As an avid believer of the important role that music can play in the maintenance and recovery of the mind, I was thoroughly intrigued by this book review.

Authur Oliver Sacks, a physician and professor of neurology and psychiatry, writes about the musical oddities of the brain in "Musicophilia" (Vintage, 425 pp., $14.95 paper). Here is a link to the book review and many examples of the roles music can play.

http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200811020700/LIFESTYLE/811020305

As many know, I practiced singing therapy with my Mom, who had strong aphasia after her stroke. While she couldn't talk well (she had great difficulty retrieving the right words to express her thoughts), she could eventually sing clearly, which helped her have a strong, clear voice to read out loud with me ... and to try to talk with. Frequently singing with me also kept my Mom in a very good humor, throughout her medical challenges.

This book goes to the top of my wish list.