Most people wish they could have a better memory capacity.
Things will be easier if you have a better memory.
Taking exams and remembering names, for example.
The good news is:
You can improve your memory.
Those memory champions, they are regular guys, just like us.
But they do know how to improve their memory capacity using special techniques and routines.
So, here are the best memory improvement books recommended by memory champions.
See also: Best Brain Training Apps & Best Brain Supplements
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1. Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
You will learn the secrets of memory improvement with science journalist Joshua Foer as he takes you on a compelling journey in the U.S. Memory Championship.
Moonwalking with Einstein earned it’s title from a memory device because it is such a goofy image.
Foer explains that things that are weird or colorful are pretty much unforgettable.
His journey starts as a chronically forgetful science journalist and leads to a U.S. Memory Champion that will give you a vast exploration of the hidden impact of memory in your life.
You will discover memory techniques from the quirky subculture of competitive memorizers.
Additionally, the exploration extends deep into the lives and stories of individuals challenged by memory and how they overcame the challenge, such as a friendly man who overcame amnesia, a savant who claims to have memorized 9,000 books, and a high school teacher in the South Bronx who uses ancient memory techniques to give his students an edge in the State Regents exam.
Overall, you can enjoy the artful stories and scientific principles that show how memory is so effective and helpful.
- Explores cutting-edge scientific research of memory and understanding.
- Details the unique story of participants and the process of overcoming memory challenges in the U.S. Memory Championship and life.
- Shows how memory techniques work to improve not only your memory but your understanding.
2. Unlimited Memory: How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive by Kevin Horsley
You will learn how to harness memory strategies to be able to concentrate at will, anytime you want, to store and recall useful information, and increase your productivity.
Kevin Horsley broke a world memory record in 2013.
In his book, you will learn how to tap your concentration like the memory masters do so that you can focus and get more done.
This book really shows you all the tools, techniques, and strategies that you need to improve your memory.
Furthermore, Unlimited Memory teaches you the strategies to eliminate stress and distraction so that you can instantly recall important information for presentations, tests, and important projects.
You get simple methods that allow you to hammer down tough information or complex concepts for an easier long term and short term memory recall.
- Teaches memory methods to learn faster and be more productive.
- Shows how to master your attention so you can concentrate longer and stay focused in stressful situations.
- Gives a wide variety of strategies and techniques to remember important information.
3. The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas
You can uncover the hidden power of your mind through Harry Lorayne’s lock tight memory system and become more effective at work and play.
The Memory Book shows you easy to use techniques that will enable you to remember important phone numbers, figures, appointments, names, and foreign words.
Additionally, this book shows you how to speed read and learn with greater understanding so that you can shine in the classroom and workplace.
Harry Lorayne lays the foundation for memory devices that will teach you how to master your memory.
This book makes it easy to understand the techniques for mastering memory improvement so that you can shine in the study and social situations.
- Teaches how to release the hidden power of the mind with classic memory techniques.
- Shows you how to increase your reading speed and comprehension.
- Provides you with an informal history of memory techniques.
4. Super Memory – Super Student: How to Raise Your Grades in 30 Days by Harry Lorayne
Super Memory – Super Student gives you techniques that will help you in school to study and memorize for tests.
One of the methods this book teaches you is mnemonics. It improves your ability to work with studying vocabulary and terminology.
You will learn how to improve your memory with simple techniques that enable you to do better in class.
Harry Lorayne shows you memory devices in an easy to read format and he helps you understand how they strengthen your mind.
Overall, the book teaches you three main memory devices, link, peg, and substitute. You will find examples and explanations that help you understand how to use these techniques to improve your memory so that you get better school grades.
- Teaches and gives examples of three main memory systems, that help you get better grades.
- Teaches you new memory devices going from simple to very complex so that you can memorize anything fast.
- Engaging reading that shows you how to improve your memory with easy to use techniques.
5. The Einstein Factor: A Proven New Method for Increasing Your Intelligence by Win Wenger and Richard Poe
The Einstein Factor will show you techniques that will improve your mental performance in virtually all walks of life.
New research shows that superior intelligence may be the result of mental conditioning.
You can learn to condition your mind in the same way of famous thinkers and improve your intelligence.
You will learn to improve mental ability, including learning capacity, memory, quickness, and IQ.
Additionally, you can discover the life-changing benefits of increasing your intelligence, including how to solve problems like a genius, access subconscious genius, and build self-esteem.
Wenger and Poe have identified the tools that help you reach greater levels of insight, sharpness, and overall intelligence.
