In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind Illustrated Edition, Kindle Edition
by Eric R. Kandel (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (449)
Edition: Illustrated
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“A stunning book.”—Oliver Sacks
Memory binds our mental life together. We are who we are in large part because of what we learn and remember. But how does the brain create memories? Nobel Prize winner Eric R. Kandel intertwines the intellectual history of the powerful new science of the mind—a combination of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and molecular biology—with his own personal quest to understand memory. A deft mixture of memoir and history, modern biology and behavior, In Search of Memory brings readers from Kandel's childhood in Nazi-occupied Vienna to the forefront of one of the great scientific endeavors of the twentieth century: the search for the biological basis of memory.
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From Australia
Paul Gordon-Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars BRAIN, MIND and BIOLOGY
Reviewed in Australia on 17 July 2025
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This is the book you need to read to easily understand the underpinnings of psychiatry and know how important biology in its simplest form is to explain mind and the foundation of our genes and DNA.
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Joaquin Cabrera
5.0 out of 5 stars The best
Reviewed in Australia on 15 September 2023
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One of my favorite titles in my personal library. A book that will walk you through Kandel's childhood in Nazi Germany, psychology, neuroscience and molecular biology. I love this book
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Zipi Neustadt
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended.
Reviewed in Australia on 26 April 2017
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Very interesting and a layman's path to understand the functioning of our brain. Highly recommended.
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Raghubir Singh Pirta
5.0 out of 5 stars Memories of fear and hatred!
Reviewed in India on 27 January 2020
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In Search of Memory is a wonderful journey with Eric Kandel. One learns about the trauma of nine years old child, who later explores how these traumatic memories are storedin the brain. And earns the Nobel Prize. The other issue before Kandel was to answer how does a most educated society gets infected by processes of Aryanization. For which he has only partial answer.
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Yoana
4.0 out of 5 stars The sending of books should be more careful
Reviewed in Mexico on 31 July 2019
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Dr. Kandel's work is fascinating, the shipping method was not the best, it arrived in an envelope that was broken in a corner to see the contents and therefore the edges of the book were slightly damaged
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Lars Komorowski
5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing
Reviewed in Germany on 30 March 2014
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Nobel laureate Eric Kandel attractively links his personal biography with the uncovering of the biological foundations of the human mind, in which he played a significant part. You get a feeling, albeit not a deep understanding, of the network of cellular and biochemical functions that make up memory. This is due, on the one hand, to the fact that the book is necessarily written in popular science to reach the target group, and on the other hand, because, despite the impressive progress of the last 70 years, many connections are still hidden. But the book is quite suitable to give the impression that the brain is capable of understanding and decipher its own complexity.
In addition to a variety of interesting scientific anectdotes, facts and procedures, the working method of the American science system is also being stimulated.
A side-aspect that greatly enriches the book and makes it a “pageturner” is the repeatedly indented depiction of childhood in Vienna, the emigration of the Jewish family to the USA during the time of Austria's connection to the German Reich, the special position of Jewish culture for Eric Kandel about his entire life and work and the bow into the 2000s, in which Eric Kandel tries to advance the historical reconstruction of Austrian responsibility for the rise and work of the National Socialists through his meanwhile outstanding position. The literature quoted by him, which take up this topic or present it with a contemporary novel narrative, but also the quotes of philosophical and psychiatric basic literature, are also well worth reading.
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Emil B
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about biology of mind
Reviewed in the United States on 15 November 2006
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This is an extraordinary book about neuroscience , physiology, molecular biology and neurobiology and also about people and history. I bought the book with the intention to satisfy my curiosity in the latest developments in the science of mind. I was ready to handle an experience of reading through dry, complex theories and do some hard work of extracting information that I can make sense with my limited knowledge. Surprisingly, the book has none of that; it is written so well, as if it is the transcript of an one on one conversation between friends, so captivating, so clear and so human. I could not let go of it, reading until small hours when reluctantly, I had to go to sleep so next day I could show up at work in a reasonable shape.
