Spiritedly recommended. Alex Ross writes of music cultural history so richly and well (barring some minor errors -- I guess the New Yorker can't afford fact-checkers either), and is so adept at exciting interest in the novice listener that I recorded most of the suggested tracks in the appendix in a wishlist, and visited his site for audio-enhanced definitions of musicology terms. Brahms, Verdi, Ockerghem, Messiaen, Dylan, Radiohead, Kiki and Herb's musical and entertainment contributions are explored in a scholarly yet engaging manner.

A good writer is one who can share her subject and insights in ways that enrich and broaden the minds of the readers: Mr. Ross's book came to me at the right time.