The book, Moonwalking With Einstein, is a brilliant work of non-fiction documenting one reporter’s journey of going from an average man with an average memory to competing in the USA Memory Championships. Along with this, it provides ample information about the nature of memory and various incredible examples, from the real-life inspiration for Rain Man and the man whose chapter is titled “The Most Forgetful Man in The World”.

It explores a surprisingly interesting and rich history of memory, from its from Roman rhetorics to its place in the modern school system. This by writing about this largely unexplored part of history, Foer gives the reader many completely new and interesting stories to enjoy, making reading this book a very fresh and exciting experience. The book also delves into the science of memory a completely alien field to most. Foer does an incredible job of explaining complex scientific concepts that makes it easy for the everyday person to understand, without compromising accuracy. This inclusion of the history and science of memory does an incredible job of accurately enlightening the reader on concepts they have likely never encountered before while keeping the reader entertained with Foer’s storytelling. 

As you may have guessed from the title, this book is a very humorous one. Foer’s use of comedic visual imagery as amusing and clever writing keeps the story entertaining and engrossing to the reader. I often found myself chuckling at some image Foer had conjured into my head, or smiling to myself as I flipped the page, absorbed in the book. 

Of course, despite the often humorous approach taken by Foer, at its core Moonwalking With Einstein, is a book about the capacity of the human mind. With his retelling of his own journey to competing at the USA Memory Championships, he shows that with enough devotion, the average human mind is capable of accomplishing incredible things. These feats are things that most of us could hardly imagine ourselves being able to do, and yet Foer proves that this notion is untrue. After reading this book, the reader is left with a sense of awe for the mind that most of us tend to take for granted. 

I would strongly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys laughing while being exposed to a fascinating topic that is often neglected. Both teens and adults will be able to appreciate this book for both the enlightenment and entertainment it brings. I assure you it is not an experience you will want to miss out on.