How to Change a Memory
One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past
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How to Change a Memory
Narrated by:
Steve Ramirez
Buy Now for ₹671.06
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Narrated by:
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Steve Ramirez
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Written by:
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Steve Ramirez
FINALIST FOR THE PROSE AWARD IN POPULAR SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS, ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PUBLISHERS
As a graduate student at MIT, Steve Ramirez successfully created false memories in the lab. Now, as a neuroscientist working at the frontiers of brain science, he foresees a future where we can replace our negative memories with positive ones. In How to Change a Memory, Ramirez draws on his own memories of friendship, family, loss and recovery to reveal how memory can be turned on and off like a switch, edited and even constructed from nothing.
A future in which we can change our memories of the past may seem improbable, but in fact, the everyday act of remembering is one of transformation. Intentionally editing memory to improve our lives takes advantage of the brain's natural capacity for change.
Ramirez explores how scientists discovered that memories are fluid - they change over time, can be erased, reactivated and even falsely implanted in the lab. Reflecting on his own path as a scientist, he examines how memory manipulation shapes our imagination and sense of self. If we can erase a deeply traumatic memory, would it change who we are? And what would that change mean anyway? Throughout, Ramirez carefully considers the ethics of artificially controlling memory, exploring how we might use this tool responsibly - for both personal healing and the greater good.
A masterful blend of memoir and cutting-edge science, How to Change a Memory explores how neuroscience has reached a critical juncture, where scientists can see the potential of memory manipulation to help people suffering from the debilitating effects of PTSD, anxiety, Alzheimer's, addiction and a host of other neurological and behavioral disorders.
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Critic Reviews
This might be the most perfect book I've ever read! For it to be a science book speaks to its quality. Part-neuroscience, part-memoir, part-diary, and part-industry magazine, Ramirez's writing is very human in its candidness and intimacy. He brings us not just into his lab but into his friendship with his co-professor, Xu, which forms the prism through which the science is told. It made me cry in the most profound way (Eshaan Akbar, comedian, judge for the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026)
Steve Ramirez deftly blends storytelling and science in this deeply personal book. Ramirez has done game-changing work to reveal the mechanisms of memory. How to Change a Memory puts these discoveries in a broader context, telling the story of memory in a manner that is both engaging and accessible (Charan Ranganath, author of Why We Remember: Revealing the Hidden Power of Memory)
How to Change a Memory is a magnificent gem. Steve Ramirez treats us to an engaging account of his groundbreaking research on manipulating memories. He shows us how our memories are controllable, and that by modifying memories, we can heal the mind and promote health. We can change life as we know it. Rarely will you find a scientific memoir that leads you to say, "I couldn't put it down." This is one (Elizabeth F. Loftus, author of Eyewitness Testimony)
Combining his own compelling personal story with first-hand accounts of the pathbreaking science that he helped to create, Steve Ramirez explains startling discoveries about memory in an engaging and fascinating way. How to Change a Memory is a must-read for anyone interested in how the brain constructs the past (Daniel L. Schacter, author of The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers)
[Ramirez's] storytelling moves fluidly between memoir and science writing, blending lab anecdotes with personal reflections in a way that makes even the most technical discoveries feel intimate... For students and young scientists, the book is a beacon - it shows that science does not demand that we hide our imperfections and that our fragilities and limits can coexist with creativity and rigour, reminding readers that discovery is a deeply human pursuit rather than a purely technical one. For nonexpert readers, it delivers complex neuroscience in a form that is intimate, relatable and often funny (Gisella Vetere)
[A] riveting debut, which blends personal narrative and scientific analysis... While the idea of memory manipulation may seem creepy, the potential for good is immense, according to Ramirez, who convincingly posits that these new tools may lead to treatments for PTSD, anxiety disorders and addiction, and might even be able to reactive memories lost to dementia. It's an illuminating look at a dynamic area of neuroscientific research
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