The book interweaves threads of science, personal life stories, career, friends, Jewish history, Nobel prize ceremony and biotechnology. The main story is about neuroscience, with emphasis on personal scientific work that culminated with Nobel prize award in 2000. The book can be divided in following sections: personal life, history of neuroscience and molecular biology, short term memory, long term memory, complex behavior and DNA, consciousness, mental illnesses, the experience of receiving Nobel prize, Austria and its relationship with Jewish community in the past and today and an insight analysis of trends in biotechnology from a business point of view.
The book is focused on the biology of short term and long term memory. Eric does an excellent job explaining the evolution of neuroscience up to the point when he started his career, so the reader has a good understanding of contemporary issues and of the formation of neurobiology. I liked a lot the fact that Eric Kandel kept the level of detail in balance and put the explanations in the perspective of human evolution. I loved how he classifies the mechanisms of learning as being either Kantian or Lockean: we are a combination of genetics and learned life experience. It is this philosophical approach that is constantly felt through the whole book that gave me a sense of direction and purpose of his work. His logic is very neutral (objective), in the sense that he refers to our mind as the result of an evolution based on laws of physics, chemistry and genetics. This is a stark contrast with the approach of psychoanalysts during most part of the 20th century that puts so much emphasis on personal interpretation based on patient confessions that transcends biological reality . This is another aspect of the book that astounded me: despite the fact that he is so methodical about deciphering the way the mind works using a reductionist approach, thus implying that mind is a complex and large collection of simple neuronal structures, he is so human when he talks about his family and friends. He talks a great deal in an emotional way (happy, sad or humorous) about his friends, mentors, colleagues and students. His emotions, infinitely more complex than any of Aplysia's rituals, in a way, are a reminder of the huge work that still needs to be done until we will understand how our neurons can create such sophisticated behavior.
The book talks in great detail about the structure and functions of neurons, with lots of details about how electrical and chemical signals work at the synaptic level. Eric Kandel did a great job describing the molecular and ionic hypothesis, signaling, protein manufacturing, genetics and their role in memory. However, I thought that it helped me a lot my prior understanding of how genes expression works, because the book does not provide much assistance in that area. This is especially important for readers who are more interested in aspects of long term memory and complex human behavior.
I found fascinating the section dedicated to consciousness. As usual, Eric takes the reader through the history of genetics and then spending more pages on the work of Francis Crick and Christof Koch and current developments.
Eric closes his book with a personal analysis of the current state of the science of mind, what is next and his sharing with the readers of how one should plan a career in general, based on his personal experience. Excellent book!
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Jean-Paul Azam
5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Never Forget it
Reviewed in France on 23 March 2016
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Erik Kandel won the Nobel Prize for his path-breaking work on the cerebral mechanisms that produce memory. In this popular science book, he offers an illuminating description of his own research spanning several decades in relation to the general advancement of the topic. He knows how to use simple pictures to convey the key points and the reader learns painlessly quite a lot about his own brain and how his own mind functions. Moreover, Kandel blends his own memories with his narrative, from his beloved Vienna that his family had to leave when the Nazis took over, to New York, where he spent the rest of his life.
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Silvia
5.0 out of 5 stars imposing
Reviewed in Italy on 22 August 2013
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One of the best books I've ever read, just great. The life story of a scientist is told by introducing the most important neuroscience concepts of recent decades, also excellent for reviewing many concepts of biology, explained with extreme clarity and precision.
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Gabriel Paiva da Silva Lima
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnanimous
Reviewed in Brazil on 11 June 2014
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For those who are interested in and like neuroscience.
The book contains part of the life biography of one of the greatest neuroscientists of our time and his fascination with what makes us human: the mind and, more specifically, memory. In it, Kandel first describes the intellectual environment of Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century and the conflicts that marked his life trajectory. Throughout the plot, he describes his experiments in favor of a science of the mind until, finally, he arrives at experiments on memory fixation and its relationship with notions of space. Finally, a must read for those who are interested or work in areas such as neurology, neuroscience, neuropsychology, psychoanalysis, psychiatry.
