Moonwalking with Einstein
by Joshua Foer, Mike Chamberlain (Narrator) Joshua Foer · first published 2000
72% recommend26% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
A journalist trains his memory and wins the US memory championship, in an account that also introduces memory palaces, mnemonics and the science of remembering. A good starting point for newcomers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The blockbuster phenomenon that charts an amazing journey of the mind while revolutionizing our concept of memory “Highly entertaining.” —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker “Funny, curious, erudite, and full of useful details about ancient techniques of training memory.” —The Boston Globe An instant bestseller that has now become a classic, Moonwalking with Einstein recounts Joshua Foer's yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top "mental athletes." He draws on cutting-edge research, a surprising cultural history of remembering, and venerable tricks of the mentalist's tra
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For those who wish to know more about the history and applications of the "method of loci", beyond portrayals of it in a fictional series - I highly recommend 'Moonwalking with Einstein' by Joshua Foer. It's an account of a journalist who spends a year learning the methods above and subsequently wins the US memory championship. It's interesting, in a world in which instant access to…
on “The Secrets of Sherlock’s Mind Palace” ↗“Moonwalking with Einstein”, a book by Joshua Foer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonwalking_with_Einstein), is all about memorization techniques and memorization competitions. It’s a great read. He found that while practicing…
on “Memorizing a Deck of Cards” ↗I would recommend Joshua Foer "Moonwalking with Einstein" for those interested in memory. Spaced repition is effective to an extent, but I find the techniques explored in his book to be much more effective. The tl;dr is that you are much better off constructing…
on “How to Use Anki to Improve Your Memory” ↗"Moonwalking with Einstein" by Joshua Foer is an interesting book on the subject of memory athletes. The author is a journalist who sets out to write the book and in parallel practices alongside his research subjects. In the end,…
on “"Memory athletes" and the techniques they use [audio]” ↗A new book called "Moonwalking with Einstein", by Joshua Foer covers the Memory Palace technique and others. Check out the review at the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/books/review/book-review-m...
on “Learn to remember everything: The memory palace technique” ↗…interesting characters. Nonfiction: 1. The Idea Factory - A dive into how Bell Labs became such an innovation powerhouse and gives a rounded picture of the figureheads that brought it so much fame. 2. Moonwalking with Einstein - A fun read about a journalist who took researching a memory competition a bit too seriously. 3. Countdown to Zero Day - A fascinating look at the development and deployment of Stuxnet -- the virus…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2017?” ↗Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer. Chapter about memory palace is especially amazing!
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗…turns out to be a pretty good gauge of your concentration and mental focus, just like how being able to run a few miles is a good measure of your physical fitness. Highly recommend Joshua Foer's book, "Moonwalking with Einstein", to learn more.
on “Learn to remember everything: The memory palace technique” ↗I got started with the idea of mnemonics by reading Jonathan Foer's "Moonwalking with Einstein[1]", which is an exceptionally good read. ============* Potential Spoiler Alert* ===================== It isn't a 'how-to' book per se, as it mostly tells the story of how the author went from being…
on “The Dangerous Effects of Reading” ↗…(Yes, like Picasso). One must be creative to construct a memorable palace for something as mundane as a grocery list, and what's vivid works. (Joshua Foer argues just this, persuasively too, in his book "Moonwalking with Einstein"). (begin sort of random tangent) I've tried using the memory palace technique to memorize poetry, and I found the clashing images somewhat disconcerting. On the one hand, there was the imagery of the…
on “How to Train Your Brain to Remember Everything” ↗…one to be more productive. When you get tired and easily derailed, and are low in will power, you can fall back onto your plan). 1) Cue, 2) Routine, 3) Reward. That is the habit loop. A book called Moonwalking with Einstein, as well as a number of Cal Newport's books have also been helpful with these goals.
on “Ask HN: Non-tech books that have helped you grow professionally?” ↗…Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep (sleep debt) * Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life * Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything * Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗…pain, I don’t remember the pain, just the fact of it. I do remember the feeling of anger and frustration as a result of the fall. Anyway, anyone who found the article interesting might be interested in Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Anything by Joshua Foer. In the book, Foer talks about his experiences with memory championships and fills that in with information about then-current understanding…
on “'Time Cells' Discovered in Human Brains” ↗For those interested in the topic, also read, "Moonwalking wtih Einstein" by Joshua Foer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonwalking_with_Einstein). It is a really entertaining look at the world of competitive memorization by a journalist who started out looking into this area and then ended up competing in the 2005 U.S. Memory Championship. The…
on “The Method of Loci” ↗If anyone is interested in a book exploring these concepts, Moonwalking with Einstein was written by a journalist originally interested in doing a piece about the world memory championships who wound up becoming the first American to win the world memory championships. The book traces…
on “The Method of Loci: Build Your Memory Palace” ↗