Listen
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- $29.99
Publisher Description
"I'm not here to change your mind about Dusty Springfield or Shostakovich or Tupac Shakur or synthpop. I'm here to change your mind about your mind."
There are countless books on music with much analysis given to musicians, bands, eras and/or genres. But rarely does a book delve into what's going on inside us when we listen.
Michel Faber explores two big questions: how do we listen to music and why do we listen to music? To answer these questions, he considers a range of factors, which includes age, illness, the notion of "cool," commerce, the dichotomy between "good" and "bad" taste and much more.
From the award-winning author of The Crimson Petal and the White and Under the Skin, this idiosyncratic and philosophical book reflects Michel Faber's lifelong obsession with music of all kinds. Listen will change your relationship with the heard world.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Novelist Michel Faber’s nonfiction debut takes us on a thought-provoking journey into the psychology and sociology of how we experience music. Faber begins with his own history with the act of listening, including his struggles with tinnitus. That personal narrative becomes a backdrop for a broader exploration of how culture, social norms, and biological differences affect both how we perceive music and what draws us to particular pieces. Seamlessly intertwining the science of sound with the art of song, Faber impressively navigates big concepts and captures poetic truths about how emotional, and even supernatural, our relationship with sound can feel. Nathaniel Priestley’s soothing narration expresses the full nuance of these ideas, giving us plenty of space to contemplate our own sonic experiences. This is a must-listen for music lovers.
