Customer Reviews

The Memory Key: Unlock the Secrets to Remembering

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While most books on memorization usually describe memory techniques and strategies, Fiona McPherson's book takes the reader a step further. I have read over a dozen books in the area of memory, and I have discovered through experience the strengths and weaknesses of different memory techniques. In this book however, it teaches the reader how to USE memory strategies rather than just simply the techniques.

The book's approach can be aptly summarized in the phrase, "Smart selection is better than total recall." That is, effort put into understanding what you memorize, as well as why, is better and more effective for long-term recall. This is also true from my own experiences with memorization techniques. The book does not advocate placing everything into working memory. Instead, there is a balance between the cost of a memory technique (in time and effort) and using memory aids, such as creating lists. Memory recall is based not simply on techniques, but also in knowing how memory works as well as why specific strategies are effective. Like other memory books, this book also emphasizes frequent review of information. However unlike other books it provides practical tips on effective reviewing. Also the chapter on "Study Strategies" is an excellent chapter worth the price of the book. It breaks down the details for note-taking to a level that makes sense. It also describes creative ways to summarize information; these are in turn tremendous aids to understanding and ultimately, memorization of the material.

Some of the weaknesses in the book include terms that are not clearly defined for the reader at first (cues, codes) as well as a number of typographical errors (p. 42 - " traget" is target and "sues" is cues). Overall though, it is nice to pick up a book, read it and have my own experiences concerning memory validated in the book's advice. Fiona McPherson's book fills a nice niche for how to be aware of memory strategies and in the practical aspect of applying memory techniques.

This book is extremely helpful.

It teaches exactly how you can improve memory skills in a realistic way. I read this book and followed up with some research of my own. All the supporting research is absolutely spot on. I gave the book to a psych prof to read and he agrees.

The problem with a lot of self help memory books, is that there is a lot of pop psych and "inspiration" without consideration of real application, or the fact that people do have a certain amount of common sense. This book shows exactly how the memory works in combination with the body and environment, and provides ways that you can use to help your memory - all day long.

Fiona has written a book that teaches well, and sticks in the mind because the supporting research is so strong.

One of the best things about the Memory Key, is that it takes a strategy perspective, rather than just looking at fancy techniques or tricks. This strategy perspective makes it far more interesting to apply what is learned from the book. It makes application of memory more like a game. It also makes the application more useable and useful.

I believe this is a great book for all who want to make the most of their mind and memory both short and long term.

Having read many books on the 'how' of improving memory, this one was a refreshing surprise. It shows, through an explanation of how memory itself works, why certain techniques are suited for certain kinds of memory tasks, what the relation is between encoding something into memory and how it will be retrieved, and many other interesting things. People who have worked with memory techniques already, or who have at any rate spent time thinking about how their memory works, will probably get the most out of this book.

Like some other reviewers, I noted a tendency towards jargon. I also found the book's layout frankly amateurish (cheesy diagrams, too many fonts, etc). But these minor problems don't detract significantly from the content.

This book does a decent job of explaining how memory works and how to make the most use out of it. It's a very realistic book -- the author is the first one I've come across who understands the effort involved in using some of the popular memory techniques. It's all very useful information with zero fluff. In my opinion, the two pages that discussed goal setting were worth the price of the book.

The only thing I would improve in the book is that I would take a little more time defining terms before using them. For example, the author talks about memories as "codes" but then she also talks about "cues" and it took me awhile to understand that cues are codes that lead you to a specifc code that you're trying to remember.

I have all the Harry Loryane books... Shame on me for turning to cheap memory tricks(mnemonics)to ace my studies(I was actually hoping this book was on mnemonics, imagine my disappointment when I found out that it wasn't, and later on my sheer exuberance after mastering true memory!). I had some pretty serious learning problems prior to reading this book...

Before, I could not even recall what happened in a paragraph that I had just read but now I can recall an entire book after just one reading! and most important of all understand its main contentions and all the little nuances. Memory is so fleeting, especially my own that any device to capture it is priceless!

Basically the key to long term transferal or understanding itself is connection: this is why mnemonics is so much more effective than rote rehearsal and the techniques in Memory Key so much more effective than mnemonics. You only understand something to the extent that you can relate it to knowledge that you already have. While mnemonics forms a superficial connection, the Memory key will teach you how to connect on deeper principles (categorizing, expertise, sensitive patterns, super clustering, priming, elaborations etc etc...)

The bottom line is this is the best book on memory improvement, the very first thing it teaches you that memory itself is plural...If you want to remember dates, where your lost glasses are, how to pitch a ball properly or like myself, what you read and study then buy this book, it's peppered with practical and applicable techniques and principles. I suggest reading the note-taking chapter first so that you can properly take notes on the book itself. Some books are meant to be tasted, others to be swallowed and MEMORY KEY to be chewed and digested.

Whether this book is valuable for you depends upon your particular needs. If you're a beginner and just want to learn a couple of memory systems to help you remember names and numbers than McPherson's Memory Key is not the starting point. If you're an advanced mnemonist familiar with memory techniques or just a science minded individual this book will be great.

McPherson starts with the brain and how it works. She does this is in a breezy way without getting bogged down in scientific jargon. But what makes this more than a science textbook is that she analogizes from the brain's structure to how we must study and learn.

The brain operates in a network, McPherson, says and therefore when you study, study in terms of integrating the information into a network. She gives an example of outlines, and the types of outlines from hierarchical based to flow-chart based. The brain focuses on "recall cues" so when you study, be certain to lay down recall cues to assist you when recollecting. She discusses several study strategies such as taking notes, highlighting, and underlying but she just doesn't tell you what you already know. She integrates these basic study tools into the wider theme of how the memory works.

On the downside, her treatment of artificial memory devices is summary. She goes over it in one chapter and it's brief. But you'll definitely improve your memory just from awareness of how the brain works and how you can use that knowledge to improve your memory.

In the end, The Memory Key is readable and informative and should be on any student of memory's bookshelf.

This book gives a solid explanation of how we store our memories and why they sometimes fail to stick. I have always thought that I had a poor memory... now I know that it was not poor memory but poor encoding (getting it into my brain). While I got through college reasonably well using rote techniques I always felt that I lacked a deeper understanding of the information I was being taught.... NOW I know why....I wasn't making connections at all...
If you know you are intelligent but think you have a poor memory READ this book...You may just lack the proper encoding skills
She gives great advice of how to get things to skick in your brain....
I KNOW... I didn't even have to look at the book to remember the author's name.... gotta be a first

I read this book to know how to improve my memory (for study). This books is a good for those who do not know how to organize material in notes taking. Once you learn something you have to keep it for long-term memory (sorry there is no answer for this in this book or other books so far I read). This book critisizes all other memory techniques...but in fact it does not provide any solution.