Sounds Wild and Broken

An awe-inspiring exploration of the sounds of the universe, and the existential threat posed by human noise. 'Sounds Wild and Broken is a symphony, filled with the music of life . .. fascinating, heartbreaking, and beautifully written.'ELIZABETH KOLBERT, author of The Sixth Extinction'Haskell's writing is natural history, in every sense of the phrase, at its very best.'RICHARD POWERS, author The Overstory and BewildermentSound has shaped the history of the Earth and its inhabitants. The first sound waves of the universe are still visible today, their peaks and troughs marked in the night sky by galaxies and starless spaces between.And yet this shared sonic existence is in crisis, as human noise threatens to drown out all else. From city streets to ocean depths, and Palaeolithic cave dwellings to modern concert halls, Sounds Wild and Broken is an illuminating exploration of the rich and varied sounds of our planet. It is at once a joyful celebration of the natural cacophony of existence, and a stark warning of what is at stake should this sonic diversity be lost.'Haskell thinks like a biologist, writes like a poet, and gives the natural world the kind of open-minded attention one expects from a Zen monk rather than a hypothesis-driven scientist.'NEW YORK TIMES (on The Songs of Trees)