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Ron Wates
5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging mix of factual knowledge and reminiscence
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 February 2011
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This is one of the most interesting books that I've read in recent times. In a sense, it does what it says on the tin. It describes, with authority, the early stages in the development of neuroscience. However, it does much more than that.
I think its attractiveness lies in the way it successfully merges approaches which are, by their nature, difficult to combine. For instance, the author combines a description of Freudian psychoanalysis with a 'hard-headed' view of deterministic science; he combines reminiscences of his childhood in Nazi Austria with his Nobel-winning knowledge of neuroscience.
I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to gain a sound understanding of the ideas and developments of neuroscience. This is delivered with a feeling of the excitement of being closely involved with the advances in the science and also a knowledge of the people who were involved.
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Amazon カスタマー
5.0 out of 5 stars I would like you to read by the first grader of the Faculty of Medicine.
Reviewed in Japan on 13 April 2019
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The paper quality was poor, but the content was very interesting.I would like students who start biology to read it.
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Julie De Merchant
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent scientific read
Reviewed in Canada on 11 March 2019
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Very informative and detailed account of a life's work in memory research. A interesting scientific book, well written.
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5.0 out of 5 stars easy to read
Reviewed in Japan on 20 April 2013
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The book is the autobiography and workbook of Dr. Eric Kandel who is the author of Principles of Neural Science.
Although it is a kindle version, it is originally written in very plain English, so you can read Thurasla.It is easy to read like an example.I think it is also the best way to review the historical aspects of neuroscience.
This price was bargain with this fulfillment level.You can feel the depth of the US e-book industry.
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biagio palese
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything is perfect
Reviewed in Italy on 11 November 2013
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no damage everything arrived on time, great packaging and text in perfect condition.. no negative point really great purchase I recommend it to everyone
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A. Menon
5.0 out of 5 stars Immensely readable discussion of memory following the authors personal history
Reviewed in the United States on 7 May 2012
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I bought this book when it was first published but for some reason got distracted while reading it the first time and put it down. Luckily i recently decided to pick it up again- the book is fantastic. In search of Memory is a mixture of autobiography and science. The author constructs the book around his own history and his own motivation both for study of memory. The book is split into 6 sections with the first and last focused on personal history and the middle four focused on the author's work. All is engaging and readible and highly recommended, I will give a brief overview of the sections.
In the first section the author describes his childhood in Vienna with the Nazi invasion and the persecution he and his family faced- he describes the hardships faced and the journey taken to go to the US. In this section the stage is set to pose the questions about how memory works. In particular, how memories can be so clear so far from the date of experience in certain situations and where this permanence is formed and stored is pondered. Though few can empathize with the author's experience all can sympathize with the questions about the basis for memory.
The author works chronologically and goes through his early history working with biological and neurological questions. Practical neuroscience and biological problems are considered and so is the authors journey that took him to study the right system to consider memory. The author throughout the book makes it a point to argue that finding the right simple system to analyze that can give broader implication is at the heart of putting oneself in a position to make progress. The author settled on the sea slug Aplysia. So too are discussed were the experience of the author in first monitoring of action potentials in the squid nervous system. A creature with nerve cells relatively easy to monitor.
The author moves onto trying to monitor change in the nervous system after becoming comfortable with the Aplysia's biology. Reflex behaviour is studied and the monitoring of nerve cells is examined when presented with various stimulus. The chemical reactions that take place within the cell and the neurotransmitters that are associated are discussed and in particular the mechanics of short term memory adaptation and implication to behaviour are discussed in detail through the results of experiments done. The author continues on to pose questions about long term memory and how short term and long term though different, must be associated somehow. The mechanics for this are not understood but insight is provided by the author and the subject matter is fascinating.
