“I’m not here to change your mind about Dusty Springfield or Shostakovich or Tupac Shakur or synthpop. I’m here to change your mind about your mind.”

There are countless books on music with much analysis given to musicians, bands, eras and/or genres. But rarely does a book delve into what’s going on inside us when we listen.

Michel Faber explores two big questions:howdo we listen to music andwhydo we listen to music? To answer these questions, he considers a range of factors, which includes age, illness, the notion of “cool,” commerce, the dichotomy between “good” and “bad” taste and much more.

From the award-winning author ofThe Crimson Petal and the WhiteandUnder the Skin, this idiosyncratic and philosophical book reflects Michel Faber’s lifelong obsession with music of all kinds.Listenwill change your relationship with the heard world.