My attention was drawn to this by this review


I understand that living inner city, as I do, means noise. But some of it is so offensive and unwarranted that it beggars belief. Sitting in the most beautiful garden restaurant at 8am for b/f. Yes, we are surrounded by roads and that means cars and THAT means offensive mechanical noise. But we can call that 'unavoidable' within our normal expectations of how to live. But when, at 8.01 in this ambient setting, a chap starts his job and it is blowing leaves from one spot to another with a leaf blower. I'm sorry, but this is unfuckingbelievable.

We have a busker who frequently begs outside our apartment building. Busker, even when dreadful, is one thing. Electrified and banging an appalling home made drum is quite another. As for the people who think they can take ghetto blasters down to the lake and invade everybody's space with them.

I'm looking forward to reading this.

My attention was drawn to this by this review


I understand that living inner city, as I do, means noise. But some of it is so offensive and unwarranted that it beggars belief. Sitting in the most beautiful garden restaurant at 8am for b/f. Yes, we are surrounded by roads and that means cars and THAT means offensive mechanical noise. But we can call that 'unavoidable' within our normal expectations of how to live. But when, at 8.01 in this ambient setting, a chap starts his job and it is blowing leaves from one spot to another with a leaf blower. I'm sorry, but this is unfuckingbelievable.

We have a busker who frequently begs outside our apartment building. Busker, even when dreadful, is one thing. Electrified and banging an appalling home made drum is quite another. As for the people who think they can take ghetto blasters down to the lake and invade everybody's space with them.

I'm looking forward to reading this.

This is a very entertaining study, dealing with the unusual subject of noise, and how we perceive it. It is written in a simple language, full of humor, but full of extremely interesting trivia about the origin of noise, the ways it affects the different cultures of the world, the aftermaths of noise in the lives of those of us who live in the big capitals and cities, and the ones who have the fortune to spend their lives away from the urban environment. ( )

This was a book I was really looking forward to. Unfortunately, I wound up being very disappointed. It turned out to be a polemic that I struggled mightily to get through. The argument being presented is one I agree with and yet it is ultimately boring to read such an unbalanced viewpoint. It reads more as an angry man complaining than a thoughtful examination of the issues. I quite wanted to like it but found it disappointing. ( )

Keizer's Unwanted Sound documents how society has largely ignored the problem of noise pollution as 'progress' advances through the years. As we get 'everything we want', including snowblowers, motorcycles, and various other advanced 'toys', few of us have stopped to consider the impact of the noise generated by such devices. Personal space is often considered sacred, but not when sound is considered. Keizer points out how often we notice when someone has infringed on our personal rights while we constantly ignore unwanted sounds and noisy behavior (though we still are annoyed by this).

The book itself is interesting and informative. Keizer relies on both research and anecdote. For me, the reliance is too often on the latter as Keizer lets his own views and annoyances drive the narrative at times. Still, a useful and worthwhile read if only because this subject is completely ignored by most of us, and the problem of unwanted noise will only grow worse as population densities continue to rise. ( )