Elizabeth Margulis – författare

We’ve all had the experience: a song comes on, and suddenly we’re not where we were. We’re back in the past, or living out a future that never happened, or imagining a scene that never existed. In Transported, Elizabeth Margulis explores the phenomenon of musical daydreams–the vivid, spontaneous, emotionally redolent scenes, stories and memories we lapse into while listening to music–and argues that these everyday reveries offer a powerful and underappreciated window into how we think and feel. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience, psychology, ethnography and revelations from her own teaching and research, Margulis debunks oversimplified myths and illuminates music’s true potential to alleviate anxiety, reignite creativity and foster connection.At a time when distraction dominates, Transported makes a powerful case for music as one of the last realms where the mind is still free to wander.

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 MusicBut 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