Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams

“Margulis writes in an easy, conversational style, never solemnly scholarly, and raises as many enticing questions as she answers. Moving deftly between the subjective experience of those listening to music and the brain activity of those same subjects, she considers how the mind makes metaphors and how various senses influence each other. The book is sure to make readers ponder their own encounters with music. A refreshingly original look at an ordinary phenomenon.”
― Kirkus Reviews

“[A]n eminently readable book on the prominent psychological role of music … Readers will savor this meeting of carefully controlled scientific exploration with humanistic ideas and relish the opportunity to rethink what constitutes a daydream.”
― Ellen Gilbert, Library Journal

“Anyone interested in music and how it affects us will enjoy this engaging and informative study.”
― Booklist

“Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams is fascinating and timely. In today’s landscape of screens, algorithms, and anxiety, there couldn’t be a better moment to explore the power of music to free our minds, inspire our imaginations, and awaken lost memories. The science behind these effects, explained so coherently in the book, has huge implications for healthcare; and it is woven seamlessly into real-world accounts with feeling and humor.”
― Renée Fleming

“Transported pushes forward how we understand the nexus between music and humans. And by ‘we,’ I mean academics, musicians, music listeners, and even those people scratching their heads and wondering what all the fuss is about. Even better, Margulis’s writing is at the same time elegant and accessible.”
― Daniel Levitin, author of I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine

“This vivid and insightful book provides an entirely new perspective on music’s power to evoke scenes and stories in our imagination. Weaving together surprising scientific discoveries with a humanist’s sensitivity to cultural and historical context, Margulis brightly illuminates a valuable aspect of musical experience that we are just beginning to understand.”
― Aniruddh Patel, author of Music, Language, and the Brain

“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

“With striking intellectual range and an inviting voice, Elizabeth Margulis reframes everyday music listening as a subject of rigorous scientific inquiry. Bringing together insights across disciplines with a balance of precision and accessibility, she broadens our understanding of music’s capacity to foster creativity and nurture well-being.”
― Assal Habibi, director of USC Center for Music, Brain, and Society