Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked up Moonwalking with Einstein out of a deeply personal need—one that many knowledge workers will relate to. At the peak of my career, managing large teams, I found it increasingly hard to remember the tasks I had committed to. After adopting the GTD system, I made peace with the idea that memory isn’t meant to store work—it’s meant to process it. Writing things down became essential. But when I took up playing bridge, I was told I had to remember suits bid and cards discarded—something that couldn’t be written down mid-play. That challenge led me to seek out books on memory, which brought me to Joshua Foer.
What I discovered went far beyond tips and tricks. The book skillfully blends neuroscience, history, psychology, and storytelling into a compelling narrative. I was particularly drawn to the work of Anders Ericsson, whose research answered my central question: how do bridge champions and memory athletes do what they do?
Though it’s not a step-by-step self-help manual, the book showcases practical techniques like chunking, memory palaces, and the value of deliberate practice. I realized I had been using chunking without ever knowing the term. I was also fascinated by Foer’s explanation of the “OK plateau”—the point at which most people stop improving unless they push themselves back into the cognitive phase.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its breadth. It explores the cultural shift from oral to written traditions in the pre-Gutenberg era, questions the future of memory in a world of externalized tech, explains how expertise and memory intertwine, and illustrates the enduring power of memory techniques.
Foer’s writing is accessible and entertaining. Even as he dives deep into neuroscience and history, the book remains light and vivid, filled with scenes, characters, and clever analogies. He begins as a novice in memory techniques and ends with personal triumph—but never oversells the art. Instead, he shares his journey with humility and insight.
One of the stories—about remembering a to-do list using mnemonic techniques—was downright ridiculous, though admittedly entertaining. A to-do list is a beast that changes shape faster than an amoeba. Trying to manage it through a memory palace? That’s a fast track to mental fatigue. You’ll spend more time updating your palace than getting things done.
Who should read this? Anyone in knowledge work. But truly, anyone curious about how their mind works will find value here. It’s entertaining for casual readers and rich with insight for serious learners.
This isn’t just a book about memory—it’s a book about human potential, learning limits, and the extraordinary capacity hiding in plain sight within us all.