"Exemplary. surprising and consistently fascinating." --Mary Roach for the New York Times "Not-so-young guy damages his vocal cords belting out tunes in a rock band--and a fascinating book is born. An extraordinary look at the unsung influence of the sounds we make and hear" -- People (book of the week) "This is an amazing work. I didn't realize until I read it that it's the book I've been wanting to read for thirty years. Everything you might want to know, or have wondered about, or didn't even consider about how we speak and listen, exchange information, and the musicality behind all of it is here . and then some. I couldn't put it down.
" --DANIEL LEVITIN , author of This Is Your Brain on Music "A prime example of quality popular science, striking that ideal balance between informative and entertaining. It embraces the wide-ranging aspects of its subject matter, digging in wherever necessary and capturing the reader's curiosity. But it's also an engaging read, thoughtful and funny and finely crafted. Books that accomplish this combination are few and far between, but John Colapinto has definitely written one that does just that." -The Maine Edge "This astonishing and resonant tour of the vocal cords ends up transporting the reader all over the human body, the brain, and the world beyond. John Colapinto seems to be murmuring in your ear the whole way, cracking jokes, telling stories, sharing fabulous secrets--and singing, too." --ABIGAIL TUCKER, New York Times bestselling author of Lion in the Living Room "Fascinating.Colapinto's narrative is chock full of information, and is something any curious-minded reader will be glad to have spent time with.
" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "With prose as clear as a bell, Colapinto takes you into the complexities by which sound becomes voice and voice becomes a central feature of human culture--and a way to discover who you are. Reading it was a real pleasure." --RON ROSENBAUM, author of The Shakespeare Wars "As Colapinto proves, no human attribute has been more crucial to the evolution of our species than our ability to convey meaning through sound. Colapinto's written voice is resonant with humor, insight, intelligence, and sincerity. Highly recommended." --CHRISTOPHER RYAN, coauthor of Sex at Dawn "This book has the mark of an enduring success, a work that readers will be turning to for decades, not years. In this fascinating exploration of the new science of speech, John Colapinto teaches us not only about the sounds we make, but the people we are." --DAVID FRUM, The Atlantic "The story of human speech is as compelling as any mystery narrative.
Ancient history, evolution, social development, gender, culture, and Neanderthals all play a part in the fascinating story that charts our journey from grunts to eloquent speech." --PETER JACKSON, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy "Focused, lucidly written. A rich trove of science and contemporary culture." --Kirkus Reviews.