Customer Reviews

Spirit Into Sound: The Magic of Music

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this book affirms the importance of music as a part of the human spiritual journey. the remarkable preface by fredric lieberman is a deeply moving description of how he came to decide to become a professional musician, and this preface sets the tone for the book.

the book itself reminds the reader that music is a paradox; a deeply unsettling and centering artform, and not merely the background noise for our daily activities.

there are quotes here from musicians of all practices and allegiances. i keep my copy around to clean out my head when the world is too much with me.

This is a great survey of quotes by musicians and music lovers about music. It really helps the reader understand what it is that propels musicians to compose, and why music is so moving to the listener.

It is hard to put into words how deeply music affects our spirit... and long documentary books on music don't seem to cut it, at a feeling level. This book is a choice collection of various quotes and "takes" on music and the music experience. As someone for whom playing music (and listening to others play music) is a profound part of my life.....giving me joy, keeping my energy stress-free, sharing with friends...this book is a huge validation of all the beautiful things music does for us! It's one of those books you can flip to any part of, and lift your day just by reading a page or two. Leave it out for your visiting friends! It's a great gift idea for any music lover.

For those of us who have often contemplated the meaning and magic called "music", Mick's book will certainly unlock the mysteries and shed light on this universal power that has permeated all cultures since time began. This is an incredible compilation of insights spoken by the masters and common man who have lived, loved and graced the world with music over the centuries. A great read; simple, humorous, reflective and motivating. I recommend this book to people of all ages -- musicians and non-musicians alike. And particularly children who in their youth will benefit from understanding that music is the pulse of life, critical to the soul, and as necessary as food, water and air.

One of my most favorite albums that I have ever listened to is Mickey Hart's CD entitled "Spirit into Sound", with its collection of nature-evoking drum and woodwind music. So when I saw that this book was available, too, I was expecting something about the music on the album and the ideas that went behind its creation. Instead I was disappointed to find instead a set of quotes about music that don't relate to the album. It is, however, a really good source of quotes about music, including some really surprising ones. If you want inspirational words concerning music, this is the place to find them.

I really must admit that I enjoy reading Mickey Hart's works. They are very philosophical, showing how music and spirituality are connected together throughout time. In this book, he mixes his own thoughts and ideas with a variety of quotes about music and some nice clip art of music, dancing, instruments and musicians. The quotes are grouped together through chapters of related concepts, such as spirituality, the cosmos and society and span almost every source from traditional Chinese, Greek and Islamic traditions to Jerry Garcia, Ice-T, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Peter Gabriel and John Updike. Interesting figures such as Nietzsche, Tolstoy, Plato, Confucious, Einstein, Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, Rumi, Mircea Eliade, Ruth Inge-Heinz, Ayatollah Khomeini, Martin Luther, Inayat Khan, Mencious, Karl Marx and many more are quoted too.

This isn't really deep reading, but it is very interesting and thought-provoking nonetheless. Every single quote will make you rethink the way you listen to music and what exactly it means to you. I think that any music fan should at least glance this book over.

This book came to my rescue when I was in dire need of the perfect quote about how music, especially rock music, impacts us in a spiritual way. From John Cage to John Lennon, Hart covers a gamut of iconic musicians' and philosophers' insights regarding sound's powerful influence on humanity. He adds some of his own personal observations as well, making this book a "must have" for anyone interested in the magical way music touches our hearts and souls.

Don't buy this book because you're a huge Mickey Hart fan, buy it because it's a great read. Anyone can enjoy Spirit into Sound because it's about something we all need in our lives-MUSIC! I loved each quote and I appreciate that Mickey Hart has made them available to us. If you're on my Holiday list don't buy this book for yourself because I'll be giving it to you. But you should get it for everyone on your list!