Pieces of Light: The new science of memory - Rilegato

Charles Fernyhough

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 184668448X ISBN 13: 9781846684487

Casa editrice: Profile Books, 2012

Riassunto

Shortlisted for the Royal Society Winton Prize 2013 and the 2013 Best Book of Ideas Prize.Memory is an essential part of who we are. But what are memories, and how are they created? A new consensus is emerging among cognitive scientists: rather than possessing a particular memory from our past, like a snapshot, we construct it anew each time we are called upon to remember. Remembering is an act of narrative as much as it is the product of a neurological process. Pieces of Light illuminates this theory through a collection of human stories, each illustrating a facet of memory's complex synergy of cognitive and neurological functions.Drawing on case studies, personal experience and the latest research, Charles Fernyhough delves into the memories of the very young and very old, and explores how amnesia and trauma can affect how we view the past. Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, Pieces of Light blends science and literature, the ordinary and the extraordinary, to illuminate the way we remember and forget.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

'Crisp and knowledgebale' -- Guardian

'An immense pleasure ... shines new light on the reader's own life' New Scientist

'In this enthralling tour of human memory, Charles Fernyhough himself a hybrid of science and poetry reveals the mysterious forces behind these stories that shape our lives.' Jonah Lehrer, bestselling author of 'Imagine: How Creativity Works'

'Fernyhough weaves literature and science to expose our rich, beautiful relationship with our past and future selves' Dr. David Eagleman, Neuroscientist and author of 'Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain'

'Combining the engaging style of a novelist with the rigour of a scientist, Charles Fernyhough has written an insightful and thought provoking meditation on the nature of memory and its implications for our everyday lives. 'Pieces of Light' will both linger in your memory and change the way you think about it.' Daniel L. Schacter, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of 'The Seven Sins of Memory'

'A beautifully written, absorbing read a fascinating journey through the latest science of memory' Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine

'Both playful and profound, a wonderfully memorable read' Douwe Draaisma, Professor of History of Psychology, University of Groningen and author of 'Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older'

'Exhilarating ... a compelling case' -- Times Literary Supplement

'A gifted writer' -- Financial Times

'Tells stories to explore the deepest nature of memory, and does it beautifully ... Fernyhough takes us on a captivating journey into the mind. And he does so with great style' -- Telegraph (*****)

'A fascinating snapshot of where our thinking stands on the subject' --Independent

Descrizione del libro:

Why we remember what we remember.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Profile Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2012
• ISBN 10: 184668448X
• ISBN 13: 9781846684487
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 352