By Aaron H.
“Every act of perception is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination.”
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks is a journal of sorts centered on various phenomenon that occur in the brain due to exposure to music. A neuroscientist and genus of the mind in his own right, Sacks applies science to the subjects of human knowledge, culture, and understanding. As supplements, Sacks often cites celebrities of both the music and pop culture who either have previously described similar phenomenon or have been diagnosed with neurological disorders. His case studies include an orthopedic surgeon who was struck by lightning through a payphone. After cardiac arrest and momentary memory loss, the surgeon became strongly attracted to piano music.
Over the next few days this man began dreaming of composing and piano performance. This example, like many of the stories in the book, has no definitive explanation; rather, explanation is left open to interpretation after supplying several possible implications. Another highlight in the book is a case study of a man with synesthesia, a neurological condition that links a stimulation of one sense to the stimulation of the brain for a different sense. Though dry at some points, Musicophilia is an easy read and never steps over the casual reader’s head with scientific jargon. I would recommend Mr. Sacks book to students of psychology and audiophiles.
Sacks, Oliver W. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,
2007. Print.
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