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Musicophilia

Tales of Music and the Brain

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Musicophilia

By: Oliver Sacks
Narrated by: John Lee
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With an introduction by neuroscientist Daniel Glaser.

With his trademark compassion and erudition, Dr Oliver Sacks examines the power of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians, and everyday people. Among them: a surgeon who is struck by lightning and suddenly becomes obsessed with Chopin; people with ‘amusia’, to whom a symphony sounds like the clattering of poets and pans; and a man whose memory spans only seven seconds – for everything but music. Dr Sacks describes how music can animate people with Parkinson’s disease who cannot otherwise move, give words to stroke patients who cannot otherwise speak, and calm and organize people who are deeply disoriented by Alzheimer’s or schizophrenia.

Musicophilia alters our conception of who we are and how we function, and shows us an essential part of what it is to be human.

 Brain & Nervous System Essays Mental Health Awareness Music Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Physical Illness & Disease Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Nonfiction Mental Health
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Critic reviews

Fascinating. Music, as Sacks explains, “can pierce the heart directly”. And this is the truth that he so brilliantly focuses upon – that music saves, consoles and nourishes us.
An elegantly outlined series of case studies . . . which reveal the depth to which music grips so many people.
A humane discourse on the fragility of our minds, of the bodies that give rise to them, and of the world they create for us. This book is filled with wonders
All stars
Most relevant
Utterly fascinating and totally interesting. Another masterpiece of knowledge, science and human life. Oliver Sacks never fails to entrance me. The narrator is great too - calm and soothing but with depth and emotion enough to show empathy to the stories of the people Sacks so eloquently writes about. Only one small issue some may find ‘jarring’ - the use of now dated terminology which was, at the time of writing, acceptable science vocabulary (E.g retarded, demented, ‘normal’ etc). Otherwise … expand your awareness of the variety of human psychology and with these neurological science insights!

Music is the food of life not just love!

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a very amusing read and very well researched and presented. Sacks at his best, as always

music to my ears

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It's a good book about neurological curiosities, that follows the trend of every other book Sacks wrote. I would strongly recommend that new listeners start with "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat", as earlier in his writing career, Sacks had even more weird and wonderful stories. Some accounts get reprised here a bit, and it's a good follow-up.

A solid Oliver Sacks book

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Recommended to anyone, but especially for people who love music and are curious about the human brain.

Great listening

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That voice and the Oxbridge accent definitely persuaded me to say goodbye to Audible.What were you guys thinking!

That voice .

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