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Top positive review
16 people found this helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsCaution: This book can lead to compulsive memory training
Bydescarteson April 3, 2018
I bought this book after watching a youtube presentation by Joshua Foer regarding his research for the book. I read through this book impatiently, because the reason for buying it was to learn the memory techniques he described in his Youtube video. I found his accounts of the eccentric contestants in the US and world memory tournaments to be overly detailed. Nonetheless, his writing skill are strong.
I do wish to warn you that if you try out the book's memory techniques, practicing them can be addicting, as they must have been for the author. Within six weeks, I passed all three of the FCC Amateur Radio license tests. Once starting to practice memorizing the concepts and answers behind the large question pools (1,450), I couldn't stop. Now, having reined in my compulsiveness, I just use the techniques learned from this book to give presentations without using notes and to study for exams. So if you are at all manic when it comes to learning, you may find that this book will magnify those learning habits.
This book is excellent journalism rather than a memory technique book. He states that fact and points you towards actual memory technique books. I have purchased and read some of them. Those books do not compare with the motivational aspects of this book to actually try out memory techniques to see if they can enhance your life.
This book is a fun read and it may motivate you to learn something new - something that requires lots of memorization. Read it and go take a bar exam, like the one for US Tax Court.
I do wish to warn you that if you try out the book's memory techniques, practicing them can be addicting, as they must have been for the author. Within six weeks, I passed all three of the FCC Amateur Radio license tests. Once starting to practice memorizing the concepts and answers behind the large question pools (1,450), I couldn't stop. Now, having reined in my compulsiveness, I just use the techniques learned from this book to give presentations without using notes and to study for exams. So if you are at all manic when it comes to learning, you may find that this book will magnify those learning habits.
This book is excellent journalism rather than a memory technique book. He states that fact and points you towards actual memory technique books. I have purchased and read some of them. Those books do not compare with the motivational aspects of this book to actually try out memory techniques to see if they can enhance your life.
This book is a fun read and it may motivate you to learn something new - something that requires lots of memorization. Read it and go take a bar exam, like the one for US Tax Court.
Top critical review
9 people found this helpful
3.0 out of 5 starsFun Read but not a Palace Builder.
ByBigBangFannon September 27, 2017
I just finished Moonwalking with Einstein and found it to be an interesting story about a journalist's self congratulatory pursuit of memory athletics but very, very little on actual techniques. The best part (for me) was two pages on Deliberate Practice. If you want some history on memory competitions - fun read. If you want memory techniques - The Memory Book by Lorayne and Lucas is far superior.
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ByNavigatoron September 28, 2017
As a history of the author's quest for a memory-challenge championship, the book is mildly entertaining. As a compendium of memory-improving techniques and practices, this book is absolutely USELESS. Perhaps the book's description has changed since I wrote this review, but at the time I purchased it, it was advertised as "cutting-edge science" for improving your memory. Instead, it's basically a 274-page-long "selfie" about what Josh did on his summer vacation, which really wasn't what I was hoping for.
25 people found this helpful
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ByTalisa Swansonon August 10, 2016
I read through this book to prepare for my physical therapy program. As they seem to make you memorize a ton of information in school. Thought it was kind of helpful. The book goes through Foer's journey to get to a memory championship. Was hoping for more of a straight forward way to memorize many things quickly. Alas that will have to wait. This did give me a few ideas and ways to memorize more, but nothing to what I was hoping for. I bought this used for a good price and am not disappointing. Would recommend for a quick read if you have spare time. Would not recommend for prep to memorize things while I was in school. But reading the summer prior to my grad program was good.
Bypenguinboyon February 2, 2014
This is not a self-help book. It is not a complete guide to "unleash the power of your brain" or any other such nonsense. This is the story of an ordinary man who proved to himself and others that world-class memory is within our reach.
Joshua Foer was a journalist who went to cover the US Memory Championship, and soon found himself falling down the rabbit-hole of professional memory sport. As he trains with one of Britain's top memorizers, Foer delves into the history, science, and reality of human memory in every way possible. He looks at the self-help phenomenon with objectivity. He talks to people with incredible innate talent, and one man who can't remember if who he's talking to ten seconds after being introduced. He does it all with the eye of a journalist, and keeps the writing lively and interesting at all times.
