David Saperstein

I was just a kid when the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released. Nearly fifty years later, although I can remember only bits and pieces of the plot of the movie, engrained in my memory forever is the five musical note sequence. If you are interested in questions like how that can be, this engaging book is for you. It explores the science between why our brains bother to like music at all, and what evolutionary benefit is gained from the appreciation of music. I especially liked the passages analyzing particular songs from this vantage point, such as La Boheme and the sea shanty Blow the Man Down. The author is a neurologist, yet writes in an accessible style (the one technical section came with a helpful warning for lay readers like me). I would highly recommend this book.