It is no longer true that 'those who can do, and those who can't teach.' This is why as long as there is someone to state 'white' there will always be someone there to state 'black'. This is only human nature. Mr. Cook's points and reasoning were so near to the edge of the extremes that this book is bound to provoke thoughts and reactions to its contents. This book was written to encourage the reader to think about music and what music means to them. Mr. Cook, in writing this book, has attempted to break down the assumptions and misconceptions that are related to music. The main message of this book appears to be that we have inherited a way of thinking about music that won't do justice to the great diversity available in today's Musical World and Mr. Cook has successfully gone some way to trying to dispel these suppositions and misconceptions.