The author continues in complexity and starts to discuss things like perception and spacial awareness. Spacial awareness is definitely an arena to explore how memory works given our spacial awareness and that of most creatures is a function of nature in initial architecture as well as environment which determines how the memory implicit in a mental map is formed. This process is being explored in current science and the idea of paying attention is also discussed.
The author moves on to modern biomedical progress and how understanding memory processes in mice has provided a means to develop insight and treatment into memory related diseases. The author discusses how biology is an incredibly important part for the future of psychiatry. In particular the rigour of science should be applied to psychiatry to get an objective measure of results. Interaction of people is shown to be very important for developement and treatment is not chemistry when it comes to social disorders and mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia. The author also walks through some of his thoughts on the collaboration of the private and public sector in the field of pharmaceuticals.
The author concludes with his receiving of the Nobel prize. It is a return to the autobiographical aspect of the book and the author describes how he revisited Vienna and some of the discourse engaged in while there. It is a reasonable end to an otherwise fascinating and informative book.
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sohamdoshi
5.0 out of 5 stars 10 star.Must Read.Bible.
Reviewed in India on 1 June 2019
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Simple language.well classified in chapters and headlines within chapters.photos r there.writen by noble prize winner neuro scientist,so u can get the feel of clarity of mind and neurology explained from basics to present day.it is not just about memory,whole functioning of nervous system is explained.there r many noble winner scientists but kandel is special becasuse he has written this book which can be read by common man.
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Zivot Phoenix
5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanted!
Reviewed in Canada on 9 November 2013
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I am still reading the book, but I am already sue it is worth my time and the money I paid for it. The author generously share a piece of his autobiography to contextualize the science. I am talking about the book and will buy a hard copy to give as a gift.
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Carl Abensperg-Traun
5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific findings on the brain and its secrets
Reviewed in Germany on 12 November 2024
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Kandel never disappoints
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EV
5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasure and an education.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 July 2007
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The combination of autobiography and science makes it unique. The author acts as an enthusiastic guide to a fascinating area of scientific research. Perhaps there are too many reminiscences about Kandel's colleagues but this adds to the humanity of the story. In no way does it resemble a textbook but this book taught me more about the biology of the brain than any other. I wish I had read it when I was considering university options.
10 people found this helpful
Joel Medici
5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch research
Reviewed in Brazil on 14 December 2020
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EXCEPTIONAL
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キミチョゲ
5.0 out of 5 stars A sample of concise and logical sentences.
Reviewed in Japan on 16 January 2014
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The autobiography of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Science scientist who revealed the mechanisms of memory, especially the mechanisms of short-term and long-term memory using amphrasic.It's a great book, like a simple and logical example.
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Renjith Viswanathan
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in India on 9 June 2020
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Well written
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Richard B. Schwartz
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book
Reviewed in the United States on 15 February 2014
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This is a wonderful book, but it is actually two books in one. It is the autobiography of a Nobel laureate and, along the way, a history of modern studies of the brain and memory. Kandel and his family escape Nazi Vienna and come to New York. He studies medicine, intending to be a psychoanalyst, but then discovers the new science of the mind—molecular biology, neuroscience and cognitive psychology. He makes brilliant strides through the in-depth study of a particular creature, Aplysia, a large sea snail. As his new life unfolds in the United States (principally at Columbia), so does the study of the brain and the two become inextricably linked.
Initially studying the humanities, Kandel is, like most wise people, broadly educated. One of the ongoing themes of In Search of Memory is the manner in which dry neuroscience anticipates and reinforces wet neuroscience. Humor theory in antiquity and the renaissance . . . the empiricism of the British philosophers . . . the Kantian ‘categories’ . . . the hypothetical, abstract constructs of Freud . . . all find some degree of confirmation in the discoveries and tentative conclusions of laboratory scientists in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The writing is very lucid and even when the story becomes increasingly complex, with the discovery of additional neurotransmitters and electro/chemical processes, non-scientific readers are able to follow the exposition and line of argument.
