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Microphone

By Ralph Jones
Series: Object Lessons
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Brief Description
Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Since its invention more than 150 years ago, the microphone transformed the world in an instant. Yet its evolution and integration into our daily lives has been comparatively gradual—so... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2199
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Discusses how the microphone is far more ubiquitous and omnipresent in everyday life than we would expect.

Discusses how the microphone is far more ubiquitous and omnipresent in everyday life than we would expect.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Since its invention more than 150 years ago, the microphone transformed the world in an instant. Yet its evolution and integration into our daily lives has been comparatively gradual—so gradual, crucially, that it is easy to forget just how much we take it for granted. Every phone has a microphone. Every laptop has a microphone. We are surrounded by microphones.

The microphone wields enormous power. But when we're ‘on mic’ we aren't just powerful; we're vulnerable. Microphones can destroy careers as quickly as make them. The microphone is inextricable from our need to be heard.

Microphone by Ralph Jones takes a curious, always humorous look at this object as a metaphor for power and how the fulfilment of our desire to be heard has created a multi-headed beast we are still learning how to tame.

Series: Object Lessons

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9798765126011

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 April 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Illustration: 7 bw illus

Contributors:

  • Series edited by Dr. Christopher Schaberg
  • Series edited by Professor Ian Bogost

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 121.0mm

Height: 165.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 152

Collections

Education & Reference Non-Fiction Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Ralph Jones Science & Nature Series: Object Lessons

About the Author

Ralph Jones is a journalist and comedy writer based in the UK who has written for publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, Sunday Times Magazine, Vice, Esquire, and GQ.

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