Publisher's Synopsis
In this study, Daniel L. Schacter explores instances of what we would consider memory failure - absent-mindedness, transience, blocking, misattribution, suggestibility, bias, and persistence - and suggests instead that these miscues are actually indications that memory is functioning as designed. Drawing from vivid scientific research and creative literature, as well as high-profile events in which memory has figured significantly (Bill Clinton's grand jury testimony, for instance), 'The Seven Sins of Memory' provides a more nuanced understanding of how memory and the mind influences each other and shape our lives.