Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

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Christopher1979
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Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 15th, 2019, 6:49 pm

I would like to broaden my knowledge on Mnemonics as I apply the principle to my own card stacks. I thought I would pass it by you all to see if any of you are into this type of work and if so, what would your recommendations be?..

Thank you!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Brad Henderson » June 15th, 2019, 7:08 pm

I just read a really great one. If I find where I put it, i’ll Share the title.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Q. Kumber » June 16th, 2019, 4:49 am

I've studied memory systems and read many books by many authors. For all practical purposes Harry Lorayne's are the easiest and clearest to understand, and in my opinion, the very best of them is How To Develop a Super Power Memory.

Not only does it teach all the methods he uses but it is crammed with useful stories and snippets of information.

A lesser known Harry Lorayne book that's well worth having is Secrets of Mind Power, even though it covers much of the same ground.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Matthew Field » June 16th, 2019, 6:04 am

Obviously, Juan Tamariz's 'Mnemonica.' Pit Hartling's 'In Order to Amaze.'

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Q. Kumber » June 16th, 2019, 8:24 am

I assumed Christopher was talking about mnemonics in general.

Apart from what's been mentioned by Matt, you should check out Mike Close's work on stacked decks.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 16th, 2019, 9:51 am

Thank you, guys. Yes, I was talking about mnemonics in general. I have most of the work written in magic books I was wondering what other books there are out there on the subject that you could recommend. I will delve deeper into Loraynes work though.... Thanks!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby DanZ » June 16th, 2019, 1:48 pm

To supplement those already suggested.

The Art of Memory by (Dame) Francis Yates. This covers the developments in mnemonics ancient Greece and the European renaissance.

The Craft of Medieval Memory by Mary Carruthers. This deals with the develpments between ancient Greece and the European renaissance.

Moon Walking with Einstein by Jonathon Foer. Foer's NY Times best seller is about both modern developments and the world of competitive mnemonics.

There is a vast and deep literature on the subject, practical, theoretical and historical. There is as well an even greater amount of crap. These three books are classics in their respective feilds though from very different perspectives.

Daniel Zuckerbrot

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby DanZ » June 16th, 2019, 2:35 pm

The Yate's and Carruther's books are historical and academic. Foer's book is both very readable and instructive. If you were only to read one, read that one.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby performer » June 16th, 2019, 3:00 pm

For memory work in general Harry Lorayne is easily the best source. I use his system for day for every date all the time. And he does devote quite a bit of space to systems of playing card memorisation. Also it is not generally known that Joe Riding was also a memory expert and has written some material devoted to the subject.

Oddly enough years and years ago I used to do a memory act although it wasn't me doing the memorising. The girl I worked with did the memorising and I did the talking. It was quite successful for a while. However she was also a lady wrestler and she got a contract to go to India to do some wrestling and I never saw her again. I tried to do the act on my own but it only lasted one show when I couldn't remember a bloody thing!

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Steve Mills » June 16th, 2019, 7:12 pm

I picked up one of Lorayne’s audio books for a recent trip. He was the reader and it was surprisingly effective. It was, I believe, his memory for old people book. I’m old and found it good. I think even you kids would find it worthwhile.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 16th, 2019, 10:29 pm

DanZ wrote:The Yate's and Carruther's books are historical and academic. Foer's book is both very readable and instructive. If you were only to read one, read that one.


Thank you so much Danz!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 16th, 2019, 10:31 pm

performer wrote:For memory work in general Harry Lorayne is easily the best source. I use his system for day for every date all the time. And he does devote quite a bit of space to systems of playing card memorisation. Also it is not generally known that Joe Riding was also a memory expert and has written some material devoted to the subject.

Oddly enough years and years ago I used to do a memory act although it wasn't me doing the memorising. The girl I worked with did the memorising and I did the talking. It was quite successful for a while. However she was also a lady wrestler and she got a contract to go to India to do some wrestling and I never saw her again. I tried to do the act on my own but it only lasted one show when I couldn't remember a bloody thing!


