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What Members Thought
Not quite what i was expecting. Instead of being a self-help book, it's about Foer's year-long journey from covering the world memory championships as a journalist to competing in the US memory championship just a year later. He was in awe at how much information people could retain and recall in a short period of time. But the competitors he talked to were quick to tell him that everyone could do it, it's all parlor tricks. So he sets out to build his memory to that and along the way talks to e
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I'm glad that this book was selected for book club, because I definitely meant to read it, and never got around to it on my own. It may not be brilliant, and the conversational style is engaging but also on occasion off-putting. Still, I enjoyed this romp through the world of memory, and memory games. I don't see myself creating mental palaces anytime soon, but I did very much like the analysis of what memory meant to the ancients, to schooling over the centuries, and what it can mean now. Besid
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A decent read. I was intrigued by all the information about memory and synesthesia but much less interested in the author's adventures in the US Memory Championship. The process of creating a "memory palace" is way too complicated for my taste. Too much effort.
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A fun, humorous, light but informative listen on one of my favorite topics (neuroscience, more generally, and memory more specifically). There wasn't a ton here that I didn't already know, but it was funny and well-presented and the last chapter had me laughing out loud. Worth a listen/read.
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I really enjoyed the information about the author's journey from impassive observer to impassioned competitor. It's amazing how memory and mnemonic techniques are interwoven throughout human history. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall a very good read.
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Mar 11, 2011
Kirstin
marked it as to-read
Mar 12, 2011
Kristina
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Jun 13, 2011
Terri FL
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Mar 16, 2012
corky
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Jun 01, 2012
Jenny
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Jun 22, 2012
akaellen
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Feb 24, 2014
Rachel
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Mar 10, 2014
cam
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Feb 02, 2015
Lua
marked it as to-read
Apr 17, 2015
Rachel Harlich
is currently reading it
Apr 30, 2015
Arianna
marked it as to-read
