Wired for Music

Adriana Barton was a staff reporter at The Globe and Mail and has contributed to Utne, Azure, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She studied the cello professionally for seventeen years before becoming a journalist. She lives in Vancouver, BC.

Shortlisted for the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Awards


"Music, as much as language, is part of our essence as human beings. Since time immemorial every group of people has expressed who they are with music and employed it as a social glue and a healing elixir. Wired for Music seamlessly chronicles the universal power of music, rhythms, and synchrony to establish and maintain human connections, joy, and empathy. Beautifully written from both the heart and the intellect, it gives us a riveting account of how melodies and rhythms connect us, and help us deal with alienation and anxiety. May every parent and teacher-everybody who aspires to make our world a better place-read this wonderful book."
-Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score

"Witty and soulful, this will delight music fans."
-Publishers Weekly

"If you've ever drifted away from a once-loved piano in the basement or an old guitar in your closet, this book will lead you home. Barton reminds us that our relationship with music doesn't have to be quite so complicated. Smart, healing, enlightening, and uplifting. It's pitch-perfect. I just loved it."
-Dr. Jillian Horton, author of We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir of Love, Medicine and Healing

"A truly unique book. I loved the mix of personal stories, investigation, history, travel, reflection, and research. So good. Full of both fun facts and poignant observations. Whether you are a music fan, a science fan, or a science and music fan, this book is for you!"
-Timothy Caulfield, author of Relax, Dammit!: A User's Guide to the Age of Anxiety

"Brilliantly written, restlessly curious, and endlessly engaging, Wired for Music is at once a passionate memoir of a life-long engagement with the art and a deep dive into the science and history of what makes us musical creatures. A fascinating read for musicians and non-musicians alike."