my brain on music

I began reading Daniel Levitin's This Is Your Brain On Music with very high expectations and an eagerness with which I do not often approach books, as sad as that may be. And while I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book (especially how it brought me back to my days of taking psychology classes at UCLA) it also didn't meet the likely too high expectations.

A reason for the mild disappointment (that did not really take away from the book) stems from the goal Levitin hope to accomplish with his book: bridging the gap between the science of music and the personal enjoyment and interest of music. As one who dabbled in the world of professional music and also the scientific field of psychology with a focus on music, Levitin is knowledgeable about both yet he seems to display a lack of the profoundness of one who has truly become an expert in both. Not to doubt his credentials or experience but I feel his writing at times displayed a lack of a deep understanding of some of the concepts he discussed. [Note: I am by no means an expert in any of the stuff discussed.] It felt as though he took some shortcuts with his explanations of psychology principles and also named dropped musicians (as well as fellow psychologists/researchers). While the shortcuts may be somewhat of a necessity they still detract from the experience overall. While mention of certain individuals at times may add credibility, here it just seems like an effort to showoff and fit in.

Yet shortcomings aside I find the book very interesting, informative, and definitely worth reading...especially if you are a music lover and/or interested in psychology. One would hope to walk away from the read with many answers and a better understanding of music, it's importance in our lives, how it effects us and why (among other topics). But a sign of the book's strength is that it leaves one with more questions to ask: it provides a good knowledge base to wonder/ask/inquire what's next.

Up next: I look forward to reading Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks.