For anyone interested in exploring the intersection of sound, environment, and wellbeing, here are some select readings we recommend on acoustic ecology, noise pollution, and the profound impact of soundscapes on both human and ecological health.

Urban Soundscapes: A Guide to Listening for Landscape Architecture and Urban Design – by Ruiz Arana

This guide introduces a framework for incorporating sound and listening into landscape architecture and urban design, helping practitioners assess, predict, and shape urban soundscapes throughout the design process. Drawing from acoustic ecology and sound art, it demonstrates how attentive listening can reduce noise pollution, monitor habitat health, and create more engaging urban spaces that bring joy to their inhabitants.

Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World – by Nina Kraus

We were introduced to Kraus’s work at the Intentional Spaces Summit hosted by the Johns Hopkins, The International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics. In “Of Sound Mind,” neuroscientist Nina Kraus reveals how sound processing is fundamental to our brain’s core functions, shaping everything from language and music comprehension to emotional responses and neural health. Through examining how our brains interact with various sounds – from words to music to noise pollution – Kraus demonstrates the profound impact our sonic environment has on brain development and overall wellbeing.

The Sound Book: The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World by Trevor Cox

With this book acoustic engineer Trevor Cox takes readers on a global journey exploring remarkable acoustic phenomena, from singing sand dunes to whispering galleries in historic architecture. Beyond documenting these sonic marvels, Cox makes a compelling case for incorporating mindful listening into how we experience and design places, showing how sound can deeply enrich our connection to both natural and built environments.

A Book of Noises Notes on the Auraculous by Caspar Henderson

“A wide-ranging exploration of the sounds that shape our world in invisible yet significant ways.” This is a collection of 48 quick and easy and essays. The author shares detailed observations of phenomena like crackling fires, buzzing bees, and the aurora borealis, and demonstrates how intentional listening can deepen our connection to the world around us.

Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction by David George Haskell

Haskell traces the evolution of Earth’s soundscapes, from the first insect chirps preserved in ancient French rocks to today’s complex symphony of sounds. Through vivid explorations of tree frog songs, whale calls, and forest choruses, Haskell makes a moving case for preserving our planet’s acoustic heritage, and shows how mindful listening is critical to environmental preservation.