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Reading lists

Perfect books for the music lover in your life

How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature

The World in Six Songs

Dividing the sum total of human musical achievement, from Beethoven to The Beatles, Busta Rhymes to Bach, into just six fundamental forms, Levitin illuminates, through songs of friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion and love, how music has been instrumental in the evolution of language, thought and culture. And how, far from being a bit of a song and dance, music is at the core of what it means to be human. 
 
A one-time record producer, now a leading neuroscientist, Levitin has composed a catchy and startlingly ambitious narrative that weaves together Darwin and Dionne Warwick, memoir and biology, anthropology and a jukebox of anecdote to create nothing less than the ' soundtrack of civilisation' .

Exquisitely well-written and easy to read, serving up a great deal of scientific information in a gentle way for those of us who are - or just think we are - a bit science-phobic

Fascinating. Provides a biological explanation for why we might tap our feet or bob our heads in time with a favorite song, how singing might soothe a baby, and how music emboldens soldiers or athletes preparing for conflict

Why can a song make you cry in a matter of seconds? Six Songs is the only book that explains why

Bobby McFerrin, ten-time Grammy Award-winning artist (“Don't Worry, Be Happy”)

Exquisitely well-written and easy to read, serving up a great deal of scientific information in a gentle way for those of us who are-or just think we are-a bit science-phobic

Understanding a Human Obsession

This is Your Brain on Music

From the author of The Changing Mind and The Organized Mind comes The New York Times bestseller which unravels the mystery of our perennial love affair with music 
 
***** 
 
'What do the music of Bach, Depeche Mode and John Cage fundamentally have in common?' 
 
Music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, even more fundamental to our species than language. 
 
From Mozart to the Beatles, neuroscientist, psychologist and internationally-bestselling author Daniel Levitin reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience. 
 
In This Is Your Brain On Music Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand music, and what it can teach us about ourselves. 
 
***** 
 
'Music seems to have an almost wilful, evasive quality, defying simple explanation, so that the more we find out, the more there is to know . . . Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox' Sting 
 
'You'll never hear music in the same way again' Classic FM magazine 
 
'Music, Levitin argues, is not a decadent modern diversion but something of fundamental importance to the history of human development' Literary Review

Fluent and readable... [Levitin] rightly insists that we are all better equipped to perform and appreciate music than we think... We are, he says, hard-wired for music.

Consistently interesting... Music, Levitin argues, is not a decadent modern diversion but something of fundamental importance to the history of human development

Music seems to have an almost willful, evasive quality, defying simple explanation, so that the more we find out, the more there is to know... Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox

You'll never hear music in the same way again

Dr. Daniel J. Levitin has a PhD in Psychology, training at Stanford University Medical School and the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the No. 1 bestseller This Is Your Brain on Music (Dutton, 2006), published in nineteen languages, and the bestsellers The World in Six Songs (Dutton, 2008) and The Organized Mind (Viking, 2014). Currently he is a James McGill Professor of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience and Music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Using musical examples from Bach to the Beatles, Levitin reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience. 
 
Music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, even more fundamental to our species than language. In This Is Your Brain On Music Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand it, and its role in human life

A Neuroscientist on How to Make Sense of a Complex World

A Field Guide to Lies and Statistics

A guide to critical thinking in the 'post-truth' era, from the author of Sunday Times best-seller The Organized Mind 
 
We live in a world of information overload. Facts and figures on absolutely everything are at our fingertips, but are too often biased, distorted, or outright lies. From unemployment figures to voting polls, IQ tests to divorce rates, we're bombarded by seemingly plausible statistics on how people live and what they think. Daniel Levitin teaches us how to effectively ask ourselves: can we really know that? And how do they know that? 
 
In this eye-opening, accessible guide filled with fascinating examples and practical takeaways, acclaimed neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shows us how learning to understand statistics will enable you to make better, smarter judgements on the world around you.

In a post-truth world, Levitin's book is an invaluable primer on how to sort the fact from the fiction

The world is awash with data, but not always with accurate information. [Levitin] does a terrific job of illustrating the difference between the two with precision and delightful good humour

Charles Wheelan, author of Naked Economics

The Organized Mind is the perfect antidote to the effects of information overload. Loved it.

