Why We Remember

A radical reexamination of memory, by the pioneering neuroscientist and internationally-renowned memory researcher.

A radical reexamination of memory by pioneering neuroscientist and internationally-renowned memory researcher, Charan Ranganath. We talk about memory as a record of the past, but here’s a surprising twist: we aren’t supposed toremember everything. In fact, we’re designed to forget. Over the course of twenty-five years, CharanRanganath has studied the flawed, incomplete and purposefully inaccurate nature of memory to findthat our brains haven’t evolved to keep a comprehensive record of events, but to extract theinformation needed to guide our futures.Using fascinating case studies and testimonies, Why We Remember unveils the principles behind whatand why we forget and shines new light on the silent, pervasive influence of memory on how welearn, heal and make decisions. By examining the role that attention, intention, imagination andemotion play in the storing of memories, it provides a vital user’s guide to remembering what we holdmost dear.