100 books like Moonwalking with Einstein

By Joshua Foer,

Here are 100 books that Moonwalking with Einstein fans have personally recommended if you like Moonwalking with Einstein. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career

Stephen M. Kosslyn Author Of Active Learning Online: Five Principles that Make Online Courses Come Alive

From my list on the science of learning.

Why am I passionate about this?

Stephen M. Kosslyn has been immersed in the world of learning for decades. He is the founder of Active Learning Sciences, Inc., and is Chief Academic Officer of Foundry College. Kosslyn's research has focused on the nature of visual cognition, visual communication, and the science of learning; he has published 14 books and over 350 papers on these topics. He has received numerous honors, including the National Academy of Sciences Initiatives in Research Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, three honorary Doctorates, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Stephen's book list on the science of learning

Stephen M. Kosslyn Why did Stephen love this book?

This book is a creative and accurate description of how to use scientifically developed principles to help yourself learn effectively. The author vividly shows that he "eats his own dogfood" and reports his compelling personal experiences that buttress the science. Moreover, the book is well written and tightly organized. If you want to help yourself to learn more effectively, this is the first book I would consult.

By Scott Young,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ultralearning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

En un mundo en constante evolución, es imprescindible adquirir sin cesar nuevos conocimientos y habilidades en el trabajo y en cualquier aspecto de nuestra vida.

Ultralearning te descubrirá cómo aprender de una forma rápida y efectiva.

¿Quieres cambiar de trabajo o impulsar tu carrera? Ultralearning te ofrece la estrategia para dominar las habilidades que te permitirán ampliar tus horizontes profesionales.

¿Qué cosas siempre has querido hacer pero el miedo te lo ha impedido? ¿Te imaginas que finalmente pudieras hablar inglés, tocar la guitarra, dibujar, hablar en público o programar?

Con la estrategia correcta, puedes aprender rápidamente cualquier cosa y adquirir…


Book cover of Thinking, Fast and Slow

Gerard Pasterkamp Author Of Painted Science: The history of scientific discoveries, explorers and technological developments captured in painting

From my list on trying to explain basics in human behavior and decision making in a scientific manner.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a scientist in the field of medicine, and I like to read books that provide a surprising insight into our thinking and decision-making with a scientific basis. It is special how we think we are acting rationally while much of our action is influenced by the environment and news that comes our way. Some of the books in my list provide special insights that are refreshing and hold a mirror up to us.

Gerard's book list on trying to explain basics in human behavior and decision making in a scientific manner

Gerard Pasterkamp Why did Gerard love this book?

Based on scientific arguments, this book shows how strongly incorrect drives are stuck in our brains, causing us to think that we are making a logical decision, while this is not the case.

The best example I tell everybody: Look at your attic that you want to clean out. You empty your cupboards, and almost always, a large part goes back into the cupboard because it is a waste. But if you are offered the same stuff for free, you usually don't want it.

The message of this example: Your brain finds it difficult to get rid of something you have, and it is a non-rational reaction that occurs in our fixed brain.

By Daniel Kahneman,

Why should I read it?

40 authors picked Thinking, Fast and Slow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The phenomenal international bestseller - 2 million copies sold - that will change the way you make decisions

'A lifetime's worth of wisdom' Steven D. Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics
'There have been many good books on human rationality and irrationality, but only one masterpiece. That masterpiece is Thinking, Fast and Slow' Financial Times

Why is there more chance we'll believe something if it's in a bold type face? Why are judges more likely to deny parole before lunch? Why do we assume a good-looking person will be more competent? The answer lies in the two ways we make choices: fast,…


Book cover of Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

Mark William Roche Author Of Why Choose the Liberal Arts?

From my list on books for students about to enter college.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a graduate of Williams College and Princeton University and now a professor and former dean of arts and letters at the University of Notre Dame. As dean, I learned that too many of Notre Dame’s students were majoring in business. Invariably, when I asked them about their rationale, they would confess that their favorite courses were in the arts and sciences. They might have followed their passions, I thought, if they and their parents had a deeper sense of the value of a liberal arts education, so I wrote this book to answer their questions and give them justified confidence in the value of liberal arts courses.  

