Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution's Creativity and the Crisis of Sensory

Many of us around the world noticed the almost immediate effect of lockdowns on our ability to hear the natural world around us – as we turned the volume down on human activity, other sounds became more obvious to us again. In ‘Sounds Wild and Broken’, Haskell takes the reader on a journey through time and across the planet, exploring the diverse and wonderous range of sound – from birdsong to whale song, from the movement of wings to the movement of tectonic plates. In this world of noise, Haskell pays particular attention to the impacts of human-engineered sound – how ‘noise pollution’ affects the careful ecosystem of sound and communication in the natural world.

Beautifully and creatively written, this book will be endlessly fascinating to those who enjoy the sensory experience of being in nature – whether it’s in your own garden or further afield. If the buzzing, bustling, humming nature of the world around you is something you’ve drawn peace or comfort from, this book will inspire you to think about sound in new and complex ways.

Thanks to Scorpio Books for this review.