how we speak

This is a book overflowing with knowledge, and delight in it

Epic… Cox keeps the tone accessible with pop-culture references throughout, revealing Cox’s taste in music and film

Filled with remarkable insights and evidence from current research, Cox’s illuminating survey takes the reader on a fascinating journey

Human Conversation from the Neanderthals to Artificial Intelligence

‘A lively, intelligent and persuasive history of speech...Expertly and patiently explained’ The Times 
 
Why are human beings the only animals that can speak? And why does it matter? 
 
If you’ve ever felt the shock of listening to a recording of your own voice, you realise how important your voice is to your personal identity. We judge others – and whether we trust them – not just by their words but by the way they talk: their intonation, their pitch, their accent. 
 
Now You’re Talking explores the full range of our voice – how we speak and how we sing; how our vocal anatomy works; what happens when things go wrong; and how technology enables us to imitate and manipulate the human voice. 
 
Trevor Cox talks to vocal coaches who help people to develop their new voice after a gender transition; to record producers whose use of technology has transformed the singing voice; and to computer scientists who replicate the human voice in their development of artificial intelligence. 
 
Beginning with the Neanderthals, Now You’re Talking takes us all the way to the digital age – with the frightening prospect that we may soon hear ‘Unexpected item in the bagging area’ more frequently than a friendly ‘Hello, how are you?’ in the street.

Trevor Cox

Praise for Now You're Talking

Full of well-I-never insights... A lively, intelligent and persuasive history of speech...Expertly and patiently explained

Fascinating... Illuminating… The book draws on the latest scientific research and is studded with arresting statistics... [Cox] wears his learning lightly... A rewarding read... Cox knows how to make h ...

[T]his is a continually interesting and instructive account of our conversational abilities, and a much needed exposé of our remarkable incapacity to infer anything from each other’s talk.

Full of well-I-never insights... A lively, intelligent and persuasive history of speech...Expertly and patiently explained

Fascinating... Illuminating… The book draws on the latest scientific research and is studded with arresting statistics... [Cox] wears his learning lightly... A rewarding read... Cox knows how to make h ...

[T]his is a continually interesting and instructive account of our conversational abilities, and a much needed exposé of our remarkable incapacity to infer anything from each other’s talk.

Full of well-I-never insights... A lively, intelligent and persuasive history of speech...Expertly and patiently explained

Fascinating... Illuminating… The book draws on the latest scientific research and is studded with arresting statistics... [Cox] wears his learning lightly... A rewarding read... Cox knows how to make h ...

[T]his is a continually interesting and instructive account of our conversational abilities, and a much needed exposé of our remarkable incapacity to infer anything from each other’s talk.

Books by Trevor Cox

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