Book Review: This is Your Brain on Music, by Daniel J. Levitin (August 2006, Penguin Publishing Group)

Wow, what an interesting read. Thanks to my friend, Stefanie, who suggested I read this.

Obviously, I have a connection with music that is uncommon. There are a lot of people out there who like music, but there are relatively few of us who hear it on such a multi-sensory level. Daniel Levitin does an amazing job of verbalizing what it's like to hear music the way I do.

The great thing about this book, is that it not only describes the biology behind the bizarre emotional connection between humans and music, it also gives a pretty decent run-down of all the music theory basics the average person would ever want to know. It's basically Neuroscience 101 smashed together with a Music Theory for Non-musicians class. There is a lot of technical jargon in spots, but Levitin is careful to explain any terms he uses. He even criticizes the snobbery of the music world and denounces those who speak only in terms that other musicians (and possibly music critics) would understand.

He draws on examples from all genres--Beethoven to Led Zeppelin--to explain why certain individuals like certain styles, how we are able to remember so many different songs, why we are a lot more musical than we give ourselves credit for, and which parts of the brain are stimulated while listening to various types of music. All of his references to different artists and different pieces encourages the reader to go out and listen to anything they are unfamiliar with.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves music. I feel like music is one of those things we take for granted sometimes--as if our understanding of everything musical just magically happens. We may love or hate whatever we are listening to, but regardless, something absolutely astounding is happening inside the brain when any sort of music is playing. Rolling Stone Magazine just recently did a big article about this book, in which they actually showed brain scans of people listening to different songs. We've all heard about right-brained and left-brained people and the characteristics of each. I never realized that music truly is "all-brained."

As one who is about to begin a rigorous masters program in a subject that is an off-shoot of psychology, and as one who cannot live without music, I wonder after reading this book if there is something I can do down the road that connects the two. Finding a book that combines two subjects I'm passionate about was a very pleasant surprise for me. I ended up reading the whole thing in about three days--partly because I'm a fast reader, and partly because I was riveted. Hopefully you'll check it out and find it to be interesting as well.

Levitin has dedicated a website to the book and its research/content: www.yourbrainonmusic.com