Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2024-03-04 03:21:53
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Charan Ranganath
- ISBN：B0C5VBNG4Y
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Summary
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 recalling faces and names， to learning， decision-making， trauma and healing。
A new understanding of memory is emerging from the latest scientific research。 In Why We Remember ， pioneering neuroscientist and psychologist Charan Ranganath radically reframes the way we think about the everyday act of remembering。 Combining accessible language with cutting-edge research， he reveals the surprising ways our brains record the past and how we use that information to understand who we are in the present， and to imagine and plan for the future。
Memory， Dr。 Ranganath shows， is a highly transformative force that shapes how we experience the world in often invisible and sometimes destructive ways。 Knowing this can help us with daily remembering tasks， like finding our keys， and with the challenge of memory loss as we age。 What’s more， when we work with the brain’s ability to learn and reinterpret past events， we can heal trauma， shed our biases， learn faster， 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 unveils the hidden role memory plays throughout 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 make freer choices and plan a happier future。
A new understanding of memory is emerging from the latest scientific research。 In Why We Remember ， pioneering neuroscientist and psychologist Charan Ranganath radically reframes the way we think about the everyday act of remembering。 Combining accessible language with cutting-edge research， he reveals the surprising ways our brains record the past and how we use that information to understand who we are in the present， and to imagine and plan for the future。
Memory， Dr。 Ranganath shows， is a highly transformative force that shapes how we experience the world in often invisible and sometimes destructive ways。 Knowing this can help us with daily remembering tasks， like finding our keys， and with the challenge of memory loss as we age。 What’s more， when we work with the brain’s ability to learn and reinterpret past events， we can heal trauma， shed our biases， learn faster， 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 unveils the hidden role memory plays throughout 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 make freer choices and plan a happier future。
Reviews
Amy
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This book was fascinating！ All about how our brain works pertaining to memory。Like why do we remember some things and not others？It talks about how memories can change and how we even can think we are recalling a memory and it never actually happened。 🤯 It makes you question any memory you have。 Definitely an interesting listen！
kris
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Interesting information on personal and collective memory。 Also interesting information on false memories and how easy it is to alter someone's memory of an event。 Interesting information on personal and collective memory。 Also interesting information on false memories and how easy it is to alter someone's memory of an event。 。。。more
Terri （BooklyMatters）
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This brilliant book completely changed the way this reader will think about remembering。 Written by a clinical psychologist who is also a neurologist， the author offers a sweeping perspective on memory : what it is and how it works （or why we remember）; how we use memory to orient ourselves， shaping our everyday identity and perceptions; and finally， how memory transcends the individual as it informs （or even misinforms） cultures， nations and social structures。 For this reader， this fascinating This brilliant book completely changed the way this reader will think about remembering。 Written by a clinical psychologist who is also a neurologist， the author offers a sweeping perspective on memory : what it is and how it works （or why we remember）; how we use memory to orient ourselves， shaping our everyday identity and perceptions; and finally， how memory transcends the individual as it informs （or even misinforms） cultures， nations and social structures。 For this reader， this fascinating look at the mystery that is our mind， - past， present and future - is now forevermore tied up with the magic of memory， and the insights offered by this wonderful book。 Perhaps most enthralling of all is the most basic concept - the author’s clear and compelling explanation of the inner handshake between episodic memory （or memory of context-specific historical events）， and our semantic memory （memory of facts， or general knowledge） when it comes to retrieving （or re-building） a memory。 When we retrieve a memory of an event from our past， the most advanced areas of our brain （the prefrontal cortex） engage the hippocampus （the memory coordinator） with a contextual cue， which begins the process of recreating a specific internal experience based on what we know and understand now （our semantic knowledge） of the people， places， and actions connected to the specific memory。 