Joshua Foer » News http://joshuafoer.com Moonwalking with Einstein Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:45:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Moonwalking with Einstein named to year-end lists of New York Times, Amazon.com, Discover Magazine, O Magazine, among many others. http://joshuafoer.com/year-end-lists/ http://joshuafoer.com/year-end-lists/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:04:04 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=287 Newspapers and magazines have begun releasing their “Best of 2011″ lists, and Moonwalking with Einstein has already appeared on several of them:

Amazon.com Top 20 Best Books of 2011

Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year

O Magazine’s Top 5 Nonfiction books of 2011

Discover Magazine’s Best Science books of 2011

Amazon.ca Top 5 Best Nonfiction Books of 2011

Goodreads Choice Award Finalist Nonfiction

Marginal Revolution’s Best Nonfiction Books of 2011

British Psychological Society Best Psychology Books of the Year

Sunday Times Best Books of the Year

Globe and Mail Best of 2011

Boing Boing 2011 Gift Guide

Chapters Indigo Best Books of 2011

Books for a Better Life First Book Finalist

Men’s Journal 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2011

iTunes Top 10 Nonfiction Books of the Year

Gear Patrol 10 Great Reads of 2011

Salon.com Writers Choose Best Books of 2011

Washington Post 50 Best Nonfiction Books of 2011

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/year-end-lists/feed/ 0 Daniel Kahneman speaks about Moonwalking with Einstein at Google http://joshuafoer.com/daniel-kahneman-on-moonwalking-with-einstein/ http://joshuafoer.com/daniel-kahneman-on-moonwalking-with-einstein/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:26:18 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=284 Nobel laureate/personal hero Daniel Kahneman spoke about Moonwalking with Einstein during a recent talk at Google. Starting at 21:35:

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/daniel-kahneman-on-moonwalking-with-einstein/feed/ 0 Inside the Mind of Ben Pridmore http://joshuafoer.com/inside-the-mind-of-ben-pridmore/ http://joshuafoer.com/inside-the-mind-of-ben-pridmore/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:13:37 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=278 “I want to see movies of my dreams.”

Ever wonder what is going through the mind of a memory champ when he memorizes a deck of playing cards? This.

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/inside-the-mind-of-ben-pridmore/feed/ 0 Why Rick Perry should have studied Cicero’s De Oratore http://joshuafoer.com/rick-perry-should-have-studied-ciceros-de-oratore/ http://joshuafoer.com/rick-perry-should-have-studied-ciceros-de-oratore/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:15:28 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=272

If it had been Cicero up there on stage, part of his debate prep would have involved creating an image in his mind’s eye of the three departments he wanted to cut: maybe his favorite elementary school teacher standing behind a lemonade stand handing out wads of cash, while shooting lightning bolts out of her armpits. That wacky image would have reminded him he wants to cut education, commerce, and energy.

Writes Cicero: “Nor yet is anybody so dull-witted that habitual practice in this will not give him some assistance.”

I know of at least one US senator who still uses the Ciceronian techniques to deliver speeches from memory. I’m surprised more politicians don’t practice this sort of thing. I would think it would be hugely valuable in their line of work.

Somebody get Ricky Perry a copy of Moonwalking with Einstein!

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/rick-perry-should-have-studied-ciceros-de-oratore/feed/ 0 Moonwalking with Einstein a finalist for GoodReads Reader’s Choice Award http://joshuafoer.com/vote-for-moonwalking-with-einstein/ http://joshuafoer.com/vote-for-moonwalking-with-einstein/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:06:56 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=265 Moonwalking with Einstein is a finalist for the 2011 Goodread’s Choice Award in nonfiction. If you liked the book, please consider voting.

