This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

In addition to his best-selling popular science books, Levitin has authored numerous papers on cognition and music, which have been published in respected scientific journals. Compare and contrast his academic writing with This Is Your Brain on Music, and discuss how genre affects style and substance in scientific publications.

The title This Is Your Brain on Music refers to the famous and often-parodied 1987 antidrug campaign “This Is Your Brain on Drugs” (for which posters featured eggs cooking in a frying pan). Why might Levitin have chosen to name his book in reference to this campaign? Discuss the pop-culture impact of the campaign and how it relates to Levitin’s work and audience.

How does Levitin’s use of personal anecdotes contribute to his writing’s impact and effectiveness? Pay particular attention to his use of emotive language, his choice of autobiographical topics, and his construction of a personal brand/identity.