Music: it’s not only the soundtrack to our lives, but shapes who we are – conjuring memories, emotions, dreams, fantasies

Music: it’s not only the soundtrack to our lives, but shapes who we are – conjuring memories, emotions, dreams, fantasies

'Elegant and accessible.' Daniel J. Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain on Music

But why is it so evocative? There’s no logical reason why a rousing, percussive tune should invoke swashbuckling pirates, or a slow melody on the flute remind you of a summer day from childhood. And yet, as research shows, it consistently does – and what’s more, if you hear pirates, others likely hear pirates as well.

For all that listening to music can feel like an intensely subjective experience, it holds objective, measurable power over the way our brains function. Exploring the strange and magical science of music perception, musician and psychologist Elizabeth Margulis examines the nature of ‘musical daydreams’. From the intense link between music and memory (music is more likely to prompt Proustian-style flashbacks than food, madeleines or otherwise) to why you keep returning to the music you loved at sixteen – and for that matter, the music your parents loved at sixteen – Transported reveals the compelling new science behind why music is so integral to who we are.

'Timely... there couldn’t be a better moment to explore the power of music to free our minds, inspire our imaginations, and awaken lost memories.' Renée Fleming

'Fascinating... Her book is the message in a bottle, urging us to connect more deeply with our inattention.' Wall Street Journal