≫ Libro This Is Your Brain on Music The Science of a Human Obsession Daniel J Levitin 9780525949695 Books

This Is Your Brain on Music The Science of a Human Obsession Daniel J Levitin 9780525949695 Books

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This Is Your Brain on Music The Science of a Human Obsession Daniel J Levitin 9780525949695 Books

A lot of people are hating on this book, and it tends to be people who are either highly opinionated, went in exacting some revolutionary read, or are allegedly more educated than the author.

This a fantastic book, if for nothing more than it gets you interested in wanting to read more. The author, much like modern astrophysicists like C. Sagan and L. Krauss might describe space ("billions and billions..."), has quite a way with words. He embeds in the reader a sense of wonder, and of amazement, at the magic that happens when you listen to music. If you're an audiophile who does not have an over inflated view of yourself and has a generally open mind about music, then this book is for you. I am not educated in this field whatsoever, and I found the analogies, comparisons, and even the really "dense" material very enticing and interesting.

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statements and claims the author makes because I am not educated in this field. He could be completely wrong and pushing his own agenda (although it's a little hard to arrive at that conclusion unless you have some sort of raging superiority complex). But that kind of conversation, which fills many of the lower rated reviews, is missing the point.

The language, the examples, the ranges of simple description to complicated extrapolation, it is all nourishing. These are interesting things to think about. And for a layman like myself, the point is not to be right, but to be interested. After reading this book, I don't care if he's right (although I doubt his inaccuracies, if any, surmount to much). I just care that he made me think about music in a new and interesting way.

And for the average reader like myself, that is all you should want from a book like this.


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This Is Your Brain on Music The Science of a Human Obsession Daniel J Levitin 9780525949695 Books Reviews

I am greatly enjoying this book and plan on reading it again as I finish the last few chapters. I am interested in music AND the brain. I think this is a requirement for appreciating this book. Another requirement MAY BE a basic understanding of music theory (reading musical notes) (so you can connect the dots better). I am still reading, but it is a definite five-star for me.
Was recommended this book by one of my college professors and it is absolutely fantastic. If you are a music junkie, like myself, this is an absolute must have. This book focuses on the way music interacts and possibly changes your body chemistry, thoughts, and emotions. Really fascinating stuff.
Far less scholarly than Oliver Sack' "Musicophilia," this is a fun read for waiting rooms, the beach, or bus trips, to carry around in your purse or pack. Delightful descriptions of music and peoples' relationship to music One doesn't need to be any manner of expert to read and enjoy it. Also, it's repeatably dip-able, just any place. Quite enjoyable and very clear. Explains all that "mysterious stuff" about music, about which one could never quite get a clear picture.
This is a great book. I read it 3 times in the first week that I had it. It is gripping and interesting, and remarkably jargon-free. Some of my non-musical friends who borrowed it said that they did not enjoy it and that it was too complicated for them to understand. I have some music theory education which was helpful for understanding the book, but Levitin makes it possible for non-musicians to appreciate the book too. With that being said, it is not written for children. There is a long, complicated part of the book which focuses intensely on the neuroscience part. I found it interesting and easy enough to understand as I am interested in neuroscience and have spent many hours educating myself about it on the internet. Most of my friends did not find this part engaging. I recommend this book to musicians, neuroscientists, and anyone who finds the human mind interesting.
This is sn excellent, well-written book on a topic that deserves more attention—the interaction between human brains and music, as informed by science. This is the most current book on this topic as I write. The second-most-recent book is 20 years older, and at the present rate of advance in brain science, that is a long time. Other reviewers have complained that the author drops too many names. I disagree. His first career, before he went back to school and got his Ph.D, was as a recording engineer. It is not name-dropping when you know famed singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell on a first-name basis, have discussed musical details of recording her while doing it, and then have later interviewed her about relevant topics in this book. This is by no means the only such useful example this unusual writer provides. The book does have an uneven feel to it in some spots, because it slows down to take you, like a fly on the wall, to unexpected places, but these are worth going to. I happen to know the science of some of what Levitin discusses, as I worked in computer speech recognition for five years, built two labs, and have a couple of published papers from that work. On what I know, Levitin is spot-on accurate. He also provides thorough notes and references if you want to dig deeper. But he also is a very good explainer, which I really appreciated when he discussed music. All in all this is a fine introduction. If it has any weakness, it is that he does not try to organize and categorize as much as he could have, but he WILL keep you reading!
A lot of people are hating on this book, and it tends to be people who are either highly opinionated, went in exacting some revolutionary read, or are allegedly more educated than the author.

This a fantastic book, if for nothing more than it gets you interested in wanting to read more. The author, much like modern astrophysicists like C. Sagan and L. Krauss might describe space ("billions and billions..."), has quite a way with words. He embeds in the reader a sense of wonder, and of amazement, at the magic that happens when you listen to music. If you're an audiophile who does not have an over inflated view of yourself and has a generally open mind about music, then this book is for you. I am not educated in this field whatsoever, and I found the analogies, comparisons, and even the really "dense" material very enticing and interesting.

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statements and claims the author makes because I am not educated in this field. He could be completely wrong and pushing his own agenda (although it's a little hard to arrive at that conclusion unless you have some sort of raging superiority complex). But that kind of conversation, which fills many of the lower rated reviews, is missing the point.

The language, the examples, the ranges of simple description to complicated extrapolation, it is all nourishing. These are interesting things to think about. And for a layman like myself, the point is not to be right, but to be interested. After reading this book, I don't care if he's right (although I doubt his inaccuracies, if any, surmount to much). I just care that he made me think about music in a new and interesting way.

And for the average reader like myself, that is all you should want from a book like this.