Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Musicophilia


Musicophilia
by Oliver Sacks

I very much enjoy reading books written by NYU professors, and this one was no different.  Oliver Sacks, who gained notoriety as a neurologist, researcher, and educator, produces an important read in his book Musicophilia.  The book is his study on the impact of music on the human brain.  Sacks presents a series of real-life case studies of injuries (person hit by lightning), people with seizures, Alzheimer patients, and others who have experienced significant brain trauma. He investigates what happens when music is introduced into their lives. Some of the people he interviews are inspired to play music, such as the person who was hit by lightning (who becomes a pianist at the age of forty-two), while some of the people he follows have the opposite experience and can’t even hear music anymore.  In the book, he examines many neurological phenomenon, sharing his learning of the various, strange issues society deal with today.  In 2017, Dr. Sacks passed away, leaving significant data for future neurologists to take the impact of music on the brain to the next level.  A really inspiring and thought-provoking read.  Brilliant physician who did such important work.

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