Reviews
"Isacoff . . . untangles the complexities . . . with the aplomb of a virtuoso pianist playing scales."-The New York Times Book Review "A thrilling story that is as accessible as it is absorbing. . . . This is a whirlwind tour through the history of Western culture, told with flair and grace." -National Review "Immensely entertaining, original and informative. [Temperament's]most persuasive weapon is the unquenchable passion of its author." -The Economist "Admirable. . . . [Isacoff] writes engagingly. . . . [about] a time when there existed a glorious synthesis of music and mathematics, and in the imaginations of scientists and philosophers and musicians it wove the entire universe into a grand design." -The New Republic "Charming. . . . As much a whirlwind tour of Western culture's big ideas as it is a musicological investigation." -Los Angeles Times "The pleasure here is that it gives readers a glimpse of the oceanic depths of musical metaphors and mysteries still unsolved by cognitive science and evolutionary psychology." -Wilson Quarterly "A sweeping history of medieval and Renaissance European intellectual achievement, in which the question of tuning assumes a speaking part. . . .Temperamentshould appeal not only to music lovers but also to fans of cultural and scientific history." -Time Out New York "An astounding and accessible journey through the culture-defining narrative hidden in arcane music theory. Isacoff does a wondrous job." -The Onion "This lucid, humanist study is as much fun to read as a murder mystery." -San Jose Mercury News "[Brings] together aspects of science, philosophy, history, poetry, religion, and music in a compact yet compelling narrative." -Library Journal, "Isacoff . . . untangles the complexities . . . with the aplomb of a virtuoso pianist playing scales." --The New York Times Book Review "A thrilling story that is as accessible as it is absorbing. . . . This is a whirlwind tour through the history of Western culture, told with flair and grace." -- National Review "Immensely entertaining, original and informative. [ Temperament 's ] most persuasive weapon is the unquenchable passion of its author." -- The Economist "Admirable. . . . [Isacoff] writes engagingly. . . . [about] a time when there existed a glorious synthesis of music and mathematics, and in the imaginations of scientists and philosophers and musicians it wove the entire universe into a grand design." -- The New Republic "Charming. . . . As much a whirlwind tour of Western culture's big ideas as it is a musicological investigation." -- Los Angeles Times "The pleasure here is that it gives readers a glimpse of the oceanic depths of musical metaphors and mysteries still unsolved by cognitive science and evolutionary psychology." -- Wilson Quarterly "A sweeping history of medieval and Renaissance European intellectual achievement, in which the question of tuning assumes a speaking part. . . . Temperament should appeal not only to music lovers but also to fans of cultural and scientific history." -- Time Out New York "An astounding and accessible journey through the culture-defining narrative hidden in arcane music theory. Isacoff does a wondrous job." -- The Onion "This lucid, humanist study is as much fun to read as a murder mystery." -- San Jose Mercury News "[Brings] together aspects of science, philosophy, history, poetry, religion, and music in a compact yet compelling narrative." -- Library Journal, "Isacoff . . . untangles the complexities . . . with the aplomb of a virtuoso pianist playing scales." -The New York Times Book Review "A thrilling story that is as accessible as it is absorbing. . . . This is a whirlwind tour through the history of Western culture, told with flair and grace." - National Review "Immensely entertaining, original and informative. [ Temperament 's ] most persuasive weapon is the unquenchable passion of its author." - The Economist "Admirable. . . . [Isacoff] writes engagingly. . . . [about] a time when there existed a glorious synthesis of music and mathematics, and in the imaginations of scientists and philosophers and musicians it wove the entire universe into a grand design." - The New Republic "Charming. . . . As much a whirlwind tour of Western culture's big ideas as it is a musicological investigation." - Los Angeles Times "The pleasure here is that it gives readers a glimpse of the oceanic depths of musical metaphors and mysteries still unsolved by cognitive science and evolutionary psychology." - Wilson Quarterly "A sweeping history of medieval and Renaissance European intellectual achievement, in which the question of tuning assumes a speaking part. . . . Temperament should appeal not only to music lovers but also to fans of cultural and scientific history." - Time Out New York "An astounding and accessible journey through the culture-defining narrative hidden in arcane music theory. Isacoff does a wondrous job." - The Onion "This lucid, humanist study is as much fun to read as a murder mystery." - San Jose Mercury News "[Brings] together aspects of science, philosophy, history, poetry, religion, and music in a compact yet compelling narrative." - Library Journal, "Isacoff . . . untangles the complexities . . . with the aplomb of a virtuoso pianist playing scales." -The New York Times Book Review "A thrilling story that is as accessible as it is absorbing. . . . This is a whirlwind tour through the history of Western culture, told with flair and grace." - National Review "Immensely entertaining, original and informative. [ Temperament 's ]most persuasive weapon is the unquenchable passion of its author." - The Economist "Admirable. . . . [Isacoff] writes engagingly. . . . [about] a time when there existed a glorious synthesis of music and mathematics, and in the imaginations of scientists and philosophers and musicians it wove the entire universe into a grand design." - The New Republic "Charming. . . . As much a whirlwind tour of Western culture's big ideas as it is a musicological investigation." - Los Angeles Times "The pleasure here is that it gives readers a glimpse of the oceanic depths of musical metaphors and mysteries still unsolved by cognitive science and evolutionary psychology." - Wilson Quarterly "A sweeping history of medieval and Renaissance European intellectual achievement, in which the question of tuning assumes a speaking part. . . . Temperament should appeal not only to music lovers but also to fans of cultural and scientific history." - Time Out New York "An astounding and accessible journey through the culture-defining narrative hidden in arcane music theory. Isacoff does a wondrous job." - The Onion "This lucid, humanist study is as much fun to read as a murder mystery." - San Jose Mercury News "[Brings] together aspects of science, philosophy, history, poetry, religion, and music in a compact yet compelling narrative." - Library Journal From the Trade Paperback edition.