- Shows research how each person can achieve the superior results of famous thinkers with mental conditioning.
- Helps you learn how to increase your intelligence with Image Streaming to improve memory, read faster, and learn more quickly, and gain insight through visualization.
- Helps you bypass inhibitions and access the above normal abilities hidden in your own subconscious.
6. How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week: 50 Proven Ways to Enhance Your Memory Skills by Dominic O’Brien
Eight times World Memory Champion, Dominic O’Brien takes on a journey through his unique and effective program to memory enhancement.
Furthermore, you will learn how to pace the steps of memory enhancement with an understanding of how the brain responds to memory training.
You will learn memory techniques to improve your short-term and long-term memory ability.
The book is a complete course on memory enhancement that will take you step-by-step through the process of learning to have a brilliant memory.
Overall, How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week packs all sorts of tricks to short-term memory a snap.
There are fresh ideas to well-known techniques that make the books wholly enjoyable and worth re-reading.
- Teaches you techniques to memory enhancement in a planned approach based on the brain’s ability to increase memory.
- Provides a fresh and interesting approach to memory growth techniques.
- Gives you the exercise and tips you need to build a superior memory and enhance your learning ability.
7. Memory Improvement: How To Improve Your Memory In Just 30 Days by Ron White
Learn how to change the filing system of your brain to improve your comprehension and memory.
Memory Improvement helps you double and triple your memory comprehension with an ancient memory method that he has already taught to thousands.
This book shows you how to give presentations and speeches without notes, remember names and faces years later, memorize chapters of books word for word, enhance short-term and long-term memory.
Two-time USA Memory Champion Ron White teaches you practical ways to enhance your memory that show you immediate benefits.
You get a step-by-step guide to learning how to improve your memory that has worked for thousands at workshops, and throughout history.
- Teaches you how to improve your memory with memory techniques that have been used by thousands.
- Simple to read and easy to implement memory techniques on how to memorize anything.
- Offers a chapter a day program that teaches you memory exercises that encourage you with success.
8. Ageless Memory: The Memory Expert’s Prescription for a Razor-Sharp Mind by Harry Lorayne
You can learn how to keep your memory razor sharp as you age.
It’s not necessary to accept a poor or week memory or senior moments as inevitable.
Harry Lorayne shows you how to keep your memory capabilities.
You can put the learning activities in place the moment you open the book with exercises to recall names and faces, help you remember appointments, and overall regain the confidence of having an active and sharp mind.
Ageless Memory is the culmination of memory expert Harry Lorayne’s more than 40 years of teaching unique memory systems that help you attain a truly superpower memory.
Furthermore, you learn how to memorize long lists of items, long numbers, Bible verses, excel and cards and other games, and quotations.
As we age, memory and an active mind help us to enjoy a healthy diet and body.
This book gives you the exercises to put into practice to enjoy memory and awareness throughout the years.
- Teaches a foolproof system for you to sharpen your mind, improve focus and attain a superior memory.
- Gives exercise to improve your memory of anything you see and start using it right away.
- Provides techniques to give yourself a superior memory with a sharper mind for as long as you live.
9. Learn Like Einstein: Memorize More, Read Faster, Focus Better, and Master Anything with Ease by Peter Hollins
You learn to memorize more in less time to accelerate your learning, learn new skills and languages, soar through any material, and ace tests.
Learn Like Einstein teaches in specific techniques that you can act on as soon as you open the book.
You discover scientifically proven methods that Peter Hollins has studied for more than a dozen years to improve your learning and achieve more in record time.
Additionally, you learn how you best learn, by hearing, doing, music, or moving.
You learn how to pick up a new hobby or passion in just a few days versus months.
Overall, this book teaches you how to create the life you want by teaching you how to learn and rediscover life with a laser focus and clarity.
- Provides scientific methods to become an expert in any area of your choice.
- Shows how people learn best, by doing, reading, or hearing and how you can improve your best way to learn.
- You learn methods to double your learning and to enhance your focus and mental clarity.
10. Memory Rescue: Supercharge Your Brain, Reverse Memory Loss, and Remember What Matters Most by Daniel G. Amen
Learn how to restore brain function and prevent memory loss later in life with a multi-pronged approach including dietary changes, physical and mental exercises, and spiritual practices can improve your brain health.
Memory Rescue shows you how to keep your brain healthy and how to prevent memory-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
Based on more than twenty-five years of clinical experience treating thousands of brain-injured patients, Dr. Amen reveals an incredibly simple guide for preventing and possibly reversing memory loss and dementia.