The book also looks to the future, with the daunting challenges of understanding consciousness and the teasing possibilities of integrating neuroscience with such fields as sociology.
Kandel is likable, engaging, and courageous, as when he presses contemporary Austrians to come to terms with their complicity in National Socialism and the holocaust. He is a cultured man, complementing his knowledge of science with his love of the arts and music. He is also a generous man, sharing the limelight with collaborators and colleagues. In some passages his autobiography constitutes an examination of the sociology, economy and ethos of those who do serious science.
If you are interested in following the life of a very interesting man as well as following the course of modern neuroscience, this would be an ideal place to start. It is also rich in its illustrations and it includes a 20+ page glossary which is very, very helpful.
Highly recommended.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Both an informative history of the 20th century and all ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2017
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Both an informative history of the 20th century and all the history behind the science of memory. Really well written .
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Carolina Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Super motivating story for young neuroscientists
Reviewed in Germany on 4 August 2016
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The book is also the biography of E. Kandel and a history of neuroscience. It is fascinating and definitely motivating for neuroscientists, but also for those who are curious about the secrets of the brain.
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Dr. Bruno Widmann
4.0 out of 5 stars In Search of Memory, Eric R. Kandel
Reviewed in Germany on 1 June 2014
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It can certainly be qualified as a building stone within the scope of neurosciences, psychology and possibly psychotherapy.
New basic reliable aspects of logic considerations.
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Sue Ibrahim
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a book which blends autobiography and science beautifully. The autobiographical parts are fascinating in themselves
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 October 2014
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This is a book which blends autobiography and science beautifully. The autobiographical parts are fascinating in themselves, but the development of the new science of mind is obviously the key aspect of the book and this is made as accessible as possible (though still quite complex for the lay reader). I found the later chapters a little disappointing as the momentum of the developments seems to tail off and it becomes more hypothetical about what could be achieved, but overall it is well worth reading if you want to understand more about the workings of the mind without doing a high-level academic study of the subject.
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3.0 out of 5 stars Flimsy binding and poor quality paper
Reviewed in India on 11 September 2017
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The rating is not for the content but the physical form of the book. Flimsy binding and poor quality paper. The content will always receive 5 starts from me. Most recommended read for anyone who is trying to get a sense of history of scientific research in the field of memory.
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A M
4.0 out of 5 stars A combination of autobiography and neural biology
Reviewed in the United States on 1 April 2025
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The book is a mix of an autobiography, a clear and enjoyable survey of molecular neural biology, and ideas about science, the mind, and consciousness.
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Gabriele Bohn
5.0 out of 5 stars A book worth reading in the age of scientific change
Reviewed in Germany on 23 April 2013
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It was very exciting to read and brought the not always simple matter to the reader very understandable and entertaining. For those who are interested in the functioning of the brain and the collaboration of scientists in American institutions.
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J. Owen
5.0 out of 5 stars Read, Learn, and Remember
Reviewed in the United States on 4 August 2009
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In Search of Memory is one of the best books I have read this year. It combines autobiography, with an elegant and simple explanation of scientific and neurologic materials. It also reads like a "Who's Who" of neuroscience.
Eric Kandel can write, tell a tale, and give insight into a variety of topics. He detailed his personal story from being a child in Austria, leaving after Kristallnacht 1938, and finding his path in life. He explains Kristallnacht and the implications of its impact on mankind.
I appreciated his inclusion of his memories as an Austrian Jewish child fleeing the country, and his return visits during his adult life where he brought his insight forward into the political realm. He wove his personal and professional stories intricately detailing his very exceptional life.
For example, Dr. Kandel writes a detailed account of the events leading up to, during and after his trip to Sweden to accept the Nobel Prize, with two other colleagues, during 2000. Therein lies a great human interest story, as well as, description of international celebrity.