This semantic knowledge is based on our current schemas - our blueprints for the world as we know it （today， in the present） - details of which are stored across our neocortex， and are continuously being modified as we learn and grow。 A memory is， in this way， our thinking about the past， but to our brain it is exactly as if we are re-experiencing it。 The implications of this are massive， - a memory is not a rewind of a static event， stored in its entirety in our head ， but is a present day retelling， based on our current understanding of the world， and bits of context surrounding it。 The memory is recast， uniquely， every time we remember， and is laid down anew。 What we end up remembering then has everything to do with who we are （how we identify with the world）; what we feel （our biases and emotions， particularly as related to the memory）; our biology， health and functioning neurology; and scores of other factors we are just beginning to understand。Memory， as the author explains it， is our consciousness - repositioned to a time and a place in the past。 A prioritized bit of experience we have captured， （given our biological limitations ） because， for various reasons it was deemed important， and still is。 So that we can understand our present world more broadly， （through our past）， make predictions and set expectations for the future， inspire curiosity， be alerted to the unexpected， and be prepared to react accordingly。 With clarity and simplicity， the author tackles all these constructs and concepts （and more， so much more） shaping them into surprisingly understandable kernels of knowledge， woven into a broadly illuminating text that is quite literally mind-altering。With so much to offer （and so much for this reader to learn） this brilliant book must and will be reread。 A great big thank you to Netgalley， the author， and the publisher for an ARC of this book。 All thoughts presented are my own。 。。。more
Rana Habib
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9/10Wow， what a fun read about memory！ Ranganath starts the book with a simple explanation of how memory works and the neuroscience behind it。 What I found particularly intriguing was Ranganath's emphasis not only on the significance of the hippocampus in memory but also on the pivotal role the prefrontal cortex plays in our memory processes。 In my experience with other books on memory， authors often overlook the prefrontal cortex （PFC）， so I valued Ranganath's thorough exploration of its functi 9/10Wow， what a fun read about memory！ Ranganath starts the book with a simple explanation of how memory works and the neuroscience behind it。 What I found particularly intriguing was Ranganath's emphasis not only on the significance of the hippocampus in memory but also on the pivotal role the prefrontal cortex plays in our memory processes。 In my experience with other books on memory， authors often overlook the prefrontal cortex （PFC）， so I valued Ranganath's thorough exploration of its functions。- Note: there is obvious discussion about the neocortex's overall involvement in the memory process but this is the first time I've read a book where an Author gives sole praise and recognition to the PFC。What fascinated me the most was the chapter on memory and imagination。 The connection between memory and imagination is truly astonishing to me; our imagination is built upon our memory， and conversely， our memory is shaped by our imagination。 In other words， we perceive events not as they actually occurred but rather as we imagined them to have happened。I only have two pieces of criticism:1。 It would be nice to include a graphic of the brain for readers who are new to the subject， which based on his writing seems like that's his demographic。 2。 At the beginning of the book， Ranganath distinguishes between why we remember and how we remember。 He then proceeds to explain that the book primarily focuses on why we remember （hence the title）。 Personally， the book felt more like an exploration of "how we remember" rather than "why we remember。" I understand that you can't discuss the "why" without first discussing the "how" but just an observation that I made while reading。Overall， really interesting stuff。 A great read if you're interested in learning more about memory and want an easily digestible book。 。。。more
Danielle
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Heard the author interviewed on NPR
Justin Gillette
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NPR
Tiffany Day
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This super well researched book makes complex topics more accessible through real life stories and sheds more light on what additional research we can do to help us in the future！ I learned a lot from this book and highly recommend。
Samichtime
