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Rating: 
Summary: Systematic method of improving thinking processes
Review: Having done cognitive psychology at university - I have an appreciation for how well Barry has done in communicating some very complicated processes and made them accessable in a practical applied form.
I think the fact that the book is simple and so well written may make some people think that the content is obvious. I especially enjoyed the chapters on attention, storing more memories, problem solving and creativity.
The ideas of how to experts in a field develop their skill was really helpful.
Thanks Barry, good book!
Rating:
Summary: An inspiration for everyone who has senior moments!
Review: I am 50-year-old woman with more than my fair share of trying to remember where I put my keys. Reading Dr. Gordon's book made me appreciate that I can use my IQ-type intelligence and 5 decades worth of living and learning to do what my working memory doesn't do so well anymore. The book also showed me how the stupid things I sometimes do are really the result of unconscious memory, self-defeatingly bad thought processes I use over and over again. The book addresses that challenge as well, telling us how to use conscious mental effort to wipe out these memories. Over all, I have been immensely helped by his suggestions about how stop worrying about my "memory for keys" and focus instead on improving my memory for productive thought. And, I thought the anecdotes and exercises were a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you need to stop forgetting
Review: If you've ever worried you were losing your memory, or perhaps your mind, this is the book for you. It talks about the kind of memory that's really important, which is not so much where you put your car keys as (for example) what keys are for, and the fact you can use a key to open a box as well as open a door. Some great tests of this kind of memory, which is key to creativity and to effective coping with the real world. A really fine and useful book for everybody.
Rating: 
Summary: At best common sense, at worst a poorly written piece of ...
Review: junk that serves no real purpose in improving your thought process. First of all, judging by this author's credentials he should have enough decency to stay out of the snake oil trade, but I guess my moral standards are a bit too high. In fact, here's a rule of thumb, whenever you see someone's degree next to his or her name on a book cover, STAY AWAY! This book is similar in it's hype and ridiculous claims to paul r. scheele's book on "photoreading." Every few pages the same nonsense is repeated and it keeps telling you that you can improve but page after page you read nothing but filler and stupid examples, you reach the end (and you can do this fast because there is little information impeding you) and realize you got nothing out of it, every line is common sense (in fact, some of it may actually be less useful to you than your own common sense). The exercises may amaze you with your stupidity but once you do them or see the answer they are no longer of any use to you-the author dubiously claims that when you've done one, and then a similar one you do better on the next one because you improved your "intelligent memory" if you buy that, you probably have a lot more of this type of book in your possession. In addition, they are one time things, you will never need the particular "technique" you used to solve one again in real life. After reading this book I realized that this "intelligent memory" concept is nothing more than a pile of incoherent pseudoscience and that the memory I would indeed like to improve is my ACTUAL memory, the one for keys and faces. When I ordered this book I had the high hope that what he meant by intelligent memory was working memory, to those of you who think that and are ordering it to improve your working memory, forget it! ZERO STARS
Rating:
Summary: A Memory Book for the Intelligent
Review: Unlinke many memory books that offer simplistic exercises to sharpen rote memory, Intelligent Memory goes to the nub of how the brain uses the information retrieval processes to create thought. I found this book to be a real comfort. As my car keys vanish more frequently and names get harder to fathom, I realize that my ability to see patterns is sharpened. I never before understood how this is a function of memory and how that ability could be enhanced. The puzzles in the book are great fun and used to make deeper points. All in all I found the book to be fascinating as well as a terrific read.
Rating:
Summary: A Memory Book for the Intelligent
Review: Unlinke many memory books that offer simplistic exercises to sharpen rote memory, Intelligent Memory goes to the nub of how the brain uses the information retrieval processes to create thought. I found this book to be a real comfort. As my car keys vanish more frequently and names get harder to fathom, I realize that my ability to see patterns is sharpened. I never before understood how this is a function of memory and how that ability could be enhanced. The puzzles in the book are great fun and used to make deeper points. All in all I found the book to be fascinating as well as a terrific read.
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