The Memory Illusion

Why You Might Not Be Who You Think You Are

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published Sept. 13, 2016 by Doubleday Canada.

ISBN:
978-0-385-68529-0
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5 stars (2 reviews)

Think you have a good memory? Think again. Memories are our most cherished possessions. We rely on them every day of our lives. They make us who we are. And yet the truth is they are far from being the accurate record of the past we like to think they are. True, we can all admit to having suffered occasional memory lapses, such as entering a room and immediately forgetting why, or suddenly being unable to recall the name of someone we've met dozens of times. But what if we have the potential for more profound errors of memory, even verging on outright fabrication and self-deception? Dr Julia Shaw uses the latest research to show the astonishing variety of ways in which our brains can indeed be led astray.

2 editions

Review of 'The memory illusion' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I listened to this audiobook, read by Siri Steinmo, at the right time – while I was back in the town I grew up in for a part of my medical “electives”. Growing up here wasn’t easy, at least not for me, but coming back there were many beautiful feelings and also a longing to go back in time. I guess it’s just bitter-sweet to remember the good things and dream what could have been or to see who we (probably) were and who we became. Memory was already something I discussed a lot with friends and siblings. It fascinates me how different memories can be and Dr. Shaw explains how those disparities come to be.

Combined with the interesting topic of medical errors the book opened up so many possible research questions too. How much of the presentation of a resident or intern to higher up doctors is actually …

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5 stars