Synopses & Reviews
"In 1800, the study of acoustics consisted of a number of isolated areas music, the ear and the voice, vibrations, and the passage of sound through air. In the years that have followed, the field has expanded enormously. Legendary for its interdisciplinary character, the field today ranges across and draws upon the disciplines of physics, geology, engineering, physiology, and psychology, and now includes such varied areas of study as medical diagnosis and treatment, music and the design of musical instruments and listening spaces, and the passage of sound waves through every conceivable medium. SOUNDS OF OUR TIMES: TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF ACOUSTICS, the first complete history of acoustics over the past two hundred years, described by one of the preeminent members of todays acoustical community, presents a fascinating portrait of the work of brilliant individuals, the development and use of technology, and the interactions of different parts of the field. The author steers a course between the largely anecdotal history of Dayton C. Miller (ANECDOTAL HISTORY OF THE SCIENCE OF SOUND, 1935) and the meticulously researched effort of F.V. Hunt (ORIGINS IN ACOUSTICS, published posthumously in 1978). SOUNDS OF OUR TIMES: TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF ACOUSTICS begins after the period covered by Hunt and follows new developments in the subject almost up to the present day. It also chronicles the developments in the subject almost up to the present day. It also chronicles the development of organizations of acousticians, especially that of the Acoustical Society of America, and contains many historical illustrations never before available in a single volume. ROBERT T. BEYER, Hazard Professor of Physics Emeritus at Brown University, has worked in the field of acoustics for more than fifty years, mainly in ultrasonics and nonlinear acoustics. He served as treasurer of the Acoustical Society of America for twenty years, and was its first president in 1968-69. As a sideline, he has been a translator of German and Russian technical literature, and also an editor of such translations. He has been the author or coauthor of more than 100 articles and several books on acoustics, including the recently corrected and reprinted NONLINEAR ACOUSTICS. Currently, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Springer-Verlag series Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing."
Review
"No one has ever presented such a large body of materials related to the history of acoustics. The bountiful exposition of experiments, instruments and theory ensures that this book will be a necessary reference for anyone interested in the last two hundred years of acoustics." --Annals of Science The History of Science and Technology from the Thirteenth Century "I found this book fascinating to read. The material is well chosen, the writing is clear and elegant, and the book is illustrated with figures taken from the original publications of the people concerned. For those who want to delve deeper, the early chapters have around 100 references each, and the later ones around 200. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the development of our subject - and that should be all of you!" --Acoustics Australia
Synopsis
But at my back I always hear Time's winged chariot hurrying near. Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) In writing this book, I acknowledge two important predecessors. In 1930, Professor Dayton C. Miller, of Case Institute, wrote his Anecdotal History of Acoustics, which followed mainly the individual work of a hundred or so acousticians, up to about 1930. And in 1978, Origins in Acoustics by Profes sor F.V. ("Ted") Hunt of Harvard appeared. Professor Hunt had not com pleted his book at the time of his death in 1972, but portions of it were published posthumously under the editorship of Professor Robert Apfel of Yale. This book begins roughly where the published portions of Hunt's work left off-the period at the beginning of the nineteenth century-and moves forward into the modern era. Because of the vast amount of acoustical research in this period, the personal and anecdotal style of Professor Miller's book did not seem appropriate. On the other hand, my age sug gested to me that I might have not have the time for pursuing the intense but time-consuming scholarship of Professor Hunt (note the quotation above). I have therefore tried to steer a middle course between Miller and Hunt, and have also relied more on secondary sources."
Synopsis
This book is a history of acoustics from the 19th century to the present. It is an examination of the literature pertaining to major advances in acoustics and acoustics' relationship to other sciences, as well as an account of famous acousticians and their discoveries. The book discusses the changes in the field and the effects on the understanding of this science. From sound propagation, production, and reception to the development of the Acoustical Society of America, the history and future of acoustics is presented in this book.
Synopsis
A history of acoustics from the 19th century to the present, written by one of the pre-eminent members of the acoustical community. The book is both a review of the major scientific advances in acoustics as well as an account of famous acousticians and their discoveries, taking in the development of the Acoustical Society of America. Acoustics is distinguished by its interdisciplinary nature and the book duly explores the fields development in its relationship to other sciences. In addition to covering the history of acoustics, the book concludes with the future of acoustics. Beautifully illustrated.
Table of Contents
The State of Acoustics.- Acoustics.- Helmholtz and Tyndall.- Lord Rayleigh and His Book.- Inventors to the Fore!- The Last Half of the Nineteenth Century.- The Twentieth Century: The First Quarter.- The Second Quarter of the Twentienth Century.- The Third Quarter: 1950-1975.- Acoustics: 1975-1995 and Beyond. Fin de Siecle -Again.