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In this informative and enjoyable book, John Seamon takes a unique approach to explaining the workings of memory: by exploring its depiction in movies. Seamon knows a lot about both memory and movies, and his attempts to link them are fascinating. You'll never look at memory or movies in quite the same way after reading this book. -- Daniel L. Schacter, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers What a great book! Readers will learn much about how memory works and also how movies portray issues of memory. While written for a general audience, it could easily be used in courses on cognitive psychology or human memory to make the material come alive in ways that textbooks too often do not. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in memory and/or movies -- and who isn't? -- Henry L. Roediger III, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis From As You Desire Me, through Rashomon, The Bourne Identity, and Memento, to Trance, memory and amnesia have been themes, and plot devices, in films. Sometimes movies get the science right, sometimes they don't (and sometimes it doesn't matter). In this book, John Seamon connects science to art in a way that advances both -- and suggests new themes and plots for future directors. -- John F. Kihlstrom, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor, Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies, University of California, Berkeley

About the Author

John Seamon is Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Professor of Neuroscience and Behavior at Wesleyan University.

Reviews

Readers who know little about the science of memory will learn a lot from this eminently readable book.... Those with some background in the science will be impressed at how cogently Seamon presents this information and illustrates it with film examples. Everyone, regardless of background, will be entertained and enlightened by his analysis of the treatment of memory in films and will probably find a few new films to add to their Netflix list.—The Manhattan Mercury

In clear, nontechnical prose, Seamon writes about how memory is portrayed in a number of movies, most of which are recent and likely familiar to most readers—Robert B. Faux, PsycCRITIQUES