Tripping the World Fantastic: A Journey Through the Music of Our Planet

Name: Tripping the World Fantastic: A Journey Through the Music of Our Planet
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

Glenn Dixon

Mar 2013 · Dundurn

2 reviews

Ebook

312

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About this ebook

A fascinating journey through the world’s musical cultures.

Every culture on Earth has music. Every culture that’s ever existed has had it, but we don’t exactly know why. Music is not like food, shelter, or having opposable thumbs. We don’t need it to live, and yet we can’t seem to live without it. Glenn Dixon travels the globe exploring how and why people make music. From a tour of Bob Marley’s house to sitar lessons in India, he experiences music around the world and infuses the stories with the latest in brain research, genetics, and evolutionary psychology. Why does music give us chills down the backs of our necks? What exactly are the whales singing about and why does some music stick in our minds like chewing gum?

Through his adventures, Dixon uncovers the real reasons why music has such a powerful hold on us – and the answers just might surprise you.

A fascinating journey through the world’s musical cultures. Every culture on Earth has music. Every culture that’s ever existed has had it, but we don’t exactly know why. Music is not like food, shelter, or having opposable thumbs. We don’t need it to live, and yet we can’t seem to live without...

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Ratings and reviews

2 reviews

Alan Walters

April 1, 2013

Dixon's first book "A Pilgrim in the Palace of Words" dealt with his travels among the world's languages (many of them on the verge of extinction). His new book, "Tripping the World Fantastic", with its focus on the fascinating recent research regarding our brains on music, reassures us that music will always be with us even as he points out that we are now largely a world of listeners rather than the makers of music and dance of generations ago. This book is a cornucopia of travel, research, insights, opinions, humour and the human touch. A lovely book.

1 person found this review helpful

About the author

Glenn Dixon has published travel articles in publications such as National Geographic, the New York Post, The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, and Psychology Today. He is the author of Pilgrim in the Palace of Words and lives in Calgary.

Glenn Dixon has published travel articles in publications such as National Geographic, the New York Post, The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, and Psychology Today. He is the author of Pilgrim in the Palace of Words and lives in Calgary.

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