Up Next on My Reading List: Instrument of War by David Suisman

Since the Civil War, music has been a big part of life in the U.S. military. Soldiers have sung songs while marching, listened to music on phonographs and radios, and filled seats at USO shows. Tunes like “Reveille” have woken them up in the morning, while “Taps” has signaled the end of the day. From brass bands to homesick soldiers singing, to earbuds playing a favorite song, music has always been present during war.

Instrument of War by David Suisman is the first book to explore how important music has been for American soldiers. While music has always been part of war, the role of the U.S. military as a musical force is often overlooked. Suisman shows how the military has used music to train soldiers, manage daily routines, and help soldiers deal with the emotional struggles of war. The book explains how music has been tied to over 150 years of American war efforts, revealing both its uplifting and darker sides.

From chanting “Sound off!” during training to playing music on radios or iPods while on patrol, music has shaped soldiers’ experiences in powerful ways. Now, thanks to this book, we can better understand the sounds of war.

David Suisman is a history professor at the University of Delaware and author of Selling Sounds: The Commercial Revolution in American Music, which has won many awards. He is also the co-editor of Capitalism and the Senses and Sound in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.