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Charan's writing is fantastic， and for a learning book he really comes with the receipts。 The page count is a bit misleading if you think it's as long as it says because Bibliography （citing his sources） is very dense。 So Goodreads is gonna award me with more pages real than in actuality lol。 Props for it not being pretentious。 I was recommended this on Apple Books and it delivered。 This is a mildly entertaining read full of knowledge and it is not written by a snake oil salesman self help guru， Charan's writing is fantastic， and for a learning book he really comes with the receipts。 The page count is a bit misleading if you think it's as long as it says because Bibliography （citing his sources） is very dense。 So Goodreads is gonna award me with more pages real than in actuality lol。 Props for it not being pretentious。 I was recommended this on Apple Books and it delivered。 This is a mildly entertaining read full of knowledge and it is not written by a snake oil salesman self help guru， but instead written by a lifelong scientist in his field with credibility。 My doctor only talks to me for five minutes and tells me to take an Advil， but this guy wrote a book。 Not like one's better or worse， of course。 。。。more
Kendra
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An overview of recent-ish research into memory and how different types of memory work in the conversational style that's become the way medical writers write， often including a lot of personal detail and pop culture references。 I was turned off by the inclusion of a quote from antisemitic rocker Johnny Rotten and the author's uncritical promotion of Joseph Campbell's work， which has a decidedly and problematic male， Western viewpoint。 An overview of recent-ish research into memory and how different types of memory work in the conversational style that's become the way medical writers write， often including a lot of personal detail and pop culture references。 I was turned off by the inclusion of a quote from antisemitic rocker Johnny Rotten and the author's uncritical promotion of Joseph Campbell's work， which has a decidedly and problematic male， Western viewpoint。 。。。more
The St。 Louis Literary Review
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"Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On to What Matters" by Charan Ranganath is a captivating exploration of the intricate workings of human memory and its profound impact on our lives。 In this insightful book， Ranganath， a leading neuroscientist， delves into the fascinating mechanisms behind how memories are formed， stored， and retrieved， offering readers a deeper understanding of this essential cognitive function。One of the book's strengths lies in its accessibility。 Ranganath ad "Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On to What Matters" by Charan Ranganath is a captivating exploration of the intricate workings of human memory and its profound impact on our lives。 In this insightful book， Ranganath， a leading neuroscientist， delves into the fascinating mechanisms behind how memories are formed， stored， and retrieved， offering readers a deeper understanding of this essential cognitive function。One of the book's strengths lies in its accessibility。 Ranganath adeptly translates complex scientific concepts into language that is both engaging and understandable for a wide audience。 Whether discussing the role of neural networks in memory consolidation or the influence of emotions on recollection， he presents information in a clear and engaging manner， making it accessible to readers with varying levels of familiarity with neuroscience。Moreover， "Why We Remember" is not merely a dry recitation of facts and theories; it is filled with real-world examples and anecdotes that bring the science to life。 Through case studies and personal stories， Ranganath illustrates how memory shapes our identities， relationships， and sense of self。 These narratives add depth and resonance to the book， making it a compelling read from start to finish。Ultimately， "Why We Remember" offers more than just a scientific exploration of memory; it invites readers to reflect on the profound significance of memory in their own lives。 By shedding light on the mysteries of memory， Ranganath empowers readers to harness its power to cherish the moments that matter most。 Whether you're a student of neuroscience or simply curious about the inner workings of the mind， this book is sure to leave a lasting impression。 。。。more
Louise Foerster
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With WHY WE REMEMBER， memory researcher Charan Ranganath presents the science behind memory， how we think， learn， and remember， thus constructing our personal life narratives and unique perspectives。 My mind was opened to the possibilities and the pitfalls of memory and I realized how much is subjective， transformative， and malleable in what I formerly believed to be hard and fast truth。 An important， transformational book， WHY WE REMEMBER opens us to consider what and how we remember through an With WHY WE REMEMBER， memory researcher Charan Ranganath presents the science behind memory， how we think， learn， and remember， thus constructing our personal life narratives and unique perspectives。 My mind was opened to the possibilities and the pitfalls of memory and I realized how much is subjective， transformative， and malleable in what I formerly believed to be hard and fast truth。 An important， transformational book， WHY WE REMEMBER opens us to consider what and how we remember through anecdotes， studies， and research and offers food for thought for those of us inclined to laugh off memory lapses， gaps， and nagging issues such as where we left the car keys。 I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own， unbiased thoughts。 。。。more
