Embark on an auditory journey through the tumultuous landscape of 20th-century music with Alex Ross's 'The Rest Is Noise'. This compelling narrative transcends a mere history of music, illuminating how avant-garde sounds have echoed through the corridors of modern life. It traces the audacious paths of composers who bucked tradition, wooed audiences with exquisite harmonies, and sometimes assailed them with unadulterated dissonance. From the pre-war salons of Vienna to the zenith of mass media and the political arenas of dictators, this book maps the evolution of sound against the backdrop of the century's most pivotal moments. Ross invites us to perceive the century through the prism of its music, chronicling both the art form's development and its intertwining with the fabric of society.