Hahaha!... you sure have many stories to tell Mark!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby performer » June 16th, 2019, 10:56 pm

You haven't heard the half of them...........................

I got the idea of the memory act from The Great Masoni and Shan. Shan would sit in the chair blindfolded and do the Giant Memory Test while Masoni would do the chattering and put the numbers on the blackboard with chalk.

An agent in Blackpool told me I could get more money if I did a double act with a girl in it so I mentioned the memory act to him. He suggested this young lady wrestler. She was very attractive and didn't look like a wrestler. I found the idea of a blackboard a bit of an obstacle and didn't want to bother carrying around with me. However, Walt Lees told me that he once did the act and you don't need a blackboard anyway. Just a pad and paper which you give an audience member to take care of and he or she writes the objects down.

It worked quite well and we did the Blackpool hotels for a while. Then she went to India and that was the end of that. I tried the act on my own but found I couldn't chatter and remember things at the same time. I was no Harry Lorayne and could only remember about 50% of the items so my memory career came to a rather ugly end I am afraid.
Last edited by performer on June 16th, 2019, 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 16th, 2019, 11:01 pm

DanZ wrote:To supplement those already suggested.

The Art of Memory by (Dame) Francis Yates. This covers the developments in mnemonics ancient Greece and the European renaissance.

The Craft of Medieval Memory by Mary Carruthers. This deals with the develpments between ancient Greece and the European renaissance.

Moon Walking with Einstein by Jonathon Foer. Foer's NY Times best seller is about both modern developments and the world of competitive mnemonics.

There is a vast and deep literature on the subject, practical, theoretical and historical. There is as well an even greater amount of crap. These three books are classics in their respective feilds though from very different perspectives.

Daniel Zuckerbrot



I am actually reading Moon Walking With Einstein right now and it is a wonderful book!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Edward Pungot » June 18th, 2019, 12:20 am

Lorayne makes a cameo in this old thread and other links and notes to Foyer's book.https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41492

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 18th, 2019, 10:03 am

Edward Pungot wrote:Lorayne makes a cameo in this old thread and other links and notes to Foyer's book.https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41492


Interesting read!... do you know what Lorayne titles concentrate just on memory work?

Many thanks
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Randy DiMarco » June 18th, 2019, 12:48 pm

Check out the Memory Arts book at Vanishing Inc

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic ... arts-book/

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby performer » June 18th, 2019, 3:26 pm

Christopher1979 wrote:
Edward Pungot wrote:Lorayne makes a cameo in this old thread and other links and notes to Foyer's book.https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41492


Interesting read!... do you know what Lorayne titles concentrate just on memory work?

Many thanks


A whole ton of them! I think the best one is "How to Develop a Super Power Memory"
Quite frankly I wouldn't bother with any other author although there are a few out there.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Joe Lyons » June 19th, 2019, 1:29 pm

And there's this.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby chetday » June 19th, 2019, 1:42 pm

And also, though not a book, this was just added to Netflix:

MEMORY GAMES
A glimpse into the brain's vast potential for memorization through the eyes of four competitive memory athletes as they share techniques and insights.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81105525

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 19th, 2019, 5:42 pm

chetday wrote:And also, though not a book, this was just added to Netflix:

MEMORY GAMES
A glimpse into the brain's vast potential for memorization through the eyes of four competitive memory athletes as they share techniques and insights.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81105525


Ooh thanks for the heads up, I will watch that tonight!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby magicfish » June 27th, 2019, 10:38 pm

The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne.

Hands down.

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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby Christopher1979 » June 28th, 2019, 1:44 pm

magicfish wrote:The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne.

Hands down.
Thank you!
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Re: Reviews on books regarding Mnemonics

Postby kid iowa » July 2nd, 2019, 7:24 pm

I use these sites for recommendations on books and techniques, there's some good stuff in there:

https://www.mnemonic-device.com/

https://artofmemory.com/


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