The Brain Book Know Your Own Mind And How To Use It By Edgar Thorpe -
The book you are referring to is actually titled " The Brain Book: Know Your Own Mind and How to Use It ," which is commonly associated with Peter Russell rather than Edgar Thorpe
2. Speed Reading and Comprehension
Unlike speed-reading charlatans who claim you can read 1,000 words per minute with full recall, Thorpe is honest. He teaches sub-vocalization reduction (silencing the voice in your head) and peripheral vision widening. He includes original reading passages with timers, allowing you to track your baseline and improve by 50-100 words per minute within two weeks. The book you are referring to is actually
- Cognitive biases (confirmation, availability, anchoring), heuristics.
- Simple frameworks for clearer choices (pros/cons, expected value, pre-mortem).
- Avoiding common errors under stress and time pressure.
By the final chapter, readers are left with a profound sense of agency. You learn that every thought, every habit, and every skill is a physical structure in your brain. And if those structures are physically real, they can be rebuilt, strengthened, or redesigned. By the final chapter, readers are left with
2. Memory and Retention A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the art of memory. Thorpe explores various mnemonic devices and explains why we forget. He differentiates between short-term and long-term memory, offering techniques to transfer information from one to the other. The methods presented are practical, ranging from association techniques to the method of "loci" (memory palace), making them accessible to students and professionals alike. By the final chapter
The book explains that memory is less about “storage space” and more about association. We remember things that are linked to vivid images, emotions, or familiar patterns.