Brianne Honda
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☁️ WHY WE REMEMBER REVIEW ☁️📌 Pub date: 2/20/24Overview:🧠 Memory🧪 Science📖 NonfictionSynopsis: Psychologist and neuroscientist， Dr。 Charan Ranganath， covers the science behind memory and the ways in which memory can help us make sense of the world and our own experiences。 He feels passionately that memories and how we think about them are a significant contribution to personal growth， and he uses a mix of science and anecdotes to teach all things memory。⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Dr。 Charan Ranganath made gre ☁️ WHY WE REMEMBER REVIEW ☁️📌 Pub date: 2/20/24Overview:🧠 Memory🧪 Science📖 NonfictionSynopsis: Psychologist and neuroscientist， Dr。 Charan Ranganath， covers the science behind memory and the ways in which memory can help us make sense of the world and our own experiences。 He feels passionately that memories and how we think about them are a significant contribution to personal growth， and he uses a mix of science and anecdotes to teach all things memory。⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Dr。 Charan Ranganath made great metaphors that helped me conceptualize the ideas he was talking about， and I appreciated that as someone with more of a storyteller brain than a science one。 I have always been interested in psychology， so I had general knowledge about many of the topics he discussed， and this book served as more of an enrichment on that prior knowledge。 I loved the book Why We Sleep by Dr。 Matthew Walker， and it was neat that Dr。 Ranganath referenced some of Walker’s research in the chapter about memory and sleep。 My favorite topic was the one about reframing past experiences， as I feel like that’s an area that I want to work on in my personal life。 This one comes out in a few weeks， so snag yourself a copy！ Both Why We Sleep and Why We Remember would be great ones to pick up this year， especially for those who are trying to up their nonfiction game。 Thank you to Double Day for my gifted copy！ 。。。more
Connie
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#GoodreadsGiveaway
Kirsten
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https://www。nytimes。com/interactive/2。。。 https://www。nytimes。com/interactive/2。。。 。。。more
Orie at Let's Take A Shelfie
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Why We Remember gives readers some detail into the anatomy of the brain and a deeper dive into how memory works。 This is my first book hyper focused on memory， it was interesting to read about the different triggers to how and what we remember。 The examples given in the book were realistic and I often found myself thinking， "Yes， I've done this。。。"。 The reason for lower rating however， is due to how the material was presented。 I felt like I was reading a text book， which at times， made it harder Why We Remember gives readers some detail into the anatomy of the brain and a deeper dive into how memory works。 This is my first book hyper focused on memory， it was interesting to read about the different triggers to how and what we remember。 The examples given in the book were realistic and I often found myself thinking， "Yes， I've done this。。。"。 The reason for lower rating however， is due to how the material was presented。 I felt like I was reading a text book， which at times， made it harder to get through certain sections。 This personal feeling aside， I am walking away from this book knowing more about the power of memory and how it influences our daily lives。 Disclaimer: I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Monica
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Why We Remember is a well-researched， accessible explanation of how （and why） we form memories。 The author combines study results and personal anecdotes to discuss long-term and short-term memories， the catalysts for creating， storing， and retrieving memories — and how common factors like stress and intense emotion likely bias what we remember。In all， Why We Remember is a fascinating and deep dive into the brain and how it works。 Scientists learn more every year about how the brain processes inf Why We Remember is a well-researched， accessible explanation of how （and why） we form memories。 The author combines study results and personal anecdotes to discuss long-term and short-term memories， the catalysts for creating， storing， and retrieving memories — and how common factors like stress and intense emotion likely bias what we remember。In all， Why We Remember is a fascinating and deep dive into the brain and how it works。 Scientists learn more every year about how the brain processes information — and this book explains the current thinking about how we form memories and how those memories then form us。Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC。 。。。more
Allira
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Adam Grant rec
BethK
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