Committed to Memory: How We Remember and Why We Forget

by Rebecca Rupp

Fascinating science blends with engaging prose in this highly entertaining exploration of how memory works-- and how to make it work better.

In this extraordinary book, scientist Rebecca Rupp explains how and why memory works the way it does. What are the chemical processes that occur in the brain when we remember--and how do they account for the "absentminded" or "steel trap" qualities in an individual? Rupp also tackles topics that have been the subject of intense public debate. She examines the concepts of repressed and fantasized memories, such as ones of alien
are they the result of horrifying experiences that have been shunted off into the depths of the unconscious? Or are they fantastic constructs of the human mind?

Memory decays with awful rapidity, and a vital aspect of the study of memory is its loss. Why does memory change as we grow older? How can we improve our ability to remember, and how can we keep forgetfulness at bay? Committed to Memory features useful memory-improving techniques and tricks to remember essential information. Learn to defeat that common bugbear of memory, the forgetting of proper names; pick up a quick trick for remembering telephone numbers; and find out how to enrich your mind (and impress your friends and colleagues) by memorizing lengthy poems. Tips like these lend a practical edge to this illuminating voyage through a largely uncharted realm.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED . . .
¸         Why you can remember your first date but not what you had for lunch last Tuesday?
¸         What slugs, bugs, and squirrels have to tell us about human memory?
¸         Why we can't remember people's names?
¸         How the smell of pine trees or buttered popcorn can help you remember?
¸         Why dieting may make you forget?
¸         Why practice makes perfect?
¸         How a spell of the moody blues can affect your memory?
¸         Why dreaming may help us to remember?

Genres: Psychology

331 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Rebecca Rupp is the author of SARAH SIMPSON'S RULES FOR LIVING, JOURNEY TO THE BLUE MOON, THE DRAGON OF LONELY ISLAND and THE RETURN OF THE DRAGON. She lives in Swanton, Vermont.

Reviews

[JP · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very effective survey of the history, theories, and current status of our knowledge about memory. More than that, it is an interesting read because the author keeps it moving along from one topic to another in many short chapters that are sprinkled with quotes and anecdotes. Per one of the major findings, I'm sure I've already forgotten much of what I read, as the decay in recall is 80% within a month and begins immediately. The ancients and the current non-technical cultures are much better at remembering becaue they do not use the crutch of written text. Memory has been shown to be strengthened through exercise, either in the form of intentional practice or mentally stimulating activities (the Great Books, crosswords, etc). While our elderly are perceived as becoming forgetful, those that stay active have the same recall as younger people, though they are not as quick. Elders who are venerated by their culture do not experience the same memory decay. The mechanics of how memory works is still a mystery, though there is evidence that the brain can regenerate the neurons and that the process involves the whole brain's network of neurons.

[Aria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written in an easy to comprehend style, and chock full of relevant info. The sections are short, making it a work that can easily be consumed in small bites. I was actually surprised at how highly readable the book was. If I come across it again in the future I would have no problem delving back in. I'd have been sure to have read this through to the end if I didn't already have a very large stack of great books waiting on me when I came across it. (So many books.) For now, I will pass it on to someone else.

[Ogreroars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of reading the original text of this book, I flipped through Chinese edidtion, which was translated by Hung-Lan.
As the title, this book introduced readers to the memory mechanism, which is a complex process combining chemistry effects and mind functions .
Since the author mentioned "mind" in the book, some perspects in the book have still remained hyptheses, rather than facts that has been strongly backed up. And that's the only thing readers of this book should be aware of.
On the whole, I think it good enough to guide laymen to the field of memory.