The Medieval Craft of Memory: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures (Material Texts)

by Mary Carruthers

In The Medieval Craft of Memory Mary Carruthers and Jan M. Ziolkowski bring together the texts and visual images from the twelfth through the fifteenth centuries that are central to an understanding of memory and memory technique. These sources are now made available for a wider audience of students of medieval and early modern history and culture and readers with an interest in memory, mnemonics, and the synergy of text and image.

Genres: History, Medieval, Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Academic

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Alex Linschoten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delight, from cover to cover. This is a companion volume to Carruthers' earlier work, The Book of Memory: A Study of Memory in Medieval Culture, in which she gets to anthologise translations of medieval primary source texts about memory techniques. You have to take my word for it that this is all fascinating stuff. It's pretty western-centric -- translations are mostly from texts in Latin -- but that doesn't detract from the volume; it just calls out for something similar to be compiled from the Arabic texts of the same period, for example.

In any case, anyone interested in memory skills/techniques, will really enjoy this book. But you'd do well to start with the earlier history book and then read this alongside.

[filipa · Rating 4 out of 5]

insanely good anthology of texts and pictures (what a surprise) on medieval memory techniques

[Deniz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the third in a trilogy on the art of memory. Having examined memory and invention in the medieval period, Carruthers ends her trilogy with an anthology of sources, none of which were available in English translation before. Very valuable if you’re interested in memory and creativity.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant introduction to the methods of oral instruction by the art of memory via the Ars Memorial. This book will be of intense interest to Freemasons, medievalists, educators, public speakers and students of history.

[Book Calendar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an overview of different techniques of memory training used during the middle ages.