NON-FICTION NOW YOU’RE TALKING: THE STORY OF HUMAN CONVERSATION FROM THE NEANDERTHALS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

by Trevor Cox

Bodley Head, £20 (ebook £9.99) ★★★★★

TREVOR COX, a professor of acoustic engineering at the University of Salford, sets off on a journey to explore human conversation.

He delves into how evolution has shaped the bones, muscles and nerve responses that give us the physical capacity to create and decipher sound; the role of dialect, accent and tone, plus the impact of speech defects and brain injuries and the influence of recording technology and talking robots.

Drawing on scientific studies, theories, case studies and expert interviews, and peppered with anecdotes and observations, Cox’s passion for his subject weaves through every page.

If you have an interest in human sciences and the art and function of conversation, this is a brainpleasing and entertaining read.

BEST-SELLERS

1. The Shortest History of Germany: James Hawes The Midnight Line: Lee Child The History of Bees: Maja Lunde Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine: Gail Honeyman (right)

5. BBC Proms 2018

6. BOSH!: Henry Firth

7. The Invisible Guardian: Delores Redondo

8. A Higher Loyalty: James Comey

9. This is Going to Hurt: Adam Kay

10. The Guesrnsey Literary & Potato Peel Society: Annie Barrows

2.

3.

4.

Chart courtesy of Waterstones

KINDLE BEST-SELLERS

1.

The Unmumsy Mum Diary:

The Unmumsy Mum

Murder at Work: Faith Martin The Wildflowers: Harriet Evans The Friend: Teresa Driscoll

The Child: Fiona Barton Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine: Gail Honeyman

7. The Note: Zoe Folbigg

8. Close to Home: Cara Hunter

9. As I Lay Dying: William Faulkner

10. The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Heather Morris

Chart courtesy of Amazon.co.uk

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.