Scott Turow, New York Times bestselling author of 'Identical' and 'Innocent' on 'The Organized Mind'

Daniel Levitin's field guide is a critical thinking primer for our shrill, data-drenched age. From the way averages befuddle to the logical fallacies that sneak by us, every page is enlightening

Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Smarter, Faster, Better

Valuable tools for anyone willing to evaluate claims and get to the truth of the matter

As a lucid guide to critical thinking about statistics, information and assertion it is profoundly welcome

We live in a world of information overload. Facts and figures on absolutely everything are at our fingertips, but are too often biased, distorted, or outright lies. From unemployment figures to voting polls, IQ tests to divorce rates, we're bombarded by seemingly plausible statistics on how people live and what they think. Bestselling neuroscientist Daniel Levitin teaches us how to effectively ask ourselves: can we really know that? And how do they know that? 
 
This eye-opening, accessible guide teaches you how to: 
-carry out quick plausibility tests 
-understand how numbers are reported 
-separate experts from pseudo-experts. 
 
Daniel Levitin shows us how understanding statistics will enable you to make quicker, smarter decisions about the world around you.

How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era

Weaponized Lies

A guide to critical thinking in the 'post-truth' era, from the author of Sunday Times best-seller The Organized Mind 
 
We live in a world where the line between truth and lies is increasingly blurred by euphemistic terms such as 'post-truth', 'counter-knowledge', 'fringe theories' and others. In a world where anyone can become an expert at the click of a button, we're worse equipped than ever to evaluate the information we encounter and separate the truth from the lies. Daniel Levitin debunks the idea that truth no longer exists, and shows that we urgently need to learn the skills toeffectively ask ourselves: can we really know that? And how do they know that? 
 
In this eye-opening, accessible guide filled with fascinating examples and practical takeaways, acclaimed neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shows us how learning to understand statistics will enable you to make better, smarter judgements on the world around you.

Dan Levitin has more insights per page than any other neuroscientist I know. The Organized Mind is smart, important, and as always, exquisitely written.

Daniel Gilbert, author of 'Stumbling on Happiness' on 'The Organized Mind'

We live in a world of information overload. Facts and figures on absolutely everything are at our fingertips, but are too often biased, distorted, or outright lies. From unemployment figures to voting polls, IQ tests to divorce rates, we're bombarded by seemingly plausible statistics on how people live and what they think. Daniel Levitin teaches us how to effectively ask ourselves: can we really know that? And how do they know that? 
 
In this eye-opening, accessible guide filled with fascinating examples and practical takeaways, acclaimed neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shows us how learning to understand statistics will enable you to make better, smarter judgements on the world around you.

The Science of Preventing Overload, Increasing Productivity and Restoring Your Focus

The Organized Mind

Thought-provoking and practical... Good advice based on sound neuroscientific principles

Sensible, practical advice ... a comprehensive account of the way we think about organizing everything from our possessions to our friends

[An] impressively wide-ranging and thoughtful work...The Organized Mind is an organized book, but it also rewards dipping in at any point, for there are fascinating facts and examples throughout

Dan Levitin has more insights per page than any other neuroscientist I know. The Organized Mind is smart, important, and as always, exquisitely written

Daniel Gilbert, author of 'Stumbling on Happiness'

Deservedly a bestseller... Levitin demonstrates how easily we are bamboozled by statistical tricks in medicine, finance and safety, making his points with pithy stories

From how not to lose your keys to how to decide when the risks of surgery are worth it, Levitin focuses on smart ways to process the constant flow of information the brain must deal with

A deep perspective on the ways the human mind works

Stanley Prusiner, M.D. Nobel Laureate, director of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco

Levitin is about as knowledgeable a guide to neuroscience as one might hope for

Scott Turow, New York Times bestselling author of 'Identical' and 'Innocent'

Already deservedly a bestseller... The Organized Mind is from the school of Daniel Kahneman but it earns its keep. Levitin demonstrates how easily we are bamboozled by statistical tricks in medicine, finance and safety, making his points with pithy stories.

Modern society is in a state of information overload. Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin investigates how and why our brains are struggling to keep up with the demands of the digital age. 
 
Why is email so addictive? Is multitasking really possible? And what do successful people keep in their junk drawer? The Organized Mind debunks myth and presents one simple idea - storing information in the physical world instead of the mind - to revolutionize twenty-first century living. 
 
In a world where information is power, The Organized Mind holds the key to harnessing that information and making it work for you.

