If you are looking for a tested and true philosophy on music appreciation, you have found the right book. Interwoven in a simple, everyday-life story, the author teaches us about how and why individuals come to like or dislike and ultimately appreciate various types of music. The main character, Herman Being, celebrates another birthday and realizes he is fast growing older. Dissatisfied with life and with his job, he contemplates ways to improve himself. Herman has the intriguing idea that if he were to learn to enjoy classical music, he might introduce a new world of sophistication into his mundane life. A few minutes of forcing himself to endure a lengthy musical piece played over a classic-music radio station has him quickly giving up on the idea. Some people just don't like that kind of music, he decides. That is, until he meets a girl who happens to be well-educated in classical music. From that point, Herman starts on a journey that changes his life, his outlook, and his career, educating him in the process about the secrets of music appreciation. ( )