Furthermore, you find powerfully therapeutic lifestyle choices to help you preserve memory and reduce potential decline.
Overall, this is an eloquent and enjoyable book to help you learn how with diet, exercise and spiritual practice how you can gear up your brain and mental function to enjoy life to the fullest.
- Gives you step-by-step instructions on how to improve your memory and overall health.
- Provides a protocol to renew your memory with a simple process that is based on research and effective.
- Teaches you to develop habits to improve your life by retaining memory function.
11. The Memory Bible: An Innovative Strategy for Keeping Your Brain Young by Gary Small
This book gives you clear and concise steps to keeping your brain youthful and energetic.
One of the world’s top memory experts, Gary Small, teaches you the innovative memory exercises that he developed at the UCLA Center for Aging.
The Memory Bible reveals how to immediately improve your memory with LOOK, SNAP, CONNECT.
Look to actively observe what you want to learn. Snap to create a vivid snapshot. Connect a visual link to the associated image.
Additionally, you learn a comprehensive program to brain health including memory-enhancing foods and a daily calendar to help you get started.
Overall this book gives you a program that teaches you how to improve your brain diet and it gives you a workbook and calendar of activities that help you keep your brain sharp and clear.
- Teaches you how to stop forgetfulness, most of it, with unique memory exercises and a brain fitness program.
- Offers easy to follow, clinically tested, steps for improving memory, reducing memory loss, and keeping the brain youthful.
- The fitness program includes a diet for a healthy brain with workbook exercises and a calendar.
12. Become a SuperLearner: Learn Speed Reading & Advanced Memorization by Jonathan Levi, Lev Goldentouch, and Anna Goldentouch
Learn how to hack your learning, reading, and memory skills with new skills that help you learn three times faster.
Become a SuperLearner shows you three major skills, speed reading, memory techniques, and how to develop the mental ability to deal with the flood of new information.
The skills you learn from this book help you with many aspects of daily life, including remembering phone numbers, learning new skills, remembering faces and names, and memorizing long lists.
You learn how to soak up and retain information in a unique and effective way that helps you accomplish more.
Levi, Goldentouch & Goldentouch show you how to push the limits of your brain with a journey through work at home exercises and techniques that show you how to store information and upgrade your mind.
- Shows you how to learn anything faster, easier, and more effectively.
- Teaches you to speed read, memory techniques for quick recall of information, and brain exercises to handle the new information.
- Provides you with advanced memory techniques to handle the additional information you will be able to recall.
13. You Can Have an Amazing Memory: Learn Life-Changing Techniques and Tips from the Memory Maestro by Dominic O’Brien
Learn the secrets of effective memory techniques and how they work with very clear examples that you can build and grow your memory.
You will learn to journey and link associative connections that enhance your memory and improve your ability to quickly recall anything you want.
O’Brien starts with very simplistic, yet effective memory tools, and gradually builds to more complex strategies that you can take advantage of to upgrade your memory.
Additionally, he gives you the training you need to enhance your memory in ways that change your life long term.
You’ll learn to recall anything faster and with more clarity.
The book gives you techniques that you can start using as soon as you open the book to enhance your memory to incredible levels from a lifelong renowned memory expert.
- Teaches you the secrets of a super-sharp memory.
- Gives you the tools and memory exercises for a life-changing memory improvement.
- Provides entertaining and engaging exercises that inspire learning how to change your memory.
14. The Memory Workbook: Breakthrough Techniques to Exercise Your Brain and Improve Your Memory by Douglas J. Mason and Michael L. Kohn
Discover a wide variety of fun and creative ways to improve your memory with exercises, puzzles, and games.
The Memory Workbook shows you how to stretch your memory muscles and maximize your receptiveness and focus from your senses.
You will learn how to use visual imagery to rehearse and focus on what is important to you so that you can deepen your memory and experience.
Additionally, Mason and Kohn include information about medications to help with memory disorders with resources for additional help.
Overall, this book helps you to have fun on the journey of learning how to build an astonishing memory.
It helps you understand the scientific reasons of how memory works and about the medications and resources that support a healthy brain and sharp memory.
- Gives you exercises, games and puzzles to improve your memory.
- Shows you the science how memory techniques work in the brain to improve your memory.
- This book teaches you how memory exercises work how to focus on deepening your memory.
15. The Magic of Accelerated Learning: Discover Strategies for Effective Learning, Improved Memorization, Sharpened Focus and Become An Expert In Any Skill You Want by Som Bathla
You will discover how to unlock the power of your brain to learn faster and make intelligent decisions with scientifically backed memory strategies.
