Looking from memory improvement books to remember more of what you read? You’re in the right place.
Before jumping in the recommendations we have of books for memory improvement, there are some general guidelines which will help you improve your memory in the long run.
- Your mind is only as healthy as your body, so getting enough sleep and exercise is a very important factor.
- Engage your mind in activities that stimulate, challenge and teach you something new.
- Keep your stress in check! Besides being a mood killed, stress affects every part of your life in subtle ways.
Probably you’re more interested in memory improvement books that dive way deeper into the subject. Here are the best books for memory improvement which we recommend.
1. How to Remember Anything: The Proven Total Memory Retention System by Dean Vaughn
Dean Vaughn wrote very actionable books which break up memory improvement in ten steps. His method includes using visualization, homonyms and objects are some of the elements he uses to improve his retention.
“I suggest that you put this book down and look around the room. Look at all the locations, starting with 0 at the ceiling, then 1, 2, 3, and so on. Then look at them in reverse order. Last, look at each location randomly and think of the number assigned to it.”
Goodreads rating: 3.68
2. Practical Memory: A Simple Guide to Help You Remember More & Forget Less in Your Life by I.C. Robledo
Since technology is recording and remembering a lot of information daily for us, our brains chill out too much and start performing worse. The solution is simple – we need to exercise our memory! The book takes a look at people whose memory is very powerful, and comes up with a plan of action at the end.
“Observe what is at the ends of the row your car is on, and try to remember that.”
Goodreads rating: 3.47
3. The Brain Fog Fix: Reclaim Your Focus, Memory, and Joy in Just 3 Weeks by Dr. Mike Dow
As the title suggests, think of this book as a program you go into to improve your memory. Well, it doesn’t exactly improve your memory, but actually teaches you ways to improve your thinking and better your brainpower, which is a more efficient way of dealing with problems.
“We spend so much time “doing” that we have forgotten how important simply “being,” or “nondoing,” is for the brain. ”
Goodreads rating: 3.44
4. A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) by Barbara Oakley
I’m not going to lie, the first thing that attracted me to this book was the funny title. Besides that nice touch, the book is really good! You learn about some pitfalls of memory and how to avoid them. The only downside I have about it is that it focuses mostly on what the title says…math and science.
“Procrastination expert Rita Emmett explains: “The dread of doing a task uses up more time and energy than doing the task itself.”
Goodreads rating: 4.21
5. Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
The book is the story of the author’s life – a normal person, who seldom forgot where he parked or where he placed his key. Then he discovered memory training, and within a year, was the finalist of the US Memory Championship. Did you know that is a thing? I didn’t.
“Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it. You can exercise daily and eat healthily and live a long life, while experiencing a short one. If you spend your life sitting in a cubicle and passing papers, one day is bound to blend unmemorable into the next – and disappear. That’s why it’s so important to change routines regularly, and take vacations to exotic locales, and have as many new experiences as possible that can serve to anchor our memories. Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives.”
Goodreads rating: 3.87
5. Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi
This book is different than the rest on the list. It doesn’t preach a system or going into the subtle psychology involved in learning, but rather takes a physiological approach – the food you eat directly influences how your brain performs.
“It is this continuous exposure to food that makes diet the most important factor ever to affect our DNA.”
Goodreads rating: 3.91
I really hope these memory improvement books are of some value to you and your journey of remembering more of what you read and study.
While developing your mind is the greatest activity you can do, there is tech out there that is very useful in helping us remember stuff. With the tool we’ve created, Snippet, you can highlight anything around the web and save it in your account for later. What’s more, you can organize and share the snippets you’ve made, and even import your Kindle highlights. Totally free.
Do you have any other memory improvement books which you recommend? Leave a comment below and tell others about it 😀