There's also plenty of practical information about learning how to use memory the way World Memory Champs do. These techniques actually work as advertised. For example, in the beginning of the book, Foer gives a list of items that his trainer asked him to memorize. He walks the reader through the process of storing each item in a "memory palace", and invites us to try it out. I first read this book over two years ago. Having read his list only a couple of times, I still remember about two-thirds of the items. That's powerful.
It isn't as easy a a bunch of simple tricks, of course. Using memory the way the experts do is a grueling process, and requires daily practice. It takes a considerable effort to memorize even a shopping list. It's probably because of this extra effort that these techniques are so much more effective than rote memorization. That's also the reason that the memory champs don't consider themselves savants or extraordinary; they've just put in a great deal of effort, and they've reaped the rewards.
This is a fascinating, frequently funny, and genuinely useful book, if you want to know more about memory. Remember it well!
Joshua Foer was a journalist who went to cover the US Memory Championship, and soon found himself falling down the rabbit-hole of professional memory sport. As he trains with one of Britain's top memorizers, Foer delves into the history, science, and reality of human memory in every way possible. He looks at the self-help phenomenon with objectivity. He talks to people with incredible innate talent, and one man who can't remember if who he's talking to ten seconds after being introduced. He does it all with the eye of a journalist, and keeps the writing lively and interesting at all times.
There's also plenty of practical information about learning how to use memory the way World Memory Champs do. These techniques actually work as advertised. For example, in the beginning of the book, Foer gives a list of items that his trainer asked him to memorize. He walks the reader through the process of storing each item in a "memory palace", and invites us to try it out. I first read this book over two years ago. Having read his list only a couple of times, I still remember about two-thirds of the items. That's powerful.
It isn't as easy a a bunch of simple tricks, of course. Using memory the way the experts do is a grueling process, and requires daily practice. It takes a considerable effort to memorize even a shopping list. It's probably because of this extra effort that these techniques are so much more effective than rote memorization. That's also the reason that the memory champs don't consider themselves savants or extraordinary; they've just put in a great deal of effort, and they've reaped the rewards.
This is a fascinating, frequently funny, and genuinely useful book, if you want to know more about memory. Remember it well!
ByRoss Houstonon September 5, 2016
I could not put this book down. The author takes a year long journey preparing for the US Memory Championships, and weaves in and out of historical references and context, medical and behavioral data, and the contemporary personalities and politics of mental training.
You can't read this book without emerging with new perspectives on your own mind and how information storage has shaped human history.
I have recommended this book to virtually everyone I know, young or old.
You can't read this book without emerging with new perspectives on your own mind and how information storage has shaped human history.
I have recommended this book to virtually everyone I know, young or old.
ByJayliaon March 30, 2011
Our memory skills, just like our food cravings for fat and sugar, were better suited to our days as hunter gatherers, according to Joshua Foer in Moonwalking with Einstein. Back then, what our ancestors needed to remember was where to find food, what plants are poisonous, and how to get home. This makes us great at remembering visual imagery, and not so good at remembering multiple passwords, numerous phone numbers or detailed verbal instructions.
The trick to memory techniques is changing the tedious data you want to remember into something so flamboyant and sensational that you can't forget it. It works. With the help of images like the three Petticoat Junction sisters hula hooping in my living room I can still remember the fifteen item "to do" list Foer's memory coach used as an example more than a week after I read that section of the book.
Moonwalking with Einstein is part a history of mnemonic practices beginning long before the advent of writing, part a cursory introduction to some memory tricks including the memory palace, and part a chronicle of the year or so Foer spent developing his memory skills in preparation for the U.S. Memory Championship--this aspect of the book reminded me of Word Freak, a Scrabble championship account by Stefan Fatsis. Foer also covers the phenomenon of savants, what techniques you can use to push yourself past being just okay at any given skill and how memorizing can help you be more aware and maybe even a little wiser. Unfortunately, even after all his training Foer reports that he still sometimes misplaces his keys. This is an absorbing and entertaining book.
