This Is Your Brain on Music

"'Music seems to have an almost willful, evasive quality, defying simple explanation, so that the more we find out, the more there is to know... Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox. There may be no simple answer or end in sight, but the ride is nonetheless a thrilling one, especially in the company of a writer who is both an accomplished musician, a hard-nosed scientist, and someone who can still look upon the universe with a sense of wonder.' Sting * Fascinating... Levitin's extremely skilled at laying out complex concepts in understandable terms... an absorbing explanation of the mechanics of why music affects us the way it does. - Jonathan O'Brien, Sunday Business Post * Endlessly stimulating. - Oliver Sacks * Despite illuminating a lot of what goes on with music this book doesn't "spoil" enjoyment - it only deepens the beautiful mystery that is music. - David Byrne, Talking Heads"

Levitin is a deft and patient explainer of the basics for the non-scientist as well as the non-musician. . . . By tracing music s deep ties to memory, Levitin helps quantify some of music s magic without breaking its spell. ( Los Angeles Times Book Review )