Very Informative Read

Seth Horowitz does a marvelous job describing the universal and mysterious sense of hearing. From bats, frogs, psychacoustic response, Sonic weapons, and scientific predictions, it covers a lot of ground. ( )

I really liked this book, especially as I got towards the end, though there were gems of insights and new ideas all the way through. But the closing chapter's idea of brain songs, the music of mental activity, and the earlier exploration of what the definition of music could be that everyone could agree on, really grabbed me.

For those who don't like the more technical stuff, I'd suggest reading it from back to front or just picking chapters out at random that sound intriguing. I did read it straight through, but had to review some sections several times since I have no training or expertise in this area. But I found it really fascinating. I could have pulled out several very nice ideas and phrases, but will sum it up with this from near the end:

"But the brain is no more the mind than the seed is the sunflower. It is the place from which the mind grows, develops, emerges, functions, and eventually fades."

Essentially, our understanding of the brain and its function has changed over time as technological innovations informed our understanding of reality and science. Our ideas of the nature of sound and what it means to listen have expanded as well. I've come away with a profound appreciation of my ears, my mind, and our place in the universe. ( )

The author has clearly had an interesting research career. As an auditory researcher he has been exposed to many different environments with many different organisms. He certainly seems to think other people enjoy hearing about his work and who knows perhaps he is a big hit at cocktail parties. Unfortunately, this joking does not translate as well to the written word. I felt that the science was interesting but too often it was interjected with either bad jokes or tired metaphors. I think if he had stuck to the science, this could have been an excellent book but too often he tries to inject as much humor as possible because he seems to think that people might find this boring otherwise. ( )