The Audible Past

By Jonathan Sterne,

Book cover of The Audible Past: Cultural Origins of Sound Reproduction

Book description

The Audible Past explores the cultural origins of sound reproduction. It describes a distinctive sound culture that gave birth to the sound recording and the transmission devices so ubiquitous in modern life. With an ear for the unexpected, scholar and musician Jonathan Sterne uses the technological and cultural precursors of…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Audible Past as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Sterne explores the cultural history of how and why Americans developed technologies that reproduced and transmitted sound. It is a surprising story that takes us through the Civil War and ideas about death, deaf children and their teachers, the discipline of medicine, and the practice of folklore. It turns out that cultural shifts encouraged the preservation of sound, and those machines we developed in turn changed the ways we listen.

From Alejandra's list on sound and why you should care about it.

Want books like The Audible Past?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 60 books like The Audible Past.

Browse books like The Audible Past

Book cover of The Ethical Soundscape: Cassette Sermons and Islamic Counterpublics
Book cover of Aurality: Listening and Knowledge in Nineteenth-Century Colombia
Book cover of Decomposed: The Political Ecology of Music

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in sound, the music industry, and presidential biography?

Sound 28 books