The trick to memory techniques is changing the tedious data you want to remember into something so flamboyant and sensational that you can't forget it. It works. With the help of images like the three Petticoat Junction sisters hula hooping in my living room I can still remember the fifteen item "to do" list Foer's memory coach used as an example more than a week after I read that section of the book.
Moonwalking with Einstein is part a history of mnemonic practices beginning long before the advent of writing, part a cursory introduction to some memory tricks including the memory palace, and part a chronicle of the year or so Foer spent developing his memory skills in preparation for the U.S. Memory Championship--this aspect of the book reminded me of Word Freak, a Scrabble championship account by Stefan Fatsis. Foer also covers the phenomenon of savants, what techniques you can use to push yourself past being just okay at any given skill and how memorizing can help you be more aware and maybe even a little wiser. Unfortunately, even after all his training Foer reports that he still sometimes misplaces his keys. This is an absorbing and entertaining book.
ByA. Menonon October 28, 2011
I read this book on a recommendation from a friend and am extremely glad I did. Joshua Foer had covered the US memory competition as a journalist and along the way met some characters that convinced him he too was capable of mastering the techniques used and was capable of competing as well as long as he spent the required time. With strong self motivation the author embarked on journey of rigourous training, writing about the experience for the rest of us, and went on to actually win the US memory championship. It is both a remarkable story as well as a highly informative read about memory and an overview of how it works.
Moonwalking with Einstein is extremely balanced. It is both entertainingly well written for the narrative and precisely stated for the sceintific. I will go through the scientific briefly first. The author goes through the science of memory throughout the book. Humanity's use of memory has also changed substantially over time as a function of its needs. In particular pre/post written word, pre/post printing press, pre/post digital age, all have had profound impacts on the need and use of our memory. The author describes how our natural memory is far superior when it comes to our spatial and visual faculties. People have known this for thousands of years and as a result figured out ways to use it to their advantage. The author in particular used a method of memory dependent on using mental images of familiar physical buildings to place highly unique objects (associated with words that were the targets for memorization) and using the ordering of a path through the building as a visual means for recollection. The description of his process and the science of memory are both instructive and highly informative.
The narrative is even more fascinating than the science. Joshua Foer is a journalist who by chance stumbled upon the US memory championships and in the chance encounter began an amazing personal journey that has no doubt propelled his career! In the process of covering the memory championship he befriends Ed Cooke who helps propel him to decide to compete competitively and this book is a description of that journey. One meets many remarkable and fascinating characters, from Ed himself to Tony Buzan to Daniel Tammet.
Moonwalking with Einstein is a really refreshing form of journalism. The book is easy to read, informative and engaging. I found all parts of the book interesting and would have read the story or the science on its own but together it is a rare gem. Highly recommended!
Moonwalking with Einstein is extremely balanced. It is both entertainingly well written for the narrative and precisely stated for the sceintific. I will go through the scientific briefly first. The author goes through the science of memory throughout the book. Humanity's use of memory has also changed substantially over time as a function of its needs. In particular pre/post written word, pre/post printing press, pre/post digital age, all have had profound impacts on the need and use of our memory. The author describes how our natural memory is far superior when it comes to our spatial and visual faculties. People have known this for thousands of years and as a result figured out ways to use it to their advantage. The author in particular used a method of memory dependent on using mental images of familiar physical buildings to place highly unique objects (associated with words that were the targets for memorization) and using the ordering of a path through the building as a visual means for recollection. The description of his process and the science of memory are both instructive and highly informative.
The narrative is even more fascinating than the science. Joshua Foer is a journalist who by chance stumbled upon the US memory championships and in the chance encounter began an amazing personal journey that has no doubt propelled his career! In the process of covering the memory championship he befriends Ed Cooke who helps propel him to decide to compete competitively and this book is a description of that journey. One meets many remarkable and fascinating characters, from Ed himself to Tony Buzan to Daniel Tammet.
Moonwalking with Einstein is a really refreshing form of journalism. The book is easy to read, informative and engaging. I found all parts of the book interesting and would have read the story or the science on its own but together it is a rare gem. Highly recommended!
