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D. Draaisma
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The Nostalgia Factory: Memory, Time and Ageing Paperback – Illustrated, September 30, 2014

by Douwe Draaisma (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 41 ratings
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With a storyteller’s gift and a scientist’s insights, Draaisma celebrates the unique pleasures of the aging memory

You cannot call to mind the name of a man you have known for 30 years. You walk into a room and forget what you came for. What is the name of that famous film you’ve watched so many times? These are common experiences, and as we grow older we tend to worry about these lapses. Is our memory failing? Is it dementia? Douwe Draaisma, a renowned memory specialist, here focuses on memory in later life. Writing with eloquence and humor, he explains neurological phenomena without becoming lost in specialist terminology. His book is reminiscent of Oliver Sacks’s work, and not coincidentally this volume includes a long interview with Sacks, who speaks of his own memory changes as he entered his sixties. Draaisma moves smoothly from anecdote to research and back, weaving stories and science into a compelling description of the terrain of memory. He brings to light the “reminiscence effect,” just one of the unexpected pleasures of an aging memory. The author writes reassuringly about forgetfulness and satisfyingly dismantles the stubborn myth that mental gymnastics can improve memory. He presents a convincing case in favor of the aging mind and urges us to value the nostalgia that survives as recollection, appreciate the intangible nature of past events, and take pleasure in the consolation of razor-sharp reminiscing.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    September 30, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5.07 x 0.52 x 8.52 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0300205392
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0300205398
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Draaisma provides an entertaining discussion . . . in a lively style and he engages with topics of considerable social and psychological importance. He does not overburden the reader with experimental work and his use of varied sources is refreshing."—Alan Collins, Times Higher Education Supplement -- Alan Collins ― Times Higher Education Supplement Published On: 2013-12-12

“Full of intriguing information and touching interviews, The Nostalgia Factory may help you to hear Grandpa’s rambling war stories in a different way.”—Rita Carter, BBC Focus Magazine -- Rita Carter ― BBC Focus Magazine

"[A] witty and profound book"—William Palmer, The Oldie -- William Palmer ― The Oldie Published On: 2014-01-01

“For readers, the most welcome aspect of this book may be his heartening examples of the wisdom that comes with old age.”—Heller McAlpin, The Washington Post -- Heller McAlpin ― The Washington Post

About the Author

Douwe Draaisma is professor of history and theory of psychology, Heymans Chair, University of Groningen, and author of Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older. He lives in Groningen, The Netherlands.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press; Illustrated edition (September 30, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300205392
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300205398
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.07 x 0.52 x 8.52 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 41 ratings

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D. Draaisma

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
41 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Glad I acted on the recommendation to read The Nostalgia Factory
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
My sister recommended this book to me. What it isn't: a solid reference volume on the way memory is affected by age. There are studies cited, but The Nostalgia Factory itself is not terribly scientific. Neither is it a great volume on the material that IS covered; 144 pages of text with 18 of those given over to an interview with Oliver Sacks, an interview that feels like puff added to create a meager book out of what could have been a lengthy article. What it is: a warmly-written insight into the role memory plays as we age. I trust that translator Liz Waters captured Draaisma's voice well. Even after I further translate her British English to my humble Midwestern American English I enjoy the humor (humour, if you wish) and sincerity very much. The Nostalgia Factory added to my understanding of memory, a topic I've been researching extensively that past year or so, but the real value isn't in the information. It's in the presentation. The Nostalgia Factory is a good read, plain and simple. I'm glad Cheryl mentioned it to me.
11 people found this helpful
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Avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2015
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I love this book. It is not focused on neurology or technical aspects as so many recent books are. Nor does it fall off the other side of the stool, as do so many books. which contain directions and advice substantiated only by the authors opinion. The author weaves fascinating stories and examples backed up with current research. I was not familiar with most of the research cited, which I appreciated. Most current books are still citing examples like the Stanford student experiment which was conducted in 1971. I was beginning to think nothing of note had been done since that didn't involve fMRI's, scans and the like. This book is easy to read, fascinating and informative. I recommend it for anyone with interest in how memory works over the human life span.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Some interesting insights
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024
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A light overview of memory. I would like to see a little more insight into the physiology and neurology behind memory. A discussion of false memories would have been interesting.
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J. Decker
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant to Read Psychological Review of Memory
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2013
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The author grounds the discussion of memory in a series of well chosen anecdotes and reviews of findings in psychology. The book does a very good job of dispelling myths that are one often finds in self-help books and the media; describing the basis of these myths, and where they go too far.

I find the book to be reassuring, even as it admits that little can be done about waning abilities, and will especially recommend it to friends and family that are anxious about their own memory. There is no need to have a background in psychology to understand anything presented in the text.

