Memory is far more than a record of the past. In this groundbreaking tour of the mind and brain, one of the world's top memory researchers reveals the powerful role memory plays in nearly every aspect of our lives, from learning and decision-making to trauma and healing, and helps us live happier, more deliberate lives.
A new understanding of memory is emerging from the latest scientific research. Our memory is not what we think it is-a repository of the past that we tap into as we wish. It is a highly transformative force, active at all times, that shapes how we experience the world in often invisible and sometimes destructive ways.
In “Why We Remember”, pioneering neuroscientist and psychologist Charan Ranganath explains the underlying mechanisms of memory, revealing the surprising ways our brains record the past and use that information in everyday life. Knowing this can help us with daily remembering tasks, like finding our keys and remembering the good parts of a vacation. But it also reveals the way traumas and biases stored in memory shape our feelings and behavior, often without our awareness. Fortunately, Ranganath assures us, memories are designed to be updated. When we work with the brain's ability to learn and reinterpret past events, we can heal trauma, shed our biases, and grow in self-awareness.
Including fascinating studies and examples from pop culture, and drawing on Ranganath's life as a scientist, father, and child of immigrants, “Why We Remember” is a captivating read that reveals the hidden role that memory plays in all of our lives. When we understand its power-and its quirks-we can cut through the clutter and remember the things we want to remember. We can know ourselves better, make freer choices, and plan a happier future.
