Title The Memory Book
Author Harry Lorayne & Jerry Lucas
Year Published 1974
Kind of Book Learning/Memory
How strongly I recommend it 8/10
My Impressions This is one of the OG memory books out there. Definitely worth a read. Since I don't use the major system for memorizing numbers many of the chapters didn't apply to me, however I still got a lot out of the other chapters and all of the examples he gives were helpful.
Date Read November 2022
Practical Takeaways
(markers) try to get some action into your images
(markers) make images out of proportion to make them easier to remember eg. Not just a dog eating a bowl of kibble, but the worlds largest dog
When you hear or see a word or phrase that seems abstract or intangible to you, think of something—anything—that sounds like, or reminds you of, the abstract material and CAN be pictured in your mind eg. Minnesota= A mini soda
(To remember directions North, South, East, West) Come of with a predetermined image for North, South, East, and West eg. Polar bear for north
Use the link method to remember a list of errands
Use the link method to remember items on a shopping list
(speech) never try to memorize a speech word for word
(speech) don't try to read a speech (you'll lose the audience's attention
(speech) Talk the speech out in your own words thought by thought.
(Memorizing a Speech)
Write out or type your speech, including all tht things you want to say about all the ideas you think are important. Read it over to get the gist of it.
Select a Key words for each thought that will remind you of the entire thought
Use the linking system to link the key word images together (or use a memory palace)
(speech) If you want to memorize the speech word for word, just go over it a few more times
(Set-list) to memorize a set list use the linking system to link the words that will trigger the title.
(Names) If you are not sure exactly what their name was after they said it, say, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear your name."
(Names)
Step 1: make up a substitute word for their name eg. Ellis= L ass
Step 2: select a facial feature which stands out to you
Step 3: Associate the substitute word to the facial feature
(Names) create some images for common suffixs in names eg. mc, berg, ton =
McDonalds arch, iceberg, ton of bricks
(Names) practice memorizing names by cutting out peoples photos of newspapers and make up names
(Names) try to memorize everyone's name at a party
(Names) use a stethoscope as your image for Dr.
(Names) you can add to your image to remember other information about the person eg. Their son's name, their job, their hobbies etc.
When you set something down make the object do something crazy to the thing you are setting it down on eg. Eyeglasses shatter as they go through the TV antena
To remember your umbrella when you leave, associate umbrella to the last thing you know you will see. Eg. Car keys visualize yourself trying to open the car door with an umbrella
Put a frying pan in the middle of the kitchen floor to remind yourself when you see it that you have something in the oven
(to remember an idea in the middle of the night) throw something on the floor and associate the idea to that thing eg. Cigarettes on the floor
(Cards) use the Link method to remember a sequence of cards
(Flashcards) practice flashcards to a metronome
(To remember an appointment) use number for the day of the week eg. Sunday 1 Monday 2 Tuesday 3 Weds 4 Thursday 5 Friday 6 Saturday 7 and then the time of the appoint for the second number. Eg. Friday at 2pm would be 62. guitar lesson on Friday at 2 Greg Norman playing guitar in the lesson
PM=Use nighttime in your image
AM=Use daylight in your image
(To memorize the Alphabet backwards) create a link system with all the animals for the alphabet eg. Zebra bites a Yak on the butt which makes the Yak go get an X-ray from a fish
Republican= Republican Elephant
Democrat= Democrat Donkey
Big Ideas
All memory is based on association
Usually when someone thinks they forgot something, what actually happened was they never encoded it properly in their memory (ie. associated it with something they already knew) in order to recall it later
Its easier to remember things that have meaning to them
All learning is based on memory
3 Basic learning skills
The search for information
Remembering information
Applying the information
As long as you associate the new piece of information to something you already know, you can remember it
The Link System works by associating one piece of information to the next
It is rare to have an idea/thought that can't be brought to mind with one word or phrase
It is impossible to think without creating a mental picture in your mind-Aristotle
Many people complain that memory systems are too much work
But
Rote memorization is more work than memory tricks
And
Rote memorization doesn't work nearly as well as memory systems
The mnemonic image is only used initially (first couple of times) until the information becomes knowledge
Surprising Facts
It is physiologically impossible to read more than 800 words a minute