Wired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound

Journalist Barton explores the power of music in her impressive debut. After developing “soft-tissue injuries so severe it hurt to turn a doorknob,” Barton gave up her dream of becoming a classical cellist, despite 17 years of work, and set out to find new ways to experience music, whether learning about the mbira, taking drum lessons, trying “soundwave therapy,” or traveling to a favela in Brazil where “hipsters played tambourines while rappers dueled.” Marveling at the prehistoric origins of song and the innate musicality shared by humans and animals (whales “sing,” and cockatoos are known for “beat-matching”), Barton delves into neurological studies of how music helps ease anxiety, insomnia, and post-surgery pain. She also debunks myths, such as that prenatal classical music listening sessions can enhance a baby’s brain power. The survey is infused with candid personal anecdotes (“By the age of ten,” her son “was as repulsed by my world music as I am by his Minecraft-themed pop”) as it explicates the wonders of the human brain and its ability to make sense of sound: “After all, it’s our brain that weaves layers of meaning from all the chaotic frequencies we hear.” Witty and soulful, this will delight music fans. (Oct.)