Mark's book list on books for students about to enter college

Mark William Roche Why did Mark love this book?

When I was an undergraduate, I prepared for exams by reviewing my notes and books. When I was a graduate student, I prepared for exams by thinking through possible questions and answering them in my head.

Which was the best strategy? Brown et al. make clear that self-testing is best.

Testing yourself involves active learning and effortful learning, which are far more likely to stick. The book draws on empirical research to help students (and adults) understand how best to learn.

By Peter Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Make It Stick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

To most of us, learning something "the hard way" implies wasted time and effort. Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors offer concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.

Memory plays a central role in our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as applying knowledge to problems never before encountered and drawing inferences from facts already known. New insights…


Book cover of Stikky Night Skies: Learn 6 Constellations, 4 Stars, A Planet, A Galaxy, And How To Navigate At Night

Stephen M. Kosslyn Author Of Active Learning Online: Five Principles that Make Online Courses Come Alive

From my list on the science of learning.

Why am I passionate about this?

Stephen M. Kosslyn has been immersed in the world of learning for decades. He is the founder of Active Learning Sciences, Inc., and is Chief Academic Officer of Foundry College. Kosslyn's research has focused on the nature of visual cognition, visual communication, and the science of learning; he has published 14 books and over 350 papers on these topics. He has received numerous honors, including the National Academy of Sciences Initiatives in Research Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, three honorary Doctorates, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Stephen's book list on the science of learning

Stephen M. Kosslyn Why did Stephen love this book?

I've bought this book at least a half-dozen times, giving it as a gift to friends who have kids in middle school or who are interested in how principles of learning can be applied in clever ways. This book is elegant in concept and design, and is one of a series of books Holt wrote that use similar applications of the science of learning to teach readers a set of interesting facts in a way that is almost effortless and a lot of fun.

By Laurence Holt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stikky Night Skies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Read this book if you want to.... surprise your friends . charm a date . delight your children . become an astronomy enthusiast . navigate in a survival situation . take your first steps to discovering our place in the universe. Stikky Night Skies uses a unique learning method to bring a fascinating topic to anyone with an hour to spare. We spent hundreds of hours with dozens of readers testing and refining it to be sure it will work for you.Includes a comprehensive Next Steps section with guides to the top 12 night sky objects, stargazing equipment, observatories, clubs,…


Book cover of How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week: 50 Proven Ways to Enhance Your Memory Skills

Raymond Keene Author Of Fifty Shades of Ray

From my list on to increase your creativity and sharpen your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a chess Grandmaster and former British and European gold medal winner. I have won tournaments in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Holland, Germany, and Cuba, where I met Fidel Castro. I have always been fascinated by the potential power of the human mind and how to activate it. Memory, Speed Reading, Mind Mapping, and Critical Thinking, all form a part of this intriguing matrix. 

Raymond's book list on to increase your creativity and sharpen your mind

Raymond Keene Why did Raymond love this book?

Dominic O'Brien won the inaugural World Memory Championship in 1991, which I organised jointly with Tony Buzan. Everyone needs memory power, from the youngest school kid to the most ancient of veterans. Without memory, you cannot come up with anything creative. Dominic has the ability to remember thousands of binary digits in half an hour or remember an entire park of cards in mere seconds. There is no one better than eight-times World Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien to guide you on the right path. 

By Dominic O'Brien,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Written by eight times World Memory Champion, Dominic O'Brien this book is a complete course in memory enhancement. Dominic takes you step-by-step through an ingenious programme of skills, introducing all his tried and tested techniques on which he has built his triumphant championship performances. Pacing the course in line with his expert understanding of how the brain responds to basic memory training, Dominic offers strategies and tips that will expand your mental capacities at a realistic but impressive rate.


