Image for "The Memory Illusion" (book by Julia Shaw)

"The Memory Illusion" (book by Julia Shaw)

"The Memory Illusion" by Julia Shaw explores how our memories are not perfect records of reality but are subject to distortion, suggestion, and imagination. The book explains that the human brain can create false memories—convictions of events that never happened—due to factors like leading questions, biases, or social influence. Shaw highlights that memory is reconstructive, meaning each time we recall an event, it can be subtly altered. This understanding has important implications for areas like eyewitness testimony and personal identity, emphasizing that what we believe we remember might not always be accurate.