Why is it that you can so easily forget where you parked the car? Or that you struggle to remember that last item your spouse asked you to pick up from the supermarket as you were leaving the house?

Memory has become a subject of critical interest in recent times, as we (collectively) attempt to understand some of the worst experiences of memory (or lack thereof) – Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia which seem to be increasing in prevalence.

In this insightful book, Genova unpacks what we know and understand about how memory works. In some ways, we know surprisingly little (as with much of the brains inner workings). Yet, what we do know can answer some of those important questions we have.

So, is forgetting where you parked the car a sign of memory decline? No, says Genova (thankfully!). Instead, it’s simply a sign that you hadn’t put it into memory in the first place. You can’t recall something if you didn’t learn it to begin with. The way to remember something is to give attention to remembering it. This doesn’t mean meditating for hours, rather a simple pause to acknowledge some piece of information (such as a carpark level) and actively note it in your mind.

This is also why you can have something on in the background at home – the tv, a podcast or audiobook – and if you aren’t actually giving it attention, you will remember precisely none of it. So much for trying to learn a language listening to audio lessons in your sleep…

Who wrote it

Lisa is a neuroscientist, author and speaker on neurological diseases.

Why I read it

I’ve become very interested in the subject of memory over the past few years. When looking for something different to read, this one appeared on my radar and immediately grabbed my attention.

What I liked

This was a great read. Very illuminating, comforting, and at times also confronting. I especially loved how it addressed common myths, and provided better answers.

For example, what’s the secret to memory in old age? As it turns out, its not crossword puzzles, or any other types of puzzles for that matter. The best thing you can do to keep memory is to keep learning new things. This will help your brain build new connections, which will in turn help build and maintain your memory. So don’t stop learning!

What about when you have a memory that you know you know, but you struggle to recall. (Think of the trivia answer that is on the tip of your tongue). The answer, surprisingly, is not to focus harder, as if you have to just dig a little further. What it means is that the connects in your brain along the path you were taking to access the memory are weak or absent. You are much better off trying to approach the memory an entirely different way. For example, does that actors name start with a D or maybe an E? You are unlikely to get the answer thinking about D names. You are more likely to get the answer by thinking of a different way to access that piece of information. (Eg. What other movies where they in?)

Or what about when people have very different memories of the same event? How can that happen? As it turns out, our memories are far less reliable that we’ve been led to (or want to!) believe. (See quote below for an example)

Grounding scientific insights into such relatable circumstances was a great way to make the science stick in the mind of the reader.

What I didn’t

Nothing to complain about. I loved it.

Major Takeaway

“Divided attention while your brain is trying to create a memory will significantly decrease the likelihood that it will happen. And if the information does manage to get consolidated while your attention is divided, then the memory probably won’t be robust enough to be fully retrieved later. You need focused attention to lay down a memory with strength and accuracy.”

“And every time we retrieve a stored memory for what happened, it’s highly likely that we change the memory. As described earlier, when we retrieve a memory of something that happened, we are reconstructing the story, not playing the videotape. Memory isn’t a courtroom stenographer, reading back exactly what was said. When we recall what happened, we typically fetch only some of the details we stored. We omit bits, reinterpret parts, and distort others in light of new information, context, and perspective that are available now but weren’t back then. We frequently invent new information, often inaccurate, to fill in gaps in our memories so that the narrative feels more complete or pleasing. What we remember about the past is also influenced by how we feel in the present. Our opinions and emotional state today color what we remember from what happened last year. And so, in revisiting episodic memories, we often reshape them.”

Who should read it

An excellent book I’d happily recommend to anyone who likes to learn, or enjoys a good pop-science book.