"Elegant and eloquent."–New York Times
"[A] genial and informative study of the noisiness of modern life."–
The New Republic "An adventure of profound listening."–
The New Yorker "Fascinating."–
Salon "A global quest to find those who still value silence."–NPR
"Sometimes alarming and often charming, it sings the praises of quiet and reports the uncertain progress in the war against noise."–
The Dallas Morning News "Compelling."–
Bookforum "Smart... Silence is good for falling asleep, but Prochnik's attentive take on noise keeps us wide awake."–
Publishers Weekly "Elegant and understated, this thoughtful look at rarely considered aspects of everyday life reveals an often unrecognized cost of modern living.–
Booklist "A lucid, balanced appreciation of silence's solemn tonic."–
Kirkus Reviews