Recently, science has turned its attention to the study of music and how it affects our emotions and our brains.
You'll find some fascinating books at the New Westminster Public Library that may start you thinking about your favourite song in new and surprising ways.
In Musicophilia, Oliver Sacks explores the power music has over us.
Offering evidence through clinical examples and other tales of real people, he claims music can be used to treat illnesses and change behaviours. He believes music is essential to us because we are a musical species.
Daniel Levitin, a professional musician before becoming a neuroscientist, has a unique view on the power of music, and why it affects us so strongly.
In This is Your Brain on Music, he presents a scientific understanding of how we experience music and its role in our lives. Music is a human obsession, he says, and may be even more essential to us than language.
Elena Mannes follows researchers and musicians who are working to find how much of our musicality is learned and how much is innate. Music, she says, is virtually universal across cultures and time. The Power of Music, while presenting emerging research about music's impact on us, also explores music's connection to the body, the brain, and the world of nature.
In The Music Instinct, Philip Ball explores how music works its magic, why it affects us so strongly and why we can't do without it.
He believes music is indispensable in our lives. Connecting psychology and brain science, he gives new insights on musical understanding, as he increases our appreciation for all types of music.
What are you listening to? Galina Mindlin, in Your Playlist Can Change Your Life, shows how listening to your favourite music can make you feel happier and healthier. Her take on music therapy will have you paying close attention to the music you listen to and how it affects you.
It's the natural way to a better you.
