New Yorker staff writer John Colapinto is the author of five books and numerous science-linked articles. This is the Voice begins with a story about how he blew out his own voice singing in a band.
Along the way, he shows us why the voice is the most efficient, effective means of communication ever devised. Even babies hear their mother’s voices in the womb. Our voices can be calibrated to reach one other person or thousands. One of his many research stops is up the Amazon to meet the Piraha, a reclusive tribe whose speaking sounds like singing.
In our conversation, he compares the political voices of Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden.
