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I wasn’t able to locate detailed chapter summaries or direct quotes from Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World—and How We Can Take It Back by Chris Berdik through the available previews and reviews. However, I can certainly give you a solid overview based on the thematic content highlighted in reputable reviews and descriptions, which can serve as a useful proxy for a chapter-by-chapter gist. If you’d like, I can also help track down excerpts or quotes from the book through audiobook previews or by accessing library excerpts. Let me know if you’d like to explore that!

Overview of 

Clamor

 — Core Themes & Structure

1. 

Noise as an Ephemeral Yet Potent Pollutant

• Berdik emphasizes how noise, unlike other forms of pollution, disappears immediately once the source stops—but that doesn’t make it any less harmful. 
• The opening chapters likely explain how we hear, and why the problem of noise extends far beyond simple loudness. 

2. 

Human Health Impacts

• Noise affects us even below the threshold of conscious perception. Cognitive development in children can be delayed, and adults with hearing loss face increased risks of dementia. 
• Chronic exposure has broader consequences, including stress, reduced concentration, disrupted sleep, elevated blood pressure, and possible links to premature death. 

3. 

Environmental & Wildlife Consequences

• Soundscapes in forests and oceans are being disrupted by industrial and urban noise. Whales and other marine species become disoriented, impairing their ability to communicate, hunt, or evade predators. 

4. 

Noise in Built Environments: From Offices to Hospitals

• Open-plan offices may save costs but often reduce productivity and increase stress due to background chatter. 
• In hospitals, alarms and beeps contribute to dangerous noise levels. Berdik explores innovations aimed at creating more intuitive, less intrusive medical soundscapes. 

5. 

Solutions: Healthy Buildings, Cities, and Sound Design

• Berdik profiles researchers, architects, and even rock stars working to transform how we design sound in our environments.
• Concepts such as “healthy buildings” and “healthy cities” are introduced, where acoustics reign as a key component of wellbeing. 

6. 

Bridging Perspectives on Noise

• Berdik reflects on the divide: some treat noise as a serious health threat needing regulation, while others see noise complaints as proxies for broader societal conflicts, such as gentrification. His aim is to move beyond reactive attitudes toward a holistic, proactive approach to soundscapes. 

7. 

Case Studies & Sound Innovation

• A notable example is Chapter 8, which features acoustics expert Ben Markham and his “3-D Listening” model for the Shapiro Courtyard at the Museum of Fine Arts—an example of how intentional design can transform outdoor sound environments. 

Attempted Quotes & Review Highlights

While direct quotations from the book are limited in the sources I found, here are some vivid lines and sentiments from reviews and descriptions:

• Regarding noise’s insidious impacts: “Noise isn’t just sound that causes hearing damage… Even much quieter nuisance sound can interrupt our sleep, break our concentration, raise our blood pressure, lower birth weight, and increase our risk of death from multiple causes.” 
• On the call to action: “Finally, a book that raises a necessary clamor about the perils of a noisy world! Chris Berdik shows us just how much is at stake when we can’t hear ourselves think and animals can’t find their way home.” 
• From Kirkus Reviews: “…after describing the background (how we hear) and the nature of the problem…, he explains what we can do (more than we’re doing). Better than vision, hearing connects us with others…” 

What You Can Do Next

If you’d like deeper dive into Clamor, here are a few options I can help with:

1. Locate selected book excerpts or audiobook previews, so I can pull direct quotes from specific chapters.
2. Bridge with podcast interviews, like the one on Quality of Life Radio, which may feature Berdik quoting passages or summarizing chapters. 
3. Track down chapter titles or structure through library previews or author interviews if available.

Let me know which approach you’d prefer—or if you’d like me to go ahead and start exploring specific chapters or quotes from audio samples!