Making Waves: The Story of Variationist Sociolinguistics by Sali A. Tagliamonte takes readers on an engaging journey through the origins and development of this academic field. Spanning 224 pages, the book presents a human story of Variationist Sociolinguistics through one-to-one interviews with 43 prominent scholars in the discipline. These conversations offer direct insights into concepts, ideas, good practices, and valuable advice from the pioneers who shaped the field.

Written as an authentic, inside account of Sociolinguistics as Language Variation and Change, the book captures the context and spirit of sociolinguistics. It provides students with access to the perspectives on language variation held by major figures such as William Labov and Peter Trudgill. The narrative is crafted in a novel-like style, making it accessible to a wide range of readers while minimizing insider jargon.

In addition to textual content, the book includes a timely audio archive featuring reminiscences from key Sociolinguists including Labov, Fasold, Milroy, Trudgill, and Wolfram. A companion website at www.wiley.com/go/tagliamonte/makingwaves hosts 400 audio clips from these interviews, enriching the reading experience with direct voices of the scholars.

Published on November 2, 2015, by Wiley-Blackwell and ISBNed as 978-1118455432, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the evolution of Variationist Sociolinguistics from its inception to the present day.