Science Book Reviews

Memory and Emotion

…memory is absolutely critical for our existence as human beings…it is, without doubt, our most important possession, our most critical capacity. We are, after all, our memories. It is our memory that enables us to value everything else we possess.

Tracing the history of memory research from its birth over a century ago to our current understanding of the origins of emotions, memories, and learning, James McGaugh, a leader in the field of memory research for over twenty-five years, delivers the story in a manner difficult to forget.

Highlighting the crucial contribution of memory to our daily lives with simple analogies and amusing personal reflections, he tackles head-on the anatomical, behavioural, and biochemical underpinnings of memory and emotion in a clear, engaging and comprehensible way. Throughout the book the important principles are clearly illustrated with the aid diagrams and the text is heavily referenced for the benefit of those who want to explore the subject in greater depth.

There is an enormous, almost encyclopediac, amount of data summarised in this book, but McGaugh's easy style ensures that Memory and Emotion remains accessible and interesting throughout. But nor does it contain all the answers. Indeed quite what memories really are and how they are stored and recalled is still poorly understood.

On the whole this is a solid and enjoyable book that addresses our current understanding of how memories are made and the problems that have yet to be solved.