Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting
Ratings5
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings5
Average rating3.8
*A New York Times bestseller* 'Using her expertise as a neuroscientist and her gifts as a storyteller, Lisa Genova explains the nuances of human memory' - Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and bestselling author of How The Mind Works 'No one writes more brilliantly about the connections between the brain, the mind, and the heart. Remember is a beautiful, fascinating, and important book about the mysteries of human memory - what it is, how it works, and what happens when it is stolen from us. A scientific and literary treat that you will not soon forget.' - Daniel Gilbert ( New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness) Have you ever felt a crushing wave of panic when you can't for the life of you remember the name of that actor in the movie you saw last week, or you walk into a room only to forget why you went there in the first place? If you're over forty, you're probably not laughing. You might even be worried that these lapses in memory could be an early sign of Alzheimer's or dementia. In reality, for the vast majority of us, these examples of forgetting are completely normal. Why? Because while memory is amazing, it is far from perfect. Our brains aren't designed to remember every name we hear, plan we make or day we experience. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn't mean it's broken or succumbing to disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human. In Remember, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova delves into how memories are made and how we retrieve them. In explaining whether forgotten memories are temporarily inaccessible or erased forever and why some memories are built to exist for only a few seconds while others can last a lifetime, we're shown the clear distinction between normal forgetting (where you parked your car) and forgetting due to Alzheimer's (that you own a car). Remember shows us how to create a better relationship with our memory - so we no longer have to fear it any more, which can be life-changing.
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I've read several books on memory before, but I was excited to read this from Lisa Genova, who has the appropriate background in neuroscience, but also the background of writing science well. I believe this is the fourth book on memory I've read, and as such, there is quite a bit of repetition that I've heard before- so if the science of memory is an ongoing interest of yours, be aware of that. But even so, the difference here is just how well Genova illustrates examples and fully engages you with the subject. There were definitely things I “learned” from previous books that were now “encoded” (see, Lisa, I learned!) into my memory much better because of this book.
As far I've read, this is the current definitive version of memory science you should read, if you are looking for a brief, readable overview of how memory and forgetting works. If you want the nitty gritty science, hey, grab one of those textbooks. But if you want to learn a good deal about this subject in a short amount of time, pick up this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
