Search This Blog

Friday, June 24, 2011

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

If you sometimes can't remember where you put your car keys or, like Foer, the car itself, don't panic. You're not alone, and you can do something about it. In this intriguing look at the nature of memory, Foer reassures us that we don't need to acquire a better memory; we just need to use the one we have more effectively. Foer introduces us to people whose memories are both astonishing, like the man who could memorize 1,528 random digits in order, and frightening, such as a man with such an extreme case of amnesia that he doesn't know his own age and can't remember that he has a memory problem. He explores various ways in which we test our memories, such as the extensive training British cabbies must undergo. He also discusses ways we can train ourselves to have better memories, like the PAO system, in which, for example, every card in a deck is associated with an image of a specific person, action, or object. An engaging, informative, and for the forgetful, encouraging book.

2 comments:

  1. Well-built blog, anh. I've enjoyed reading this book via my Kindle and can't help highlighting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a unique book. As a Baby Boomer, I've reached the point where remembering to remember things seems to be my major priority every day. This book was not only entertaining, but informative. Joshua Foer has done a "deep dive" into the subject of memory. I would rate this as one of the best books I've read this year.

    ReplyDelete