You Are What You Hear

Have you ever wondered why music makes you feel so good? Why did we evolve to have music, and what does music do to us? You Are What You Hear is a bit of a romp compared to the usual science book. Dr. Witchel, a specialist in music, pleasure and the brain, explains how the body and the brain are influenced by different kinds of music, why some music makes us joyous, while other music makes us sad, or angry, or anxious, and how the brain interprets this music. He also shows how music plays with your mind A-- what you think, how you decide what to buy, and even how smart you are.Dr. Witchel's interests run the gamut from music and laughter to the body language of the British Prime Minister, which he has analyzed on the BBC, most recently on the BBC World Service radio arts show, A"e;The StrandA"e;, Jan. 14, 2011 (click here to listen to the interview). In this book he brings together amusing historical anecdotes and engaging scientific evidence to explore how and why different groups use different music to claim their space and their identities.

Have you ever wondered why music makes you feel so good? Why did we evolve to have music, and what does music do to us? You Are What You Hear is a bit of a romp compared to the usual science book. Dr. Witchel, a specialist in music, pleasure and the brain, explains how the body and the brain are influenced by different kinds of music, why some music makes us joyous, while other music makes us sad, or angry, or anxious, and how the brain interprets this music. He also shows how music plays with your mind A-- what you think, how you decide what to buy, and even how smart you are.Dr. Witchel's interests run the gamut from music and laughter to the body language of the British Prime Minister, which he has analyzed on the BBC, most recently on the BBC World Service radio arts show, A"e;The StrandA"e;, Jan. 14, 2011 (click here to listen to the interview). In this book he brings together amusing historical anecdotes and engaging scientific evidence to explore how and why different groups use different music to claim their space and their identities.