My Book and Audio Reviews

Below you'll find reviews of the books and audio programs I've purchased that deal with improving your memory.

Your Memory:
How It Works & How to Improve It

Format: Softcover book, 288 pages. List price: $10.17.

I learned more from this resource than anything I've ever purchased about memory.

The author, Dr. Kenneth Higbee, is a university professor with decades of experience teaching memory improvement. To understand how memory works, you really don't need any other source than this one.

One of the amazing things about this book is all the questions about memory that Dr. Higbee answers. For instance, there is an entire chapter just on common myths about memory such as "Some people are stuck with bad memories" and "Remembering too much can clutter your mind".

Then, he goes on to answer questions many people have about memory, such as:

• How well does sleep-learning work?
• What is tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon?
• What are the measures of memory?
• What is short-term versus long-term memory?
• How do exceptional memories work?

That's just the beginning, too. The next several chapters of the book covers basic principles about learning such as meaningfulness, organization, association, and attention; effective study skills; and the different mnemonics memory tricks.

The remaining chapters explain the powerful mental filing techniques (memory systems). For each system, such as the journey method, peg method, and link method, Dr. Higbee explains how and when to use the method and whether it is effective. He also includes examples.

This book is much more scholarly than other memory improvement books. Dr. Higbee backs up every point with results from research studies. The scientific citations in this book make the book very credible and informative.

The only drawback is that since this book is so scholarly, it contains fewer examples and no practice pages compared to other memory books. For that reason, I recommend that in addition to this book, you also pick up "The Memory Book" by Harry Lorayne. That way, you will have a well-rounded understanding of how memory works plus detailed practice with the memory techniques.

Get Your Memory: What It Is and How to Improve It Here

Super Memory, Super Student:
How to Raise Your Grades in 30 Days

Format: Softcover book, 180 pages. List price $14.99.

Are you a student? If you have trouble remembering your class material or simply want learning to be easier, you must check out Super Memory, Super Student: How to Raise Your Grades in 30 Days by Harry Lorayne. This book takes memory skills like the link and peg methods and explains how you can use them to master classes like chemistry, biology, math, English, and even paleontology!

Lorayne was very unhappy with his memory as a child and was severely punished by his father when he made bad grades. As a result, he became highly motivated to find ways to better remember his school material.

The result? An entire stable of memory tools that any student like you can use and that are very effective. As Lorayne says in this book,

My memory systems will make your understanding deeper, your learning capacity larger, your joy of learning keener

This book will help you more than many similar books for one simple reason: Lorayne breaks down his memory techniques by school subject. In addition, he explains the memory skills in plain words. He also gives you many examples of the skills being used with every subject from Algebra to Vocabulary.

The book is filled with practice exercises, too, so you can really master the memory techniques until they become second nature. An absolute must-have book if you are a student who has trouble remembering your course work.

Don't believe me? Just read the reviews.

Get Super Memory, Super Student here

Memory Skills Made Easy: The Key to Success at Work, at School, and at Home

Format: Book & DVD, or downloadable E-Books & MP3's. List price: $37.

If you learn best with one-on-one instruction, my top recommendation is the Memory Skills Made Easy program created by high school teacher Jim Sarris.

Jim got fed up when he realized that his students were not remembering a lot of the information he was teaching them in class. So he created a wonderful book/dvd product on memory improvement with a one-year money back guarantee.

He sells both a version for kids and one for adults. In addition to a 60-page book chock-full of memory tips, you also get two bonus books. But my favorite part of the package are the audio lessons in which Jim himself explains the different memory skills.

I ordered the downloadable version from his website, so instead of hardcopy books and DVDs I received e-books (pdfs) and mp3s. I really like the fact I was able to transfer the mp3's to my SanDisk mp3 player and listen at my convenience. Anytime I need a refresher on the memory skills, I can listen to Jim explain them on my headphones or on my computer speakers.

This is perfect for me, because I tend to remember things better when I hear them in addition to reading them. (One principle about memory is that the more senses you use when learning something, the better you remember it - because you are creating multiple pathways in your brain for remembering instead of just the visual one.)

Anyway, I can't speak highly enough about Jim's program. The $37 price tag is probably a bit steep for some people. But if you think about the results you will get - being able to remember things much, much better - then you'll realize the course is worth ten times the price.

Get Memory Skills Made Easy here