Memory'S Ghost: The Nature Of Memory And The Strange Tale Of Mr. M

In an experiment that occurred some forty years ago, Henry M.'s memory was stolen from him during a highly controversial operation performed to cure his epilepsy. Henry has lived in the immediate present ever since, unable to connect a past moment with the next, incapable of retaining or recalling any physical or emotional experience.Philip J. Hilts -- one of the few people to spend time with Henry, who is sequestered in a hospital -- draws on Henry's bizarre situation as well as current cutting-edge research into the functions of the brain in a revealing investigation of-- How an individual's memory is constructed-- When and why memory fails-- The efficacy of mnemonic devices-- The validity of "recovered" memoriesPart poetic reflection and philosophical meditation, part popular science and investigative journalism, Memory's Ghost is an unforgettable journey into the mysteries of the human mind.