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This is the voice / John Colapinto.

by Colapinto, John, 1958-

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Simon & Schuster, 2021.

Voice -- Social aspects.

Oral communication -- Social aspects.

Speech and social status.

Singing -- Therapeutic use.

9781982128746 (hc.)

1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.

vii, 312 p. ; 24 cm.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-301) and index.

"A New York Times bestselling author explores what our unique sonic signature reveals about our species, our culture, and each one of us. There's no shortage of books about public speaking or language or song. But until now, there has been no book about the miracle that underlies them all -- the human voice itself. And there are few writers who could take on this surprisingly vast topic with more artistry and expertise than John Colapinto. Beginning with the fresh -- and compelling -- argument that our ability to speak is what made us the planet's dominant species, he guides us from the voice's beginnings in lungfish millions of years ago to its culmination in the talent of Pavarotti, Martin Luther King Jr., and Beyoncé -- and each of us, every day. (...) Along the way, he shows us why the voice is the most efficient, effective means of communication ever devised: it works in all directions, in all weathers -- even in the dark -- and it can be calibrated to reach one other person or thousands. He reveals why speech is the single most intricate activity humans can perform. He travels to the Brazilian rainforest to meet the Piraha, a reclusive tribe whose singular language, more musical then any other, can help us hear how melodic principles underpin every word we utter. He heads to Harvard to see how professional voices are helped and healed, and he ventures out on the campaign trail to see how demagogues wield their voices as weapons. As far-reaching as this book is, much of the delights of reading it lies in how intimate it feels. Everything Colapinto tells us can be tested by our own lungs and mouths and ears and brains. He shows us that, for those who pay attention, the voice is an eloquent way to communicate not only what the speaker means, but also their mood, sexual preference, age, income -- even psychological and physical illness. Anyone who talks, or sings, or listens will find a rich trove of insights in "This is the voice."" -- Jacket.

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