Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams Elizabeth Margulis

In Transported (Liveright), acclaimed music cognition researcher Elizabeth Margulis explores the phenomenon of musical daydreams “A fascinating exploration of the mysterious and important connection between music and daydreams, and a deeply enjoyable path toward understanding what imbues music with its undeniable power.” -Béla Fleck In Transported (Liveright), acclaimed music cognition researcher Elizabeth Margulis explores the phenomenon of musical daydreams — the vivid, spontaneous, emotionally charged images, stories, and memories we lapse into while listening to music — and argues that these everyday reveries offer a powerful and underappreciated window into how we think, feel, and connect. Combining cutting-edge neuroscience, psychology, ethnography, and revelations from her own teaching and pathbreaking research, Margulis shows not only that musical imaginings are widespread and meaningful — but also that daydreams that seem deeply personal are often widely shared. At a time when attention is perpetually under siege, Transported makes a powerful case for music as one of the last spaces where the mind is still free to wander — and reminds us that these wanderings are more meaningful and more important to our individual and collective well-being than we’ve ever realized. Can’t make the event? Pre-order a copy of Transported and we’ll get your book signed for you. Elizabeth Margulis is professor of music and director of the Music Cognition Lab at Princeton University. Her book On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind won the Wallace Berry Award from the Society for Music Theory. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.