Publisher's Synopsis
We talk about memory as a record of the past, but here's a surprising twist: we aren't supposed to remember everything. In fact, we're designed to forget.
Not only will every reader remember better afterward, they'll also never forget this life-changing book. - Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Song of the Cell
We talk about memory as a record of the past, but here's a surprising twist: we aren't supposed to remember everything. In fact, we're designed to forget. Over the course of twenty-five years, Charan Ranganath has studied the seemingly selective and unreliable nature of human memory to find that our brains haven't evolved to keep a comprehensive record of events, but to extract the information needed to guide our futures.
Using fascinating case studies and testimonies, Why We Remember unveils the principles behind what and why we forget and shines new light on the silent, pervasive influence of memory on how we learn, heal and make decisions. By examining the role that attention, intention, imagination and emotion play in the storing of memories, it provides a vital user's guide to remembering what we hold most dear.
A radically new and engaging explanation of how and why we remember. More than just a record of our past, Dr. Ranganath shows us that memories are deeply involved in the present, and a path toward an anticipated future . . . a tour de force of both individual and collective importance. - Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep
There is no one on earth who could share the recent achievements in the study of human memory better than Charan Ranganath. His familiarity with the groundbreaking research, combined with his own innovative experiments, makes him unmatched for the task of sharing this knowledge with the general public. With a passion for communication and sharing of knowledge, and the ability to take a broad perspective, he is the ideal person to write this book. - Edvard Moser, Nobel Laureate