Daniel Levitin

The secrets of ageing well ... Daniel Levitin is a distinguished American neuroscientist and this is a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why

A fact-filled and optimistic guide to ageing well ... Levitin is an invaluable kind of scientist ... The Changing Mind is replete with curious facts ... Optimism is a life-preserver. His book bubbles with it. Levitin makes a strong case for the consolations if not the joys of age

Optimistic in tone ... Levitin loves to tell stories ... he's a good companion

Comprehensive and fascinating insight into the evolving human brain. This book could change your life

Professor Stephen Westaby, author of 'Fragile Lives'

None of us can afford to ignore Daniel Levitin's The Changing Mind ... The good news is that it's not all downhill: according to Levitin our decision-making skills and happiness levels actually increase in later life

The idea that your mind has to decline with age is false - and there is plenty we can do to keep it sharp

Neuroscientist Levitin delves into the multiple-trace theory of memory, the ageing microbiome, fats and the brain, the impacts of neural implants, and the joys of non-retirement. A clear-eyed, insightful overview of the neurophysiological healthspan

Delivers welcome news about the ageing brain: it is happier, quicker and often much healthier than you may imagine

Daniel Levitin's refreshing perspective on ageing will change your opinion on this unique phase of life and challenge the 'slowing down' stereotype. Using a scientific and thoroughly engaging approach, Levitin convinces us that with medical advances alongside positive lifestyle changes described in this book, we can all look forward to older age as a fulfilling and exciting chapter in our lives

Dr Rupy Aujla, author of The Doctor’s Kitchen

This is a book that can make things feel a whole lot brighter

If you're planning to age, read this book. Wise, sensitive, and insightful, Levitin shares the tools that allow you to optimize the process

A wise, insightful, and beautifully-written book on how we can navigate the waters of time. Helpful for readers at any age.

Predictions are perilous, but here's one I can make with certainty: Tomorrow you and I will be older than we are today. That's why you, I, and everyone we know needs this remarkable book. With a scientist's rigour and a storyteller's flair, Daniel Levitin offers a fresh approach to growing older. He debunks the idea that ageing inevitably brings infirmity and unhappiness and instead offers a trove of practical, evidence-based guidance for living longer and better. The Changing Mind is an essential book for the rest of your life.

Daniel H. Pink, author of 'When' and 'Drive'

A compelling primer on our amazingly dynamic brains and the steps we can all take to harness that potential

Dr Rahul Jandial, author of 'Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon'

An uplifting exploration of the brain, and how it does not age as we often fear

Camilla Cavendish, author of 'Extra Time'

A Neuroscientist's Guide to Ageing Well

We have long been encouraged to think of old age as synonymous with a decline in skills. Yet recent studies show that our decision making improves as we age, and our happiness levels peak in our eighties. What really happens to our brains as we get older? 
 
In The Changing Mind, neuroscientist, psychologist and internationally bestselling author Daniel Levitin invites us to dramatically shift our understanding of aging, demonstrating its many cognitive benefits. He draws on cutting-edge research to offer realistic guidelines and practical cognition-enhancing tricks for everyone to follow during every decade of their life, and show us what we all can learn from those who age joyously.

Daniel Levitin

Praise for The Changing Mind

The secrets of ageing well ... Daniel Levitin is a distinguished American neuroscientist and this is a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why

A fact-filled and optimistic guide to ageing well ... Levitin is an invaluable kind of scientist ... The Changing Mind is replete with curious facts ... Optimism is a life-preserve ...

Optimistic in tone ... Levitin loves to tell stories ... he's a good companion

The secrets of ageing well ... Daniel Levitin is a distinguished American neuroscientist and this is a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why

A fact-filled and optimistic guide to ageing well ... Levitin is an invaluable kind of scientist ... The Changing Mind is replete with curious facts ... Optimism is a life-preserve ...

Optimistic in tone ... Levitin loves to tell stories ... he's a good companion

The secrets of ageing well ... Daniel Levitin is a distinguished American neuroscientist and this is a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why

A fact-filled and optimistic guide to ageing well ... Levitin is an invaluable kind of scientist ... The Changing Mind is replete with curious facts ... Optimism is a life-preserve ...

Optimistic in tone ... Levitin loves to tell stories ... he's a good companion

Books by Daniel Levitin

Articles featuring Daniel Levitin

Perfect books for the music lover in your life

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