Schacter, Daniel L.: The seven sins of memory: how the mind forgets and remembers. NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
Content: Schacter discusses memory through the perspective of the ways in which memory fails us. The first seven chapters discuss each type of memory failure in turn: transience (the weakening of memory over time), absent-mindedness, blocking (when information is "on the tip of my tongue"), misattribution (assigning a memory to the wrong source), suggestibility, bias (the effect of present knowledge and beliefs on our memory of our earlier selves), persistence (repeatedly recalling events that we would prefer to forget). The final chapter argues that these failures of memory are by-products of "otherwise desirable and adaptive features of the human mind".
Author’s qualifications: Eminently qualified. An academic who has worked in the field of memory for over 20 yrs. Professor of Psychology at Harvard University.
Readability: I find Schacter very readable, but this is readability within an academic context. This is not a book for reading casually, attention is required.
Accuracy: The author is an established expert.
Currency: Published in 2001. References are right up to date (2000).
Comprehensiveness: Uses the "seven sins" as a means to establish a framework on which to hang an account of how memory works. A reasonably integrated and broad account of memory.
Amount of background knowledge assumed: Any well-educated reader would probably be fine with this, but some background knowledgeof experimental and cognitive psychology would certainly be helpful.
Usefulness: I am fond of saying that the most important thing I learned from my research into memory improvement is to be more relaxed about my memory failures! An exaggeration, of course, but I do believe we tend to put too much emphasis on our failures of memory. The main usefulness of this book is to help you accept and understand those times when your memory fails you - and also to understand the ways in which memory can fail you (errors which you will not necessarily notice or believe - another thing psychology has taught me is a certain healthy scepticism about what my mind is telling me!). The book is also valuable, of course, for developing your general understanding of how memory works.
Memorability: Memorable by virtue of being clearly written and rich in detail. However, it is not organized for memorability (although the basic concept of the "seven sins" is a very memorable one and great for establishing a framework), and the amount of detail may well overwhelm a reader not already familiar with the area.
Interest: Well, I loved this book - but then Schacter's books do appeal to me. They have enough research detail to satisfy me, while being readable enough to be enjoyed. The idea of approaching memory through its errors is a great one, which I think would have wide appeal.
Balance: From a neuropsychology viewpoint rather than a cognitive one. Lots of real-life examples and clinical cases.
Availability:
Length: Not long. 207 pages of text, plus some 60 pages of notes, references etc.
Includes an index, extensive bibliography and chapter notes.
Overall rating (reflects my own opinion of the book’s worth, not its usefulness to you): *****
Need help
with memory or learning?
Get help right away at
the MemoryKey Store
Now available as a downloadable ebook!
