Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer is a book in the tradition of Oliver Sax -- popularizing brain science and psychology for the average person. It is also part memoir, following Foer for a year. Use these book club discussion questions on
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer to lead your book club into the topics Foer raises.
- Foer shares several anecdotes about memory -- from the chicken sexers to "the man who remembered too much" to the real "Rain Man." Which stories stuck out to you the most? Why?
- Did you enjoy how Foer's personal narrative about winning the Memory Championship was interspersed with stories from memory science or did you think the flow was too choppy?
- Did you try to implement any of the memory tactics in your own life?
- In what areas do you think you have a good memory? In what areas would you say you have a bad memory?
- As a book club, have your own memory contest. See who can memorize the most items on this list, in correct order, in one minute: a cookie jar, bed sheets, a bikini, brownies, Webster's Dictionary, 5 meatball subs, 3 tabby cats, Pluto, 6 lawnmowers, a DVD.
- Foer discusses overcoming "the OK Plateau," and how that is necessary to achieve greatness in any area. Is there an area of your life where you would like to apply the kind of practice necessary to overcome the OK plateau? How much of greatness do you think is natural ability and how much is hard work and practice?
- Do you think Daniel Tammet, "the Brainman," was actually a savant or do you think he was very good at applying memory techniques?
- Do you think there is value to memorizing fact, etc? What did you think of the discussion of modern education?
- Rate Moonwalking with Einstein on a scale of 1 to 5.
