Moonwalking with Einstein is more than just a book about how to remember everything. It’s a book about people who have dedicated their lives to remembering everything, about what memory really is, about where we place memory in our society, when that place changed, and - most importantly - about why we should care about remembering in a world that’s increasingly enabling us to forget.
That mind-bogglingly beautiful multidimensionality is why Moonwalking with Einstein so surprised, charmed and delighted me, and why I unreservedly recommend it to everyone who lives in our modern world, whether you think you care about memory or not.
I picked up Moonwalking with Einstein expecting it to be mainly an instruction in ways to improve one’s memory. But while the book does provide a fascinating exploration and explanation of the techniques used by memory champions to supercharge their recollective abilities, it is not an instruction manual. It’s something so much more, and so much better.
It’s a glimpse into the intriguing realm of world memory sport, with all of its traditions and quirks and its colorful cast of characters. It’s an illuminating lesson in how our memory works and how mental athletes capitalize on its design to maximize their remembering, using real brain science and real stories. It’s a gripping tale of one journalist’s voyage from ordinary observer to finalist in the USA Memory Championships, and an inspiring story about the power of practice and persistence to train our minds to perform marvels. And, most importantly, it’s a deeply thought-provoking investigation of the history and future of memory in our society, and a contemplation of the values that shape our education, our culture and our identities.
In an age built on increasingly sophisticated and expansive systems of “externalized memories,” as Foer terms them, Moonwalking with Einstein will make you pause and think about what it means, and why it matters, to remember.
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