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Recommendations based on How Music Worksby David Byrne
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Just Kids
by Patti Smith
Chronicles of two young artists in New York City, finding friendship and inspiration in each other.
In Just Kids , Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal ... (Goodreads)
Thinking, Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman
An exploration of the two systems of the mind, and how they influence decision-making.
In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow , Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and ... (Goodreads)
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A study of the role of randomness in life, and how it can lead to unexpected events.
A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear ... (Goodreads)
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
by Daniel J. Levitin
A neuroscientist explores the relationship between music and the brain, revealing how music affects our emotions, memories, and overall well-being.
Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming ... (Goodreads)
A People's History of the United States
by Howard Zinn
An examination of American history from a perspective of marginalized people.
In the book, Zinn presented a different side of history from the more traditional "fundamental nationalist glorification of country". Zinn portrays a side of American history that can largely be seen ... (Goodreads)
Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
by Legs McNeil
An exploration of the punk rock movement through interviews with its pioneers and participants.
A, Time Out, and, Daily News, Top Ten Book of the Year upon its initial release,, Please Kill Me, is the first oral history of the most nihilist of all pop movements. Iggy Pop, Danny Fields, Dee Dee ... (Goodreads)
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
by David Sedaris
Humorous reflections on everyday life, navigating the absurdities of the human condition.
It's early autumn 1964. Two straight-A students head off to school, and when only one of them returns home Chesney Yelverton is coaxed from retirement and assigned to what proves to be the most ... (Goodreads)
Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991
by Michael Azerrad
History of the American indie rock scene, showcasing influential bands and their legacy.
This is the never-before-told story of the musical revolution that happened right under the nose of the Reagan Eighties–when a small but sprawling network of bands, labels, fanzines, radio stations, ... (Goodreads)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
An exploration of the power of introversion, examining the implications of modern society's emphasis on extroversion.
The book that started the Quiet Revolution, At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike ... (Goodreads)
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.
"Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
An exploration of the concept of 'flow' and how it can be used to enhance optimal experience.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, ... (Goodreads)
Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
by Lawrence Wright
An investigative look into the controversial religion of Scientology, its origins, practices, and impact on its followers.
A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the now-classic study of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack, the Looming Tower . Based on more ... (Goodreads)
Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota
by Chuck Klosterman
A humorous and nostalgic look back at the heavy metal culture of the early 1990s.
Empirically proving that – no matter where you are -- kids wanna rock, this is Chuck Klosterman's hilarious memoir of growing up as a shameless metalhead in Wyndmere, North Dakotoa (population: 498). ... (Goodreads)
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
by Dan Ariely
An exploration of why humans make irrational decisions, and how to overcome them.
Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin? Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't ... (Goodreads)
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester
True story of a murderer's contribution to the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary.
The book tells the story of the making of the, Oxford English Dictionary, (OED) and one of its most prolific early contributors, William Chester Minor , a retired United States Army surgeon . Minor ... (Wikipedia)
The Power of Myth
by Joseph Campbell
A conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers on the role of mythology in human life, exploring universal themes and archetypes.
The Power Of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people. ... (Goodreads)
The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety
by Alan W. Watts
A philosophical exploration of the human desire for security and the paradoxical nature of seeking it.
In this fascinating book, Alan Watts explores man's quest for psychological security, examining our efforts to find spiritual and intellectual certainty in the realms of religion and philosophy. The ... (Goodreads)
Memories, Dreams, Reflections
by C.G. Jung
Autobiography of renowned psychoanalyst Carl Jung, reflecting on his life and work.
In the spring of 1957, when he was eighty-one years old, C. G. Jung undertook the telling of his life story. At regular intervals he had conversations with his colleague and friend Aniela Jaffé, and ... (Goodreads)
Tao Te Ching
by Lao Tzu
A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.
A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)
Escape from Freedom
by Erich Fromm
An examination of the psychological effects of modern freedom, exploring how to find a balance between freedom and security.
If humanity cannot live with the dangers and responsibilities inherent in freedom, it will probably turn to authoritarianism. This is the central idea of Escape from Freedom , a landmark work by one ... (Goodreads)
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
by David Simon
A year-long journey with Baltimore homicide detectives as they solve murders and navigate the city's complex social and political landscape.
From the creator of HBO's, The Wire, the classic book about homicide investigation that became the basis for the hit television show. The scene is Baltimore. Twice every three days another citizen is ... (Goodreads)
The Complete Maus
by Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel depicting a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust and his son's journey to understand the past.
On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its first publication, here is the definitive edition of the book acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the ... (Goodreads)
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century
by Alex Ross
A journey through the music of the 20th century, exploring its cultural and historical context, and its impact on society and politics.
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century is a voyage into the labyrinth of modern music, which remains an obscure world for most people. While paintings of Picasso and Jackson Pollock ... (Goodreads)
Assassination Vacation
by Sarah Vowell
A comedic travelogue exploring the history of presidential assassinations in the United States.
Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no ... (Goodreads)
Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London's Ottolenghi
by Yotam Ottolenghi
A cookbook filled with inventive and flavorful vegetarian recipes, showcasing the versatility of vegetables in modern cuisine.
The hotly anticipated follow-up to London chef Yotam Ottolenghis bestselling and award-winning cookbook Plenty, featuring more than 150 vegetarian dishes organized by cooking method. Yotam Ottolenghi ... (Goodreads)
Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?
by Roz Chast
A graphic memoir about a daughter's relationship with her aging parents.
The book's storyline, spanning an eight-year period from 2001 to 2009, concerns Roz Chast's parents living in Brooklyn . The book describes various interactions between Chast and her parents. Chast, ... (Wikipedia)
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
by Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel depicting the traumatic experiences of a Holocaust survivor and his son.
The first installment of the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust” (Wall Street Journal) and “the first ... (Goodreads)
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain
by Oliver Sacks
Exploration of the power of music and its effects on the human brain.
With the same trademark compassion and erudition he brought to The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain and how it affects the human ... (Goodreads)
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
by Steve Krug
A guide to creating intuitive, user-friendly websites.
Since Don’t Make Me Think was first published in 2000, over 400,000 Web designers and developers have relied on Steve Krug’s guide to help them understand the principles of intuitive navigation and ... (Goodreads)
Life
by Keith Richards
A personal journey of a legendary rockstar, reflecting on the highs and lows of his life.
With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock and roll life. Now, at last, the man ... (Goodreads)
