I read the news today
text by DIKE BLAIR
Olivier invited me to write something for this issue, something about what I find “really wrong these days, really annoying, really frustrating … and something that you can put in perspective in a global context.”
My first response to the question of what was wrong with the world today was the increasing use of sound effects in audiobooks. Among other listens, I squander my time on airport kiosk books, cheesy thrillers, and detective and spy novels. Do I need to listen to, “He fired three short bursts from his
Makarov,” followed by three bangs? Or, “With her head still ducked below the dashboard, she jammed her foot on the gas pedal,” accompanied by the sound of screeching tires? Of course, that’s more of a peeve, and despite giving it some thought, I…