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This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

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A fascinating exploration of the relationship between music and the mind—and the role of melodies in shaping our lives
Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including:
• Are our musical preferences shaped in utero?
• Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music?
• What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brain's response to music?
• Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure?
This Is Your Brain on Music explores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare disorder that prevents them from making sense of music, and scientists studying why two people may not have the same definition of pitch. At every turn, this provocative work unlocks deep secrets about how nature and nurture forge a uniquely human obsession. BACKCOVER: “I know Dan to have a deep musical knowledge and strong intellect combined with a warm spirit and a big heart. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music . . . He is a fine writer and has the ability to make difficult concepts very clear.”
—STEVIE WONDER

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Reviews

Love it (58%)  |  Hate it (27%)  |  On the Fence (15%)  |  Didn't Rate it (0%)
From: Amazon Posted: Jun 30, 2008 Type: User Review Irritating

I, too, found the endless name-dropping endlessly irritating. As to the rest - I leave it to the more knowledgeable among us. However, I do recommend reading ALL the reviews before reading the book.

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2.00 Star Rating
2.00/5
From: Amazon Posted: Jun 24, 2008 Type: User Review great, a revelation

As a professional musician and a medical doctor, I must say it is the best book on music - in all its facets - that I've ever read.
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5.00 Star Rating
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From: Amazon Posted: Jun 21, 2008 Type: User Review Amazing facts from a uniquely well-informed expert

The author is very experienced in both the relevant science, and the real music industry. I have a strong sense that he knows what he's talking about and is highly credible. The writing style is excellent. There were all kinds of facts in here...
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From: Amazon Posted: Jun 08, 2008 Type: User Review On the whole, not worthwhile

Like many of the negative reviewers, I found that *This Is Your Brain on Music* didn't enhance either my knowledge of music or of cognitive science. It's not without any substance, but that substance has been spread pretty thinly, and it offers...
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2.00 Star Rating
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From: Amazon Posted: May 25, 2008 Type: User Review Very interesting

I am a musician and although I have not yet finished the book it has captivated me and helped me realize why I am the way I am and maybe why others are the way they are as far as music choices. God made us incredible!
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