Book cover of Use Your Head: How to Unleash the Power of Your Mind

Raymond Keene Author Of Fifty Shades of Ray

From my list on to increase your creativity and sharpen your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a chess Grandmaster and former British and European gold medal winner. I have won tournaments in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Holland, Germany, and Cuba, where I met Fidel Castro. I have always been fascinated by the potential power of the human mind and how to activate it. Memory, Speed Reading, Mind Mapping, and Critical Thinking, all form a part of this intriguing matrix. 

Raymond's book list on to increase your creativity and sharpen your mind

Raymond Keene Why did Raymond love this book?

Tony Buzan was a genius who discovered the secret of bringing out the innate genius in others. This all-round manual illustrates all aspects of Tony’s teachings which can transform your mental power in every aspect of your life. At university Tony realised that there was no handbook or operations manual for the human brain, so he decided to write it himself. This is it. 

By Tony Buzan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Use Your Head as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The chances are that we are only using about 1% of the power of our brain. Just imagine the amazing results if we could unlock just a fraction of the power of the remaining 99%. With this definitive, classic operations manual for the brain, you can discover how to revolutionise the way you think and learn, wake up your senses and unleash the hidden power of your mind.

With this book, you will learn how to:



Improve your problem-solving capabilities.
Become more creative in your approach to work and life.
Understand, retain and more readily recall information.
Improve your memory…


Book cover of Marking the Mind: A History of Memory

Michael Pickering Author Of Memory and the Management of Change: Repossessing the Past

From my list on memory, time, and history.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Loughborough University. I have written widely in the areas of social and cultural history, the sociology of art and culture, and media and communication studies. Recent projects have involved books on song and music in the workplace, popular culture, cultural studies, advertising and racism, and blackface minstrelsy. I co-wrote Media and the Management of Change with Emily Keightley, the last volume in a trilogy on media and memory and the interaction of memory and imagination.

Michael's book list on memory, time, and history

Michael Pickering Why did Michael love this book?

Focusing in the main on the psychology of memory, in this excellent book Kurt Danziger argues that conceptually memory has changed considerably over time, not least because of the shifting historical contexts in which it has been applied. The book covers such critical issues as different kinds of memory, memory and metaphor, the cultivation of memory, and memory and truth. Danziger’s contention throughout the book is that memory and remembering are ineluctably social, and any sound understanding of them needs to account for how various historical factors and cultural practices have shaped and helped constitute them. 

By Kurt Danziger,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Marking the Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Memory is one of the few psychological concepts with a truly ancient lineage. Presenting a history of the interrelated changes in memory tasks, memory technology and ideas about memory from antiquity to the late twentieth century, this book confronts psychology's 'short present' with its 'long past'. Kurt Danziger, one of the most influential historians of psychology of recent times, traces long-term continuities from ancient mnemonics and tools of inscription to modern memory experiments and computer storage. He explores historical discontinuities, showing how different kinds of memory became prominent at different times, and examines these changes in the context of specific…


Book cover of Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style

Judy Christie Author Of Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society

From my list on to help you write a terrific true story.

Why am I passionate about this?

From my days as editor of The Barret Banner in sixth grade, I wanted to find out about people and tell their stories. Through decades as a newspaper reporter and editor, I discovered again and again how much stories matter—and how fascinating in-depth research and interviews are. Everyone has a story, and capturing the voices of real people is important. Getting to know ordinary families whose lives were turned inside-out by an adoption scandal has been a great honor. Listen to someone’s story. You may be surprised what you learn. 

Judy's book list on to help you write a terrific true story

Judy Christie Why did Judy love this book?

Oh, boy! I came upon this book while seeking the answer to a basic style question, and, wow, am I glad I did. Dreyer, copy chief of Random House, knows his stuff and can help you learn yours, too, from word usage to punctuation. The book’s way more than that, though. You’ll feel like you’ve taken a lively college class in writing and wish you could have coffee with the professor. I’ve bought copies for several word-nerd friends — it’s humorous, too. 

