Momentous events, vivid memories

the long version

What makes something unforgettable? How do we learn to share the significance of memories? David Pillemer's research, brought together in this graceful and readable book, extends the current study of narrative and specific memory. Drawing on a variety of evidence and methods - cognitive and developmental psychology, cross-cultural study, psychotherapy case studies, autobiographies and diaries - Pillemer elaborates on five themes: the function of memory; how children learn to construct and share personal memories; memory as a complex interactive system of image, emotion, and narrative; individual and group differences in memory function and performance; and, most compellingly, how unique events linger in memory and influence lives.