The author shares with his reader, that he has an interest in why people do what they do, how they remember and what makes science. He writes extremely well, chronicling his journey with historical, political, psychological, and scientific backdrops. I was very impressed and impacted by the variety of photos included from his personal collection, as well as, explanatory diagrams and educational materials; an Index, Notes and Sources, and an excellent Glossary.
While reading In Search of Memory, I bookmarked extensively, and kept thinking of all the people that I would give this to, as a gift. This is a superb book. I liked the quote that captured it all, in three sentences:
"Few can interlace their autobiography with the evolution of a scientific paradigm. Even fewer
can weave such a story seamlessly. Eric Kandel is one of these." Yadin Dudai, Nature.
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Anaesthetics trainee
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2013
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This book is a great read, I have never been particularly interested in autobiographies but Kandel weaves so much science and technical detail into the story it become really enjoyable. It is also nice to learn about some of the history he incorporates into the story from his childhood. A fascinating read.
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Willy Huber
5.0 out of 5 stars How does the brain work? Biological Basics
Reviewed in Germany on 8 April 2019
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Very interesting, needs some scientific knowledge..
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Loretta Brennan
3.0 out of 5 stars A little heavy for the average layman
Reviewed in the United States on 19 January 2019
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But well done. Not a quick read though and a bit over my head.
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alex13
5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 March 2014
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recommended reading for a MOOC course I was studying, this is both an interesting autobiography and a fascinating insight into some of the workings of the brain
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SVJ
5.0 out of 5 stars In search of memory
Reviewed in Germany on 19 October 2013
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Book maintained in very good condition, like new. Since I am a neurobiologist as well, this book is amazingly inspiring to me. However it is good for general reading as well.
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jan
5.0 out of 5 stars quality delivery and value
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2023
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good
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Mark B Gerstein
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughts on 3 of Kandel's books on the Brain: Different Views of the Elephant
Reviewed in the United States on 25 June 2022
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Here, I summarize my thoughts on three books by Eric Kandel: The Disordered Mind, In Search of Memory, and Reductionism in Art and Brain Science: Bridging the Two Cultures. Eric Kandel is a great American scientist and winner of the Nobel Prize. Interestingly, he started his career as a humanities major at Harvard, and he writes very much in that tradition.
The books cover various topics, including psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, the molecular basis of memory, and the relationship between the subconscious and art, and incorporate his recollections of his life journey and world history, particularly related to Vienna. While the books focus on different things, they all look at different aspects of the same subject, like taking different views of one elephant.
When discussing psychiatric diseases, I like how Dr. Kandel described the root causes and history of schizophrenia and autism. These diseases trace much of their early history to Vienna and some famous early brain scientists there, such as Kraepelin and Asperger. Within the topic of memory, I liked Dr. Kandel's reflection on how memory is stored in synapses from inhibitory and excitatory neurons, and, in parallel fashion, these synaptic memories turn into molecular events and gene expression through activating and repressing transcription factors of the CREB family. Kandel also talks about his own memories. It was striking how Vienna was such a center of scholarship in the early 20th century and so quickly fell into tragedy with the advent of the Nazis and has changed dramatically since then.
Finally, I enjoyed reading about Dr. Kandel's relationship between the subconscious and art. He talked about how many recent artists have tried to move beyond the conscious representation of the figure and harness their subconscious and how abstract art can play into our deep mental processes, such as face recognition.
Overall, I found these books very interesting reads that give an encompassing picture of both the mind and a great person.
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Goff
4.0 out of 5 stars Art & the biology of mind
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2013
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The book comes in three sections.
The first is a romp through the history of art at the start of the 20th century; it has been done better by Gombrich.
The second is a primer on recent developments in the biology of the mind, of which the author is a celebrated pioneer.
The third seeks to show how that new understanding of the mind, based on biology, might - I say might - help to explain why we appreciate art. Worth reading, but not convincing. Perhaps those involved in the biology of the mind need the rest of the 21st century to get their act together.
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