Memorize the Faith!: (And Most Anything Else) Using Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters

Some books are great because of the quality of the writing. Some books are great because of the content or message they convey. Some books are great because of the reputation they garner, and over time, come to be considered classics. Dr. Kevin Vost has written a book that fits the first two categories and only time will tell about the third. The author, who has done both graduate work and doctorate work on memory, has written this book as a tool to help Catholics memorize their faith. However, it is also so much more than that. It can be a tool used by any serious academic to help them memorize, learn to think more creatively, plan and execute research and papers. If you read the book for the techniques taught alone, it will be an invaluable asset to any intentional student. Dr. Vost states "The text and illustrations have been structured in such a way that, if you read slowly and carefully, look at the pictures, and follow the instructions, by the time you finish, you'll be able to remember and name the Ten Commandments, the seven capital sins, the seven virtues, the nine Beatitudes, the seven sacraments, the twenty mysteries of the Rosary, and yes, if you are ambitious enough, even the names of the forty-six books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. And all of these in order, both forward and backward!" Through the processes, he uses a method of memorization that traces its roots and origins to the ancient Greek poet Simonides and the philosopher Aristotle, and to Marcus Tullius Cicero. These techniques were then taught and practiced by the Doctors of the Catholic Church, St. Albert the Great (the "Universal Doctor") and St. Thomas Aquinas. These techniques are collectively known as mnemonics. Through the progression of learning the memorization skills you will develop greater abilities and strengths in these areas: organization, imagination and concentration. There is so much we still do not understand about the human brain, but we do know from much research, including some of Dr. Vost's, that the more we use the brain, the more we can use it. It can be retrained after injury. Studies that have been done on surgery patients, Alzheimer's patients and others all show that working the brain can help fight diseases. Vost's techniques will help the reader to learn to organize thoughts and thought processes more clearly, use the imagination to stretch the brain and work it out in new and different ways. Then the concentration involved in the first two activities, combined with repetition, can lead to memory skills that will serve you for a lifetime. Vost writes in a fun and engaging manner. This book is written with many target groups in mind. He writes for the practitioner of the Catholic Faith that wants to be able to answer the lists he gives above, and many, many more. He writes for a younger audience who wish to understand their faith. He writes for all students who need the skills presented in this book to

I highly recommend this book as a fantastic introduction to the memory technique of loci. The title is not an exaggeration. By the end of the book you will have memorized great portions of the Faith (in two weeks I've memorized everything the author claimed I would, including the 44 daughters of the 7 capital sins as well as 25 parts of the 7 cardinal virtues and the 73 books of the Bible - forwards and backwards). Once you've mastered the method you can indeed use it to memorize just about anything else, from grocery lists to state capitals to people's names, to birthdays . . . etc. If you're a memory "expert," then obviously this book will be rudimentary for you. This book is written for beginners as an introduction to an ancient memory technique that has indeed been ignored, if not strictly "forgotten," in modern education. They're not teaching this in elementary school, middle school, high school, or college. The vast majority of the population has never heard of the loci method. But it is invaluable and, most importantly, fairly easy. Don't be mistaken, you will still need to pay attention, apply yourself, and practice, but Kevin Vost does an excellent job of walking you through the process, step by step, until you're ready to strike out on your own. Anyway, I highly recommend this book, especially for Catholics. It's time to undo 40+ years of wretched Catechesis. This would be a phenomenal addition to any RCIA program. If this method was good enough for St. Thomas Aquinas, it's good enough for you!

This book is quite possibly one of the MOST important I have ever read. The book has literally helped change my life in the two areas of intellectual endeavor most important to me: my faith and music. I am a working jazz musician (no one important that you would know... just a local guy) and music teacher and have long struggled to memorize tunes (an ESSENTIAL skill if one wants to play jazz). For those of you who may not know, if one shows up on the bandstand with tons of "fake books" in tow, one immediately betrays oneself as a poorly informed and uneducated musician. Jazz musicians are expected to know hundreds of tunes, with chord changes and common substitutions, and be able to recall them in the heat of battle as it were: on a bandstand in front of an audience with other informed musicians on the stage with you judging your every move. Jazz musicians are expected to read perfectly as well, especially in the big-band setting. But don't show up at a small group jam session in New York with a fake book. Not if you want to be given respect or a chance to play. I have also been a student of my faith since reverting/converting about five years ago. I have read voraciously: the Navarre Bible Commentary, The Theology of the Body, the ENTIRE Bible, popular theological works, academic works, and the writings of the saints and mystics. Several people I know consider me an informed Catholic. People who knew me started coming to me with questions about the faith, because I seemed to know so much. I found myself patting myself on the back because I "knew my faith so well." Then someone asked me a basic question: what's the Fifth Commandment? I came up short. Of course I knew the commandments... didn't I? In order? Well... no. Could I get them all right out of order? Most of the time... maybe. What about the Beatitudes? What about the Seven Deadly Sins? What about the Four Marks of the Church? What about the Seven Cardinal Virtues? What about the mysteries of the Rosary? What about naming all the books in the Bible? What about memorizing chapter and verse so I could debate my evangelical friends more easily rather than always relying on the standard: "The Bible says somewhere that....." Well. A couple of weeks ago I happened across a review of this book in a publication. I received it last week and just finished it. It WORKS! I have memorized the faith that is for sure. (At least the portion of the faith covered in this book!) Everything covered by the book I know by HEART. I can recite the mysteries of the Rosary, forward and backward, the 10 Commandments forward and backward. All of it. Memorized! Does it transfer to other areas? OH YEAH! I transcribed a Lester Young Solo called "Ad Lib Blues" and have been taking it through all twelve keys. I invented little mnemonic devices based on this book to help me remember some of the more complex intervallic relationships so I could get it through the keys more quickly. Yep... it worked. AABA tunes? H

Being fairly new to the Catholic faith, I love this book. It's not a substitute for the Bible and Catechism, but certainly helps with learning the faith. I had never heard of the Method Loci and think it is great for memorizing lists. It can be applied to any list, whether studying for an exam, going grocery shopping, or making a to do list while talking with your boss. I agree with another review in that may not be so great with poetry or prose. However, he does provide 30 "memory master tips and facts" on the art of memorization, which may transfer over to poetry and prose. This book is fun to read. The author comes across as brilliant, but has a wonderful ability to bring it down to my level. It's the best book I've purchased in a long time.

I was somewhat skeptical this book could deliver the claims it made. I had read other memory books in the past and was unimpressed with the methods they proposed. There seemed to be something missing that kept me from fully realizing my potential. This book provided that missing part. I don't want to give away what it is but, I can assure, if you apply the methods the author outlines in this book you will definitely increase your ability to retain and recall at will almost anything you can imagine. It took only two, 45 minutes sessions for me to memorize all 73 books of the Bible, in order, and backwards! Mr. Vost writes in a breezy style that entertains while informing. His book will be especially useful to anyone tasked with teaching others be they child or adult. If as a teacher you have struggled for a way to make a dry list or technical term memorable, this book will give you everything you need to make that happen. I plan on stealing...err... using (wouldn't want to violate the seventh commandment) the vivid memory anchors described in this book when teaching adult religion classes. Some might be turned away by the content Mr. Vost concentrates on, namely the basic tenants of the Catholic faith. Don't let it. Even if you are not Christian, you should read and apply the methods taught in this book.