MEMORY CRAFT

Based on research into memory methods used by ancient civilizations, this is a practical guide to applying the best memory techniques invented throughout history in everyday life.

In Memory Craft, Lynne has synthesised her research of thousands of years of memory techniques to create a step-by-step guide to help the reader improve their own memory. From Maori ancestral stories to Medieval European bestiaries; Tibetan mandalas and Congolese memory boards, Memory Craft is a fascinating, practical and accessible journey through memory techniques used for generations, by cultures from around the world. The book is clearly structured to build up from simpler techniques such as visual alphabets and counting systems, to more complicated methods like memory palaces and the use of portable memory devices. Throughout, Lynne outlines the neuroscience behind these methods, and shows that cultures all over the world have developed similar memory techniques because there are certain ways of memorising which are hardwired into our brains. She discusses using memory methods for language study and techniques for learning in general, as well as the role which memory training can play in delaying perhaps even preventing the onset of dementia. Lynne's writing style is personable and endearing, yet the immense amount of research and knowledge behind her work is evident. In order to familiarise the reader with each respective technique, she walks us through swathes of information she has memorised a timeline of events from pre-history to the current day, for example, built using the technique of memory palaces; the countries of the world memorised in order of population size; the lives of 130 historical figures, who she has adopted as her 'cultural ancestors'; a list of the 412 species of birds found in the Australian state of Victoria, memorised using a board covered with beads and shells. As Lynne readily admits, she doesn't know everything about these broad, expansive topics. But she has created memory structures on which she can build an ever-more intricate understanding over the rest of her life and she encourages her readers to do the same. Memory Craft is an accessible, inspirational and utterly fascinating guide to memory throughout human history. It is a rare insight into the best memory techniques created by our ancestors, and how we can use them practically in modern life. Lynne Kelly is the Australian senior memory champion for 2017 and 2018, a science writer and Honorary Research Associate at La Trobe University. Her research into traditional memory techniques and adapting them for modern use is recognised around the world as ground breaking.