This book shows you how to achieve your goals of learning faster, improving your memory, and how to become an expert in your field.
The Magic of Accelerated Learning shows you the science of how the brain function supports memory and how you can best manage your memory and learning.
Furthermore, this well-written book shows you research and science of how memory works in an engaging way that helps you take the steps to improving your memory.
Som Bathla shows you the learning styles that help to improve your memory.
He clears the myths about memory learning with resourceful information so that you can learn how to grow your memory.
- Shows you the science and advanced techniques to enhance your learning and memory.
- The book weeds out ineffective approaches to memory learning and it shows you how a learning variety can improve your mindset.
- Offers fun and exciting ways to accelerate your learning with games and challenges.
16. How to Remember Anything: The Proven Total Memory Retention System by Dean Vaughn
This book goes beyond drills and repetitions with a fun user-friendly system for taking control of your brain’s capacity and learning to remember anything at will.
You will discover how to tap into the power of sight and hearing to visualize and systematically learn ways to enhance your memory.
How to Remember Anything gives you engaging ways to remember names and faces, vocabulary terms, where you put things, important notes, appointments, and how to speak publicly without notes.
Additionally, Dean Vaughn teaches you how to learn with many examples and exercises that make it fun to see your memory learning progress.
The book gives you a total system for learning and building a personal system to easily remember anything.
- Gives you visualization exercises to learn and improve your memory.
- Great for students taking exams in that it teaches you how learning and memory work together.
- Provides engaging exercises to help you enhance your memory and remember anything faster and achieve more.
17. How to Remember Names and Faces the Easy Way by Ron White
This is the only name memory book written by a twice winner of the USA Memory Championship.
With the techniques in this book, Ron White has memorized 128 names in fifteen minutes.
This book shows you how to connect visual images in a five-step process to remember names and faces.
Additionally, you learn how to focus your brain immediately, how to recall names long-term, and how to take months off the learning curve to a better memory.
Overall, this is THE name memory book written by a memory champion with fun and easy ways to turn names into pictures so that you can remember more people and grow your friendships and business.
- Shows you how to create a picture that helps you remember names and faces.
- Gives methods for memorizing faster to achieve more.
- Includes pictures of 1,600 names to help you build memory faster.
18. The Memory Code: The Secrets of Stonehenge, Easter Island and Other Ancient Monuments by Lynne Kelly
You will unlock the secrets of ancient monuments as memory places to better help your understanding of increased memory.
Lynne Kelly reveals for the first time how memory places such as Easter Island and Stonehenge contain a powerful secret in memory technique.
The Memory Code opens the door to how you can use the techniques that gave the ancient peoples the ability to recite epic poems, name all the plants and animals across the landscape, name and memorize the stars in the sky, and repeat the history of the people.
Moreover, you learn how the ancient henges and monuments serve as the most effective memory system ever invented by humans.
This is a fascinating new interpretation of how unanswered aspects of archaeological discoveries actually serve as memory devices to help train your mind and grow memory.
- Reveals memory techniques from Aboriginal Australian song lines.
- Explains how powerful memory techniques were used by our ancestors and powerful indigenous people around the world.
- Shows how ancient memory techniques will help you memorize and learn more.
19. Better Memory Now: Memory Training Tips to Creatively Learn Anything Quickly by Luis Angel Echeverria
You discover memory training tips that helped catapult memory champion Luis Angel Echeverria from having memory problems in high school to becoming a Memory Master Champion with Team USA.
The book teaches you how to apply creative memory techniques that top memory athletes use to compete.
Better Memory Now shows you how to focus faster, and how to improve your memory overall so that you can remember all that you want.
Additionally, it not only teaches you how to remember names and faces, lists, places, and people, but it also gives you strategies for a positive mindset, and how to set up visualization to help improve your memory.
Offers an overall effective and easy to start memory program that has helped many compete in national memory championships.
- Gives you memory training tips to increase your focus and build memory faster.
- Teaches you how to visualize and grow your memory.
- Shows you ways to improve your study and learn more.
20. Unlock Your Amazing Memory: The Fun Guide That Shows Grades 5 to 8 How to Remember Better and Make School Easier by Brad Zupp
You learn how to get better grades, impress your teachers, and learn how to get new skills that make school easier and more fun.
Unlock Your Amazing Memory is packed with real-life examples that show you how to apply new memory techniques and learning strategies right away.