I sometimes felt that there were too many examples used to make a point, but perhaps that is better than allowing for misinterpretation.
2 people found this helpful
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hanger on cliffs
5.0 out of 5 stars A huge relief
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2013
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Read it in one sitting. Made this senior feel that she was not losing her marbles because she remembers her 6th grade teacher's name better than that of her new neighbor.

Ok, it isn't heavyweight but is vastly reassuring. Get it for your mom when she gets a decade past eligibility for AARP. Maybe get it for her with a Kindle, so she can discover what a boon one is for arthritic hands
11 people found this helpful
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Eileen B. Kirkham
3.0 out of 5 stars Wasn't exactly what I was looking for...
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2014
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I love Dr. Draaisma's writing, but informationally , I was looking for answers to specific questions: what can we do to prepare for ageing and memory issues, how can we better our memories?
But well written, as always. I loved Disturbances of the Mind!
2 people found this helpful
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brucet
4.0 out of 5 stars Some fascinating data and interesting observations
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2014
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I enjoyed the writing and many of the observations had resonance. On the other hand it could have gone further in speculating about the varieties of experiences.
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AlG
5.0 out of 5 stars Memory in the healthy elderly.
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2013
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An excellent review of memory issues in the elderly. Written by a professional in a style that is easily understood. The nostalgia element is the tendency to remember things from your twenties and thirties, and less of events later in life, not because your memory is failing but because we are processed to have this peculiarity. Very well done.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Susan Stepney
4.0 out of 5 stars informative, reassuring, and enjoyable to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2019
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This is a fascinating account of several different effects of ageing on memory. It shows that this is not a simple deterioration of recall with age; there are multiple facets and effects. Each chapter looks at a facet in some detail.

Some of the problems with memory are nothing to do with age, it’s just that age exacerbates them. Playing up this worry of becoming forgetful, a whole ‘brain training’ industry has developed, selling us products to keep our brain fitter. There is little evidence that improving at the exercises has any impact on memory improvement, however. They may be exercising a different aspect of brain function, a different ‘mental muscle’. However, this is not a problem. Although memory does decline with age, this decline is not particularly severe, unless there is actual dementia involved.

One feature of ageing that some people experience is reminiscence, of old memories bubbling to the surface. This can be a joy, provided those memories are pleasant ones. What is surprising is not that the memories are old, but rather that they have returned after having being seemingly forgotten. Most memories are of earlier events, and later life seems to pass much more quickly, as fewer memories are formed. This may be due to a memory bias: it is easier to lay down memories of novel events, and later in life there are fewer first times or surprising experiences. This may also partly explain later memory decline: there is simply nothing new to remember!

Such reminiscing may lead to a form of homesickness. Some people suffer such severe homesickness when they move away from home that the only cure is to return; they may simply fade away and die of sadness if they don’t. Reminiscing can lead to nostalgia, a wistful desire to return to that fondly remembered past; such nostalgia may turn into severe homesickness, for the remembered past. And this homesickness cannot be cured, as return is not possible. I have fortunately never suffered from homesickness; we moved around a lot when I was young, and so I never gained a strong attachment to any one place. Hopefully I will also not suffer from past-sickness when I start to reminisce.
Overall I found this book very informative, reassuring, and enjoyable to read. Although I’m not sure how much of it I will remember…
5 people found this helpful
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BazColeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't remember ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
.. much about it except that it made me feel less worried about my memory failures as I approach 65 and to see my experience as normal, probably. For this reason alone it is worth 5 stars to me. There is not a lot of scientific depth but some illuminating examples. Worth a read if you are, like I was, beginning to worry about memory loss. This kind of worry can have a negative effect on memory anyway. I'm not sure whether this was specifically stated, but I now have the idea that if you can remember that you have forgotten something, like a name, for example, then this is no reason to worry about dementia. If you can't remember that you ever knew it, then this is more indicative, but you wouldn't know anyway unless someone tells you. If I couldn't remember that I bought this and Amazon says that I did, then there may be a problem, for example. I agree with another reviewer that it is perhaps a little insubstantial and that will depend upon what you hope to gain but, for the reason already stated, it is worth the 5 stars from my personal viewpoint.
3 people found this helpful
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Wembley
3.0 out of 5 stars OK but insubstantial
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2013
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Some good material, but not enough substance on the key concept (the reminiscence effect by which older people remember their early life) and some of the chapters are just padding. Needed a bit more somehow.
One person found this helpful
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David Harbud
4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting and helpful book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2014
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I bought this as a gift for my father who has been concerned about his deteriorating memory. He found it very readable, with a number of astute observations.
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M W.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2014
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heavy going at times, but fascinating
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