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/vote-for-moonwalking-with-einstein/feed/ 0 Josh builds a memory palace for the World Science Festival http://joshuafoer.com/world-science-festival/ http://joshuafoer.com/world-science-festival/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:48:06 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=256 The folks at the World Science Festival asked me to demonstrate a memory palace. Here’s the video:

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/world-science-festival/feed/ 0 Amazon names MWE one of 10 best books of the year so far http://joshuafoer.com/mwe-named-one-of-10-best-books-of-the-year-so-far/ http://joshuafoer.com/mwe-named-one-of-10-best-books-of-the-year-so-far/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:39:21 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=246 I’m honored that Amazon.com has named Moonwalking with Einstein one of the ten best books of the year so far, and #2 in nonfiction.

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/mwe-named-one-of-10-best-books-of-the-year-so-far/feed/ 0 Josh explains how to conquer the “OK Plateau” at Behance’s 99% Conference http://joshuafoer.com/conquering-the-ok-plateau/ http://joshuafoer.com/conquering-the-ok-plateau/#comments Sun, 08 May 2011 15:10:40 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=234 I gave a talk on Friday at Behance’s 99% Conference about how to get past the OK Plateau, that point we reach when we decide we’re good enough at a task, turn on autopilot, and stop improving.

Here’s the video:

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/conquering-the-ok-plateau/feed/ 0 Memorizing the Rime of the Ancient Mariner http://joshuafoer.com/memorizing-the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner/ http://joshuafoer.com/memorizing-the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner/#comments Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:40:00 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=231

On my recent visit to London, I got together with Tom Meltzer of the Guardian to try to memorize the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. He did quite a fine job. Better than I’d have done on my first try.

The Guardian also ran a very nice, thoughtful review of the book this past weekend, by Oliver Burkeman.

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/memorizing-the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner/feed/ 0 Ed Cooke on Moonwalking with Einstein at TEDx http://joshuafoer.com/ed-cooke-on-moonwalking-with-einstein-at-tedx/ http://joshuafoer.com/ed-cooke-on-moonwalking-with-einstein-at-tedx/#comments Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:32:04 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=228

Ed Cooke, who readers of Moonwalking with Einstein will know well, gave a talk at TEDx recently. Check it out. And if you’re not already a regular reader of his blog yet, may I recommend it?

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/ed-cooke-on-moonwalking-with-einstein-at-tedx/feed/ 0 Obscura Day is Here!! http://joshuafoer.com/obscura-day-is-here/ http://joshuafoer.com/obscura-day-is-here/#comments Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:11:38 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=223

Tomorrow, Saturday April 9th, is the second annual Obscura Day, a global celebration of wonder and curiosity organized by the Atlas Obscura, and sponsored by the good folks at Hendrick’s Gin. Read all about it in today’s New York Times.

I’ll be at the amazing Cushing Brain Collection in New Haven. Where will you be?

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/obscura-day-is-here/feed/ 0 Martha and Me http://joshuafoer.com/martha-and-me/ http://joshuafoer.com/martha-and-me/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:42:12 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=217 I appeared on the Martha Stewart Show last week to talk about Moonwalking with Einstein. Dinah was in the audience. Martha was wonderful. This is a picture I will treasure:

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/martha-and-me/feed/ 0 New York Times Reviews Moonwalking with Einstein http://joshuafoer.com/new-york-times-reviews-moonwalking-with-einstein/ http://joshuafoer.com/new-york-times-reviews-moonwalking-with-einstein/#comments Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:24:31 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=209 Michiko Kakutani gives Moonwalking with Einstein a very nice thumbs up in today’s New York Times.

]]> http://joshuafoer.com/new-york-times-reviews-moonwalking-with-einstein/feed/ 0 Stephen Colbert Wants to Take Me to Vegas http://joshuafoer.com/stephen-colbert-wants-to-take-me-to-vegas/ http://joshuafoer.com/stephen-colbert-wants-to-take-me-to-vegas/#comments Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:20:03 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=201
]]> http://joshuafoer.com/stephen-colbert-wants-to-take-me-to-vegas/feed/ 0 Moonwalking with Einstein in the NYT Magazine http://joshuafoer.com/moonwalking-with-einstein-in-the-nyt-magazine/ http://joshuafoer.com/moonwalking-with-einstein-in-the-nyt-magazine/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:49:03 +0000 admin http://joshuafoer.com/?p=197

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