It is filled with tips and tools that will help you remember dates and events in history, spelling, and vocabulary, lists, groups of facts, math and science formulas, and state and world capitals to name just a few.
Brad Zupp makes this book easy to read and implement techniques that will motivate and help you get started with an amazing memory.
Overall, this book helps to learn a complete process for remembering that is engaging and helps make school and work easier.
- Shows you how to get better grades with an easy and fun to learn memory system.
- Contains real-life examples of how memory and learning works.
- Demystifies the process of memory learning by walking you from the beginning, through three unique steps of remembering, to help develop your own memory learning strategy.
Quick Question: What Is The Hardest Thing To Remember?
Names? Math formulas? Grocery list?
Or, maybe you want to share some memorization techniques or tips so other people may benefit from it.
Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below!
Papaya Care says
Hello Reza,
This is a great blog. Seniors have many memory related issues like dementia, Alzheimer and more. The books you have listed here are very helpful for them.
You can find here 10 Proven Methods to Improve Your Memory Power as You Age.
Reza says
Hi there,
Thanks for the comment, and what a nice article you got there.
Cheryl says
Here are the ones that stood out for me and reasons:
How to remember Names and faces the easy way: Based on your precise descriptions, this choice was easy for me. I’ve been having a pain recalling names just few minutes after being told and I hope this book gives me an insight.
The power foods for the brain: An effective 3-Step plan to protect your mind and strengthen your memory: This one will be helpful in planning my meals, since am giving focus to improving my memory, a well-balanced meal would be a great help!
Quantum Memory Power: Learn to improve your memory with the world Memory champion. I want to try this one to see the audio quality and impact it will have on me, considering the fact that my job doesn’t give me much freedom to sit and read, something to listen to while working is definitely appreciated.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Reza says
Hey Cheryl, I’m glad you find this post useful!
Caroline says
Thanks for your post – very useful to have these mini-reviews and highlights. I would be interested in having pointers to which of these books were particularly good on remembering large chunks of information. Memory champions seem to focus on remembering numbers, facts and sequences. I would like to remember the overall structure or plot of books as well as my own impressions of books as I read them, I’d like to read academic journal articles and retain some ideas on what they were about, without having to take notes. I notice that some people can do this, but for me it’s as if I never saw the article before.
Reza says
Hi Caroline,
Yes, I tried to make it easier for readers to scan the post by writing down the main points of the books.
And from my personal experience, to remember the structure and get the main ideas of a book, I usually read the table of contents (again) after I finish reading the book.
By reading the table of contents, I will review each chapter and force my brain to remember what was it all about.
I hope my experience helps you.
Toni says
Another book:
“Maximize your memory” from Ramón Campayo, speed memory world champion.
Reza says
Hi Toni,
Thank you for the suggestion!
Anthony Metivier says
Lovely list. I would only add The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci by Jonathan D. Spence and The Art of Memory by Frances Yates for some historical context. There are many delightful facts to memorize in both of those books. :)
Reza says
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely consider your suggestions!
Manning Rubin says
Dear Reza,
Thanks for including KEEP YOUR BRAIN ALIVE on your blog.
Several comments as you requested. Our book is not really about memory.
. It tells you how to keep your brain healthy, fit and flexible as you age.A better memory is only a part of it.
A healthy brain can meet any challenge like remembering a new name,learning something new or being creative in your work.
Our system of simple exercise called neurobics is scientifically based on three things:
1. Each of your senses has its own real estate in the brain with thousands of nerve pathways to and between them. Unless you consciously exercise all your senses the multitude of nerve pathways to your many dentrites become pot holed and cob webbed and difficult to handle the flow of information. The dentrites are your file cabinets for information. You need to be able to reach them to store or retrieve information. The book gives you almost 100 simple easy to use exercises to accomplish this.
2. Routines can be brain deadening since you use the same brain pathways over and over. Neurobic exercises help you break your routines and exercise all your nerve pathways.
3. The brain is primed evolutionarily to experience novelty. Neurobics encourages you to consciously try new things which activate/exercise nerve pathways you don’t normally use.
No other brain exercises approach brain fitness this way of creating the neurotrophins that help keep the brain alive.
Reza says
One of the authors has spoken!
Thank you for your comment, Manning!
Gema says
This recommendation has too many lists that ironically makes me need a good memory for each of the book speciality. Maybe it’ll be better to post the average rating and the price for each book so I personally can choose easier when I’d like to purchase one of it.
Anyway, nice description for the speciality of each book.
Reza says
Well, thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate it!