Bycoolklon October 18, 2016
Splendid Work. This is not a book to learn methods, but surely engaging till end. It is nice description of Deliberate practice by one person to win USA Memory Championship in just a year. For more my biggest take away was to re look at my memory and work daily even 2 min to improve it in some way. Within one year of posting this review, I commit to improve my memory 10%(not sure how i get this number) better than today. Another lesson I take is you need to be more watchful to improve your memory. It also broke my myth about photographic memories as having photographic memory brings its own challenges. It introduced me to new people as I now know about the Memory championships. If you want to work on your memory, this book is good start to motivate yourself.
ByM. Liebleron December 12, 2011
I loved this book. It's trying my favorite type - memoir with some good old educational research thrown in for fun.
Josh Foer is a reporter. One year he was asked to cover the U.S. Memory Championship, and became facinated with memory training. After hobnobbing with other "Memory Athletes", he decides to train for the US Championships.
This is Josh's story, but it is also the history of memory use. Did you every think about ancient times predating paper and pen and computer and cell phone? People were required to use their memories and trained themselves to make mental lists, memorize literature and keep track of their day to days. There were few external memory techniques, so people needed good internal memory just for pure survival. Foer's charts some of the history - and notes the current techniques vs. ancient ones.
In his year of training, Foer also researches and interviews many memory subjects - those who have trained their memory, and those seemingly gifted with an abundant memory. He provides lots of interesting antidotes on these people and meetings and shares how he incorporates certain things into his training techniques.
Very good story, and a lot to learn here about what we can do with our minds. Highly recommend, especially if you are a Memoir Geek like me!
Josh Foer is a reporter. One year he was asked to cover the U.S. Memory Championship, and became facinated with memory training. After hobnobbing with other "Memory Athletes", he decides to train for the US Championships.
This is Josh's story, but it is also the history of memory use. Did you every think about ancient times predating paper and pen and computer and cell phone? People were required to use their memories and trained themselves to make mental lists, memorize literature and keep track of their day to days. There were few external memory techniques, so people needed good internal memory just for pure survival. Foer's charts some of the history - and notes the current techniques vs. ancient ones.
In his year of training, Foer also researches and interviews many memory subjects - those who have trained their memory, and those seemingly gifted with an abundant memory. He provides lots of interesting antidotes on these people and meetings and shares how he incorporates certain things into his training techniques.
Very good story, and a lot to learn here about what we can do with our minds. Highly recommend, especially if you are a Memoir Geek like me!
ByD. McAvoyon April 24, 2011
The book narrates the story of a journalist exploring the various area of memory research and competition, to becoming a competitor, and both parts are really fascinating. The various people that Joshua meets and interviews through the story, including memory champions and competitors, memory self-help gurus, and those who have physical conditions that have drastic effects on the their memories. There are some really interesting perspectives that are drawn out from the different people Joshua speaks with and really question the framework and understanding of the human mind.
Equally interesting, is the story of Joshua training for the championships himself. Though not outlined in great detail, being introduced to various memory techniques used by these competitors is very interesting and outlines the power and complexity of the human mind. It is also engaging to be along for the ride as Joshua becomes more of a part of the memory circuit community. A lot of the players are really interesting people and make for a really entertaining story.
All in all, this is a great book that introduces the history and ideas behind memory training and the study of memory without reading like a textbook or a self-help book. The narrative is interesting and engaging and really takes the reader on a fun ride.
Equally interesting, is the story of Joshua training for the championships himself. Though not outlined in great detail, being introduced to various memory techniques used by these competitors is very interesting and outlines the power and complexity of the human mind. It is also engaging to be along for the ride as Joshua becomes more of a part of the memory circuit community. A lot of the players are really interesting people and make for a really entertaining story.
All in all, this is a great book that introduces the history and ideas behind memory training and the study of memory without reading like a textbook or a self-help book. The narrative is interesting and engaging and really takes the reader on a fun ride.
ByLuciano A.on October 17, 2017
Not a bad book, but not a book about the art and science of remembering. This book is a story about the author's journey preparing to compete in the USA memory championship. I got some basic tips about how to memorize stuff but not the kind of information I was looking for.
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