Rating: 
Summary: jason i don't think its that good
Review: i've also read this book for a science project on how music affects the brain. Testing on mice, i've decided that although the book has tons of examples and info, its gets quite boring. Perhaps this is because i am in high school. However if you weren't a student doing a science project and researching this, in my opinion this book would not be that good
Rating: 
Summary: Regrettable pseudoscience
Review: In my opinion, Don Campbell has turned a subject that deserves serious study into a pop-culture, new-agey farce. It is unfortunate that the subject gained popular currency via this book. What should have been a serious subject for discussion and study has degenrated to the level of empty headed pop psychology.
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Summary: "The Mozart Effect" is really "The Movement effect"
Review: Sorry, Don Campbell, but I was enthusiastic when first encountering your work, including this book when it was issued. Unfortunately, I have studied the subject of this book in some depth the past few years, and have seen my rating of the "Mozart effect" fall from 5 to 1 stars. After Campbell patented the use of the book`s title (luckily not the word "Mozart") and became a best seller, recent research has revealed that "The Mozart effect" is neither specific to music nor to Mozart`s music, but an unspecific sensory stimulation effect that proves that it is important to get sufficient sensory stimulation, no more, no less. The problem with Campbell is that he offers little in the way of reflection, discussion, skepticism or nuancing - the colors are bright, the strokes from the brush are broad, the words are big. There is little trace of scientific thinking and reasoning in any of his books. Then he should not present it as science, semiscience or part science. Campbell has been lauded, while hard-working music therapists, both inspired and competent have been ignored. Now comes the time to redress the balance.
Rating:
Summary: Pseudoscientific garbage
Review: The fact that Don Campbell, on the basis of someone else's research, went out and TRADEMARKED the phrase "The Mozart Effect," should raise some red flags in and of itself. It should be obvious that Campbell took a 1993 study (that offered only the most tentative of conclusions) and piggybacked it onto the LEGITIMATE field of music therapy, all in order to make a quick buck. It does indeed seem to be working, judging from the vast array of Mozart Effect items that are readily available for purchase.The entire marketing empire rest upon the fallacy that "listening to Mozart will make you smarter." The original researchers reached no such conclusions, and have long since disavowed Don Campbell's claims. The most that could be said of the original research was that listening to classical music (in this case Mozart's Sonata for 2 Pianos K448 --- not one of his finer efforts, actually) may have helped the listener relax, which in turn may have boosted short-term performance. The results were short-term and have been very difficult to duplicate, but this has not stopped Don Campbell from making all manner of extravagant claims, none supported by scientific evidence that bears up under close scrutiny. If you are dumb enough to believe the "Mozart Effect" claims, then you could listen to Mozart 24/7 for the next couple of decades without seeing any notable improvement.
Rating:
Summary: Pseudoscientific garbage
Review: The fact that Don Campbell, on the basis of someone else's research, went out and TRADEMARKED the phrase "The Mozart Effect," should raise some red flags in and of itself. It should be obvious that Campbell took a 1993 study (that offered only the most tentative of conclusions) and piggybacked it onto the LEGITIMATE field of music therapy, all in order to make a quick buck. It does indeed seem to be working, judging from the vast array of Mozart Effect items that are readily available for purchase. The entire marketing empire rest upon the fallacy that "listening to Mozart will make you smarter." The original researchers reached no such conclusions, and have long since disavowed Don Campbell's claims. The most that could be said of the original research was that listening to classical music (in this case Mozart's Sonata for 2 Pianos K448 --- not one of his finer efforts, actually) may have helped the listener relax, which in turn may have boosted short-term performance. The results were short-term and have been very difficult to duplicate, but this has not stopped Don Campbell from making all manner of extravagant claims, none supported by scientific evidence that bears up under close scrutiny. If you are dumb enough to believe the "Mozart Effect" claims, then you could listen to Mozart 24/7 for the next couple of decades without seeing any notable improvement.
Rating:
Summary: Pseudoscientific garbage
Review: The fact that Don Campbell, on the basis of someone else's research, went out and TRADEMARKED the phrase "The Mozart Effect," should raise some red flags in and of itself. It should be obvious that Campbell took a 1993 study (that offered only the most tentative of conclusions) and piggybacked it onto the LEGITIMATE field of music therapy, all in order to make a quick buck. It does indeed seem to be working, judging from the vast array of Mozart Effect items that are readily available for purchase. The entire marketing empire rest upon the fallacy that "listening to Mozart will make you smarter." The original researchers reached no such conclusions, and have long since disavowed Don Campbell's claims. The most that could be said of the original research was that listening to classical music (in this case Mozart's Sonata for 2 Pianos K448 --- not one of his finer efforts, actually) may have helped the listener relax, which in turn may have boosted short-term performance. The results were short-term and have been very difficult to duplicate, but this has not stopped Don Campbell from making all manner of extravagant claims, none supported by scientific evidence that bears up under close scrutiny. If you are dumb enough to believe the "Mozart Effect" claims, then you could listen to Mozart 24/7 for the next couple of decades without seeing any notable improvement.
Rating: 
Summary: Mozart As Pablum
Review: The premise of this book is a valid and important one; namely, that music can effect physical and physiological change. Yet Don Campbell proceeds to torpedo his own argument with unprovable assertions ("Before 1902, Caruso's voice had not been especially rich..."), inaccuracies ("...Ravel's Bolero increases in tempo..."), shameless and relentless self-promotion ("You can find these variations on my compilation 'Music For The Mozart Effect Vol. 3'"), tsk-tsk finger pointing ("When people don't have the opportunity to throb and gyrate and throw themselves around - society comes up with, say, an Elvis the Pelvis.") and yet more tiresome Mozart deifying.
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Summary: Shameful nonsense
Review: There is no scientific basis for the "Mozart effect," none at all. Those seeking scientific papers thoroughly debunking this silliness will find them in The Biological Foundations of Music, published by the New York Academy of Sciences (ISBN 1-57331-307-6), which is currently out of print, but is probably available at your local library.
Music, the Brain and Ecstasy by Robert Jourdain is an excellent introduction to music cognition. Howard Goodall's Big Bangs and Dowling and Harwood's Music Cognition can be purchased used and will be appreciated by advanced musicians and novices alike.
Do not buy The Mozart Effect. It is a waste of your time and money, and is an insult to your intelligence.
Rating:
Summary: Shameful nonsense
Review: There is no scientific basis for the "Mozart effect," none at all. Those seeking scientific papers thoroughly debunking this silliness will find them in The Biological Foundations of Music, published by the New York Academy of Sciences (ISBN 1-57331-307-6), which is currently out of print, but is probably available at your local library.
Music, the Brain and Ecstasy by Robert Jourdain is an excellent introduction to music cognition. Howard Goodall's Big Bangs and Dowling and Harwood's Music Cognition can be purchased used and will be appreciated by advanced musicians and novices alike.
Do not buy The Mozart Effect. It is a waste of your time and money, and is an insult to your intelligence.
Rating: 
Summary: Life Changing
Review: This book has been life changing in healing my Mother's brain injuries after a trauma in an accident with a tractor trailer. Having read the book, I took his music for healing to her hospital ICU and instructed the nurses to keep the music on at all times. I literally watched her come out of a coma, first tapping her toes to the music, then her fingers, then humming. In the unsettling sounds of a hospital, this gave her calm and focused on the area of healing where she needed it most. Personally, anytime I want to be focused, I also use Don Campbell's music. It works!
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