1. George Prochnik – “In Pursuit of Silence” (Here is also a link to Prochnik’s site http://www.georgeprochnik.com )
2. Garret Keizer – “The Unwanted Sound of Everything We Want”. This is a book about noise. Keizer travels to motorcycle rallies, into the woods, around noisy neighbourhoods.
3. Sarah Maitland – ” A Book of Silence”. A memoir of Maitland’s search for silence.
4. Bernie Krause – “The Great Animal Orchestra”. A wonderful journey into Krause’s work as a sound recorder and a naturalist and a man in search of silence.
5. Toop, David. “Sinister Resonance” – interesting look at sound and its presence in the world around us. On the dust jacket: “The close listener is like a medium who draws out substance from that which is not entirely there.” Toop looks at sound in literature and visual art.
the noise curmudgeon 
Knowing that you agree that there are sounds that are pleasant and welcoming, I thought you would like to know about the NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s Sound and Noise education module that can be accessed at DEP’s site. My children’s book Listen to the Raindrops is part of the curriculum for younger children.