Noise

“A social history of sound from the Paleolithic to the present–David Hendy reconstructs the acoustic environments of our ancestors and contemporaries in words, conjuring them to life for the mind’s ear. Brilliant and thought-provoking–curl up somewhere noisy and enjoy!” - Nigel Warburton, author of A Little History of Philosophy“Fascinating. The wide focus and the clarity of writing make Noise something to shout about.” - Emily Cockayne, author of Hubbub: Filth, Noise, and Stench in England, 1600-1770 and Cheek by Jowl: A History of Neighbours“Hendy’s radiant and lyrical account of an otherwise elusive subject attests to his grasp of the history of sound and an amazing ability to weave vast and complex themes to a cohesive, accessible page-turner. Noise: A History of Sound and Listening is a thoroughly exhilarating encounter.” - Bernie Krause, author of The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World’s Wild Places“David Hendy is an engaging tour guide of the heard world who leads readers from the distant echoes of Paleolithic caves to the hushed offices of Mad Men. Even if the closest you can get to a soundproof study is just the quiet car on the train, you’ll find yourself at home in Noise.” - John M. Picker, author of Victorian Soundscapes“Noise is terrific.” - Daily Telegraph (London)“As social history it’s hard to beat.” - Independent“A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking book… . Open[s] our ears and our minds to the sound worlds of other lives and times, and perhaps encourag[es] us to listen to our own soundscapes with fresh ears.” - Irish Times

David Hendy is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Sussex. He has been a visiting research fellow at the University of Cambridge; Yale University; and Indiana University, Bloomington. He worked as a journalist and producer at the BBC, and in 2011 was awarded the James W. Carey Award for Outstanding Journalism by the Media Ecology Association of North America for his five-part BBC Radio 3 series, Rewiring the Mind. His book Life on Air: A History of Radio Four won the Longman-History Today Book of the Year Award.