This engaging volume for the general reader explores how individuals and societies remember, forget and commemorate events of the past. The collection of eight essays takes an interdisciplinary approach to address the relationships between individual experience and collective memory, with leading experts from the arts and sciences. We might expect scientists to be concerned with studying just the mental and physical processes involved in remembering, and humanities scholars to be interested in the products of memory, such as books, statues and music. This collection exposes the falseness of such a dichotomy, illustrating the insights into memory which can be gained by juxtaposing the complementary perspectives of specialists venturing beyond the normal boundaries of their disciplines. The authors come from backgrounds as diverse as psychoanalysis, creative writing, neuroscience, social history and medicine.

Memory is both a private, personal phenomenon and a collective interpretation of history by society. The concept of memory has long intrigued scientists, philosophers, and scholars alike. This fascinating volume explores some of the many ways that individuals and societies remember, forget, and commemorate events of the past. The collection of eight essays, representing some of the most engaging contemporary voices in the arts and sciences, takes a unique interdisciplinary approach to address the relationships between individual experience and collective memory. Many would expect scientists to be concerned with studying only the mental and physical processes involved in remembering; and humanities scholars to be interested in only the products of memory, such as literature, art, and music. Memory exposes the falseness of such a dichotomy by illustrating the insights into memory that can be gained by juxtaposing the complementary perspectives of specialists venturing past the normal boundaries of their disciplines. The authors represent fields as diverse as psychoanalysis, creative writing, neuroscience, social history, and medicine; but explore concepts beyond their areas of notoriety, providing textured, complete, and sometimes personal views of the meaning of memory. This thought-provoking and unusual collection will delight a wide variety of readers. Contributors : Richard Sennett, Catherine Hall, A. S. Byatt, Jack Goody, Juliet Mitchell, Barbara Wilson, Steven Rose, Terrence Sejnowski.