A media history of sound recording literature from phonautogram and phonograph to talking books, books-on-tape, audiobooks, podcasts, interactive audio, and beyond. From oral tradition, we trace intertwined histories of sound media and literary arts through tinfoil and wax cylinders, radio, shellac, vinyl LPs, cassette tapes, CDs, digital audio files, streaming, and apps. The course addresses concepts such as remix, adaptation, affect, embodiment, interaction, and the avant-garde. Examples may include Tennyson, Dickens, Shakespeare, Kipling, Conan Doyle, Joyce, Poe, Conrad, Christie, Thomas, McLuhan, Jumanji, Serial, This American Life, The Haunting of Hill House, Audiobook, and more. Includes listening and recording components.
4
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNone
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeSecond class I took with him. Took advantage of his office hours, yet he fell through in crucial ways. Easy A if you're willing to put in the work and be interested in the subject matter.
interesting topics covered...accessible when convenient to him, tends to go off on tangents during lecture...
tends to go on tangents...accessible only when convenient to him...interesting topics covered
(146PB) Does not post the course/syllabus on Canvas until the first day of lecture. Disorganized lectures and class, but very passionate about the material and cares a lot about students. Gives in-depth feedback. This class was a hot mess but prof was clearly trying his best and open to any student feedback/questions. Easy A if you put in effort.
one of the most fun courses I've taken at UCSB was Audiobooks/Podcasts with Prof. Douglass. he gives really detailed feedback and wants to help you explore topics and themes that are actually interesting to you. it's definitely worth it to go chat with him during office hours while you're working on the different projects throughout the quarter!
Audiobooks and Podcasts class. He is so caring. Let me catch up on so much work and asked me a few times throughout the quarter how he can best support me. Got to build and record on a record cutter as my final. Super organized. We wrote radio scripts and study literary audio. responded to my emails super fast! Helped create a plan for me to pass.