By Benjamin Dreyer,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Dreyer's English as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'An utterly delightful book to read, Dreyer's English will stand among the classics on how to use the English language properly.' ELIZABETH STROUT

'A complete joy. For those who care about words - and for those who don't - Dreyer's English is the book we have all been waiting for. Wise, funny, no-nonsense, stylish and brilliantly practical.' RACHEL JOYCE
_____________
An indispensable, New York Times-bestselling guide to the craft of writing from Random House's long-time copy chief and one of Twitter's leading language gurus.

We all write, all the time: books, blogs, tweets, emails, emails, emails - and we all…


Book cover of The Medieval Craft of Memory: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures

Jamie Kreiner Author Of The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction

From my list on medieval brainiacs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a historian of the early Middle Ages. There are all sorts of unexpected differences and similarities between modern and medieval life, and things get especially interesting when it comes to thinking about thinking. Our understanding of how our minds work has obviously changed—and so have the ways that we actually use them. Medieval thinkers in Europe and the Mediterranean world struggled with concentration and memory and information overload, just like we do. But they were savvier in dealing with those problems, and these books invite you into the wonderful world of their cognitive practices. You’ll probably find yourself experimenting with many of these techniques along the way!

Jamie's book list on medieval brainiacs

Jamie Kreiner Why did Jamie love this book?

Carruthers and Ziolkowski pulled together several terrific texts (translated from Latin into English) to showcase medieval thinking about cognitive mechanisms and practices.

I love teaching with this book: the texts are succinct, charming, and sometimes very strange, and the introductions help you understand how the techniques actually work. Scholarship can pique our interest in medieval history, but it’s the primary sources that keep us coming back for more.    

By Mary Carruthers (editor), Jan M. Ziolkowski (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Medieval Craft of Memory as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In antiquity and the Middle Ages, memory was a craft, and certain actions and tools were thought to be necessary for its creation and recollection. Until now, however, many of the most important visual and textual sources on the topic have remained untranslated or otherwise difficult to consult. Mary Carruthers and Jan M. Ziolkowski bring together the texts and visual images from the twelfth through the fifteenth centuries that are central to an understanding of memory and memory technique. These sources are now made available for a wider audience of students of medieval and early modern history and culture and…


Book cover of Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies: Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture

Patrick Nunn Author Of The Edge of Memory: Ancient Stories, Oral Tradition and the Post-Glacial World

From my list on ancient oral traditions.

Why am I passionate about this?

Becoming immersed in oral cultures was a massive wake-up call for me! Taught to privilege the written over the spoken word, as most literate people are, it took me years of living in the Pacific Islands, travelling regularly to their remoter parts, to appreciate that people who could neither read nor write could retain huge amounts of information in their heads – and explain it effortlessly. We undervalue orality because we are literate, but that is an irrational prejudice. And as I have discovered from encounters with oral traditions throughout Australia and the Pacific, India, and northwest Europe, not only are oral traditions extensive but may be thousands of years old.

Patrick's book list on ancient oral traditions

Patrick Nunn Why did Patrick love this book?

I had been immersed in oral cultures for more than two decades when I read this book by Lynne Kelly and it was like a curtain being lifted for me. Suddenly I found affirmation that oral traditions indeed had meaning and purpose but – more than this – that they were supplemented in this by art, by dance and performance, by poetry and music. Lynne’s clever and readable book has had a lasting impact on me and the research questions I endeavor to answer. Everyone interested in human pasts should read it.

By Lynne Kelly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this book, Lynne Kelly explores the role of formal knowledge systems in small-scale oral cultures in both historic and archaeological contexts. In the first part, she examines knowledge systems within historically recorded oral cultures, showing how the link between power and the control of knowledge is established. Analyzing the material mnemonic devices used by documented oral cultures, she demonstrates how early societies maintained a vast corpus of pragmatic information concerning animal behavior, plant properties, navigation, astronomy, genealogies, laws and trade agreements, among other matters. In the second part Kelly turns to the archaeological record of three sites, Chaco Canyon,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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