Anatomy of Sound - by Jacob Smith & Neil Verma (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This collection of essays examines one of the most important, yet understudied, media authors of all time--Norman Corwin--using him as a critical lens to consider the history of multimedia authorship, particularly in the realm of sound. Known for seven decades as the 'poet laureate' of radio, Corwin is most famous for his radio dramas, which reached tens of millions of listeners around the world and contributed to radio drama's success as a mass media form in the 1930s and 1940s. But Corwin was a pioneer in multiple media, including cinema, theater, TV, public service broadcasting, journalism, and even cantata. In each of these areas, Corwin had a distinctive approach to sonic aesthetics and mastery of multiple aspects of media production, relying in part on his inventive atmospheric effects in the studio both prerecorded, and, more impressively, live in real time. From the front lines of World War II to his role as Chief of Special Projects for United Nations Radio and his influence on media today, the political and social aspect of Corwin's work is woven into these essays. With a foreword by Michele Hilmes and contributions from Thomas Doherty, Mary Ann Watson, Shawn VanCour, David Ossman and others, this volume cements Corwin's reputation as perhaps the greatest writer in the history of radio, while also showing that his long career is a neglected model of multimedia authorship."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This collection examines the work of Norman Corwin--one of the most important, yet understudied, media authors of all time--as a critical lens to view the history of multimedia authorship and sound production. Known as the "poet laureate" of radio, Corwin is most famous for his radio dramas, which reached millions of listeners around the world and contributed to radio's success as a mass media form in the 1930s and 1940s. But Corwin was also a pioneer in other fields, including cinema, theater, TV, and journalism. In each of these areas, he had a distinctive approach to "soundwork," relying on inventive prerecorded and live-in-real-time atmospheric effects in the studio, among other aesthetic techniques. Exploring the range of Corwin's work--from his World War II-era poetry and his special projects for the United Nations to his path-breaking writing for film and television--and its influence on media today, these essays underscore the political and social impact of Corwin's oeuvre and cement his reputation as a key writer in the history of many sound media.

From the Back Cover

"At long last, the most important radio auteur of the twentieth century (and a gifted screenwriter to boot) has received the attention he deserves. This book is not only an indispensable guide to Norman Corwin's work but also a foundational study of the aesthetics and politics of radio and screen."--James Naremore, author of An Invention without a Future: Essays on Cinema

"Using Corwin's transmedia oeuvre as a foil to reinvigorate the idea of the auteur, Jacob Smith and Neil Verma have curated a truly polyphonic engagement with the politics of cultural production across media platforms, the negotiation of artistic vision within institutional constraints, and the complexities of sound as both textual artifact and analytical metaphor. This collection confirms Corwin as a major cultural figure, and recontextualises his influence among his contemporaries and for subsequent generations of practitioners."--Kate Lacey, author of Listening Publics: The Politics and Experience of Listening in the Media Age

About the Author

Jacob Smith is Associate Professor in the Department of Radio-Television-Film and Director of the MA in Sound Arts and Industries at Northwestern University. He has written several books, including Vocal Tracks: Performance and Sound Media, Spoken Word: Postwar American Phonograph Cultures, and Eco-Sonic Media, and has published articles on media history, sound, and performance.

Neil Verma writes about the history and aesthetics of sound in narrative-based art and media. He is the author of the award-winning book Theater of the Mind: Imagination, Aesthetics, and American Radio Drama as well as several articles that theorize sound in radio, television, film, and other media. Verma is Assistant Professor in the Department of Radio -Television-Film at Northwestern University.