Book Review: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

Book Thoughts by Rachelle

I love reading unique books that make my brain spin. Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything is an excellent read that will have you examining the way you think and remember every day.

Joshua Foer is a talented journalist who started out investigating the United States Memory Championship and these incredibly talented people who could memorize a deck of cards in two minutes, recall the names of dozens of strangers after seeing their picture briefly, and recite a poem from memory after studying it for thirty minutes. Through the process he learned that everyone can improve their memory. Foer ended up winning the National Memory Championship and this book details his journey along the way.

I graduated in psychology, so I studied the method of loci in college, but I had forgotten how loci and the memory palace combined with the art of association can help facts stick in your brain permanently or at least as long as you need them. I enjoyed the way Foer analyzed and debunked several different memory myths and emphasized the power in all of our brains, from chess grand masters to Japanese chick sexers.

If this is piquing your interest, which it should, I’d recommend getting a copy of Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything and devouring the many different concepts that Foer covers.

One of the things I took away from this book is to recognize how amazing our memory is and that by exercising it we can actually slow life down because as we remember more it is less of a blur. Think of it–how much work does it take you to remember ten special moments from last year? Don’t those memories make you smile? Wouldn’t you like to recall more of them and reminisce on the laughter, tastes, aromas, and other sensations involved with those memories?

Foer writes with humor and intelligence and this book is filled with numerous ways in which you can improve your memory but also it’s an entertaining read through Foer’s viewpoint as a journalist who was willing to ask the right questions.

I’m constantly trying to improve my memory for names and faces. I think practicing has made me pretty good at remembering people’s names and with a few new techniques my recall is even better.
How would you like to improve your memory?

Here’s more about the book:

The blockbuster phenomenon that charts an amazing journey of the mind while revolutionizing our concept of memory

An instant bestseller that is poised to become a classic, Moonwalking with Einstein recounts Joshua Foer’s yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top “mental athletes.” He draws on cutting-edge research, a surprising cultural history of remembering, and venerable tricks of the mentalist’s trade to transform our understanding of human memory. From the United States Memory Championship to deep within the author’s own mind, this is an electrifying work of journalism that reminds us that, in every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories.

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