Present World Memory Champion title holder Dominic O’Brien’s newest book is entitled Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills. O’Brien has won the World Memory Championship six times over. For this reason, it is safe to say that he is very much credible to speak about the topic memory improvement.
Who does not want an extraordinary memory power? At one point or the other in a person’s life, there has been a yearning to acquire a certain power to excel through the aid of a good memory. There are so many things that need to be remembered from important dates to practical reminders of things to do. People want to have that power to instantly remember important details of life’s events.
While there are people who naturally possess such skills by birth, it is important to note that such skill may also be attained and learned (O’Brien 44). With enhanced memory skills producing improved storage, recall, and retention, life turns out to be even more rewarding, one’s knowledge progresses, and people are inspired to read and gain more insights (O’Brien 64). Consequently, their home and work lives are also benefited by their enhanced memory as their relationships greatly gets better (O’Brien 64).
O’Brien explains in depth how these things may be learned in the six chapters that comprise this book. Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills contains a concise history of memory beginning from the ancient times until the modern age (O’Brien 8). The book also explains how the memory mechanism in its chapter on The Memory Maze. Readers will learn how to enhance their memory by reading the chapter which talks about Enticing the Echoes. Further reading will lead to the discussion of learning memory skills in the chapter that deals with Memory with a Map. Practical memory techniques which may be applied in one’s daily activities are discussed in the fifth chapter about Memory in Action. Finally, gaining satisfaction through an improved memory may be discovered in the final chapter on The Memory Palace (O’Brien 140).
Holding the World Memory Championship title is no easy feat. O’Brien initially trained himself to improve his memory skills. His efforts resulted in a refined and strengthened brain power. O’Brien believes that significantly sharpening one’s memory is not an impossible thing to do (O’Brien 8).
A chapter is dedicated on the subject about discovering memory techniques. It covers visual pegs, journey method, mnemonics, Dominic system, story method, Mind maps, and Number-shape system (O’Brien 94). There are also five exercises specifically making a memory chain, The Memory house, The memory Forest ten-note keyboard, walking the walk, weaving a Narrative spell. A Mind Map is a material representation of data to be stored in one’s memory. It aids one in obtaining proper shape, on arbitrarily mounting knowledge, as for every thought and data (O’Brien 96).
There is also a chapter which talks about memory techniques for day to day activities. It comprises of Keeping a date, Making speeches, Matching faces and names, Memory games, Finding the right word, Reading and Retaining, Memory at school, Quick-fix Retrieval, and Speed Reading (O’Brien 110). In this chapter, there are seven exercises specifically Using a Mental Diary, What is in an name?, Crossword Heaven, Evaluate Assimilate remember, Clearing the sea-bed of Memory, Memorizing cards of chance, and Checking the sense (O’Brien 120).
The concluding chapter of the book talks about the imminent Memory (O’Brien 152). In this chapter, there is a discussion about the utilization of now developed Brainwaver 1 machine as well as further advancements of relatively more up to date techniques (O’Brien 155).
The first part of the book offers quite fascinating pieces of information for a reader who is simply curious about the subject of memory. The book contains a historical standpoint since the subject of memory techniques is not a novel creation. It also has an excellent section which speaks about the human brain.
To the readers for whom concepts of memory theory and learning are already common will be able to identify some of the standard facts for example, the structure of the brain as well as the left and right brain information (O’Brien 26). However, more up to date information about the brain waves, an important factor in O’Brien’s success, and patterns of sleep patterns also discussed in the book (O’Brien 32).
The chapter that teaches about the memory improvement builds an argument that memory can be developed (O’Brien 64). O’Brien underlines the guidelines as the power of the mind, relation, and position (O’Brien 65). According to O’Brien, memory is a form of art and that the development of the guidelines he presents combined with the art of focus, recall, and examination will enhance one’s memory without depending on any particular technique (O’Brien 68). Although the detailed memory techniques which may be quite daunting to readers who only have a fleeting interest in enhancing their memory appear at the later part of the book, a simple understanding of the first part can already offer valuable pieces of information (O’Brien 12).
Afterwards, it is time to move on to the specific techniques. O’Brien takes avoiding action to overwhelm his reader with complicated explanations of memory systems and thus gives just a sufficient amount of points of a broad range to significantly enhance his reader’s ability (O’Brien 49). It is refreshing to spot a professional memory book like this one which presents the Mind Map as a very useful tool to enhance memory (O’Brien 112). A book which takes no notice of it is actually losing an essential tool. A lot of these systems have practical applications on a daily basis. Furthermore, the concluding part of the book speaks about how on can rise above certain challenges commonly confronted by its readers such as recalling faces and names (O’Brien 88).
O’Brien’s latest book provides instructions about proper and effective techniques, established on descriptions and relations. It aids its readers in their preparation for remarkably enhanced storage, recall, and retention at the same time as it offers various simple techniques for assisting its readers in developing their memory skills.
Even though O’Brien’s previously authored books entitled How to Pass Exams and How to Develop a Perfect Memory are both filled with very useful information, these two books are not easy reads and are conceivably a bit very technical. In contrast, Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills is a lot different from the two. This book has a pleasant feel to the cover the moment it is taken a hold of. Moreover, one can swiftly browse through the pages and readily spot incitingly multicolored pages as well as loads of appropriate graphics and pictures done in good taste. Aside from having a pleasant physical appeal, the book also has substance. Coming up with a good book on the subject of memory improvement is a difficult task.
By and large, one will usually come across a book that is either overly theoretical consisting of lengthy scientific explanations about the structure of the human brain, or one that is very technical having dense and elaborate discussions about complex memory systems that though are written in the English language are nonetheless difficult to comprehend. O’Brien’s latest book skillfully balances the requirement of offering some background information on the human brain with some sensible suggestions on how one may be able to enhance his or her memory skills.
Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills contains several multicolored sketches and twenty-five exercises, which contributes in making the book both an enjoyable and appealing material. It proves to be a helpful book on the subject of memory improvement. It will benefit readers who want to discover the powers of their unexploited memories. It is a kind of book that may be enjoyed by readers of all sexes, classes, races, and ages.
On the whole, this book is a must read. Aside from the book’s look and feel that are in themselves interesting, Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills, offers a motivating approach and beneficial content regarding the subject matter. To those who are interested in enhancing their memory skills, this book is one of the best options they can find. Moreover, it is a good ides to recommend this book to other people who happen to share the same interest as O’Brien’s book is also a great gift to give.
Work Cited
O’Brien, Dominic. Learn to Remember, Transform Your Memory Skills. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 2001.