Moonwalking with Einstein

The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

Foer's extraordinary transformation from a consistently forgetful science journalist to the U.S. Memory Champion sets the stage for a fascinating exploration of the profound and often overlooked influence of memory on every facet of our lives. On average, people spend forty days each year compensating for forgotten things, and Joshua Foer was once among them. However, after a year of dedicated memory training, he found himself competing in the finals of the U.S. Memory Championship. More significantly, Foer unearthed a crucial truth that tends to elude us: in every meaningful aspect, we are the accumulation of our memories.

"Moonwalking with Einstein" delves into state-of-the-art research, an unexpected cultural history of memory, and age-old tricks of the mentalist's craft to revolutionize our comprehension of human recollection. Guided by elite "mental athletes," Foer explores ancient techniques employed by Cicero to memorize speeches and Medieval scholars to memorize entire books. Rediscovering nearly forgotten methods, Foer reveals that we all have the capacity to significantly enhance our memories. Immerse yourself in the eccentric subculture of competitive memorizers, and you'll learn that memorization is far from being a mere routine. From the PAO system, which transforms numbers into vivid images, to the memory palace, where memories are stored in the rooms of imaginary structures, Foer's journey demonstrates that the World Memory Championships evaluate not just memory but also perseverance and creativity.

Taking his investigation beyond the realm of mental athletes, Foer traverses the country and explores the depths of his own mind. He encounters an amiable elderly man in San Diego with one of the most severe cases of amnesia on record, revealing that memory is simultaneously more elusive and more dependable than we assume. In Salt Lake City, Foer exchanges insights with a savant who claims to have memorized over nine thousand books. Visiting a high school in the South Bronx, he discovers a history teacher utilizing ancient memory techniques to give students an advantage in the state Regents exam. At a time when electronic devices have nearly rendered individual memories obsolete, Foer's endeavor to revive the forgotten art of remembering becomes an urgent quest.

"Moonwalking with Einstein" not only propels Joshua Foer to the pinnacle of the U.S. Memory Championship but also guides readers toward a profound appreciation of a gift we all possess but frequently overlook.