Memory's Ghost: The Nature of Memory and the Strange Tale of Mr. M

by Philip J. Hilts

Book Overview

In an experiment that occurred some forty years ago, Henry M.'s memory was stolen from him during a highly controversial operation performed to cure his epilepsy. Henry has lived in the immediate present ever since, unable to connect a past moment with the next, incapable of retaining or recalling any physical or emotional experience.

Philip J. Hilts -- one of the few people to spend time with Henry, who is sequestered in a hospital -- draws on...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068482356X
• ISBN13: 9780684823560
• Release Date: August 1996
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

M r. M

Memory loss of a spouse caused a lot of concern as we took care of this person. This book eased our fear that using an adult day care would be viewed as abandonment by the person. We now understand that this person is not capable of more than very short term memory and the use of day care would not be uncomfortable to them

The malleability of memory

In 1953, experimental surgery was performed on a young man named Henry. In those days, lobotomies were popular and quite in fashion and were believed to cure epilepsy. Henry suffered from severe epileptic fits and he was brought to a doctor for a cure. So...Henry's doctor, one William Beecher Scoville, drills two holes into Henry's head and draws out his hippocampus through a silver straw. (The straw was an interesting, macabre touch) And after this operation, Henry can read and write and talk but his memory is gone. He can never again live on his own; he gets lost wherever he goes. He has vague memories from before 1953 but they are tattered. And from the date of the operation, his memory spans about 30 seconds. This book is a well-written, thoughtful examination of not only Henry's loss and subsequent life but also about the nature of memory. Memory, indeed, makes us human. Our lives are a story told by memory, changed, elaborated upon and constantly revised. "Memory is not solid, it is liquid," says the author and around this premise and Henry's misfortune and life, he builds a compelling tale.

Memory is part of a Great Adventure!

--Memory's Ghost should be a blessing for anyone (poet, scientist, or general reader) who wants to understand how memory makes us human. In this easily read, occasionally frightening, singularly fascinating, and stimulating book, the author describes the life of Henry M., who lived nearly forty years without the ability to form new memories. To help us understand this condition, the author also gives wonderful descriptions of memory, including a short history of memory (natural and cultural), the types of memory, limits on its reliability, and how and why it might have evolved. After reading it you won't take memory for granted again! --In 1953, long before the miracles of modern pharmaceutical treatments and current neurological understanding, Mr. M. was given surgery to help stop his suffering intractable epileptic seizures, by removing parts of the brain thought to generate the seizures. Unfortunately, Mr. M.'s surgeon experimentally removed a brain area which "bundled up" the perceptions and symbols of the Total Present Moment and selectively sent them off for storage and future recall. After the operation, Mr.M. could no longer form long-term memories. He could learn new skills, but could not remember learning them. He could not recognize people absent for more than a few seconds, even if they were staff who had known him daily for years. Nevertheless, he clearly retained his humanity. His pleasant personality and even his happiness remained, his IQ stayed normal, he loved TV and conversation, and his memories and capabilities formed before the surgery seemed intact. Since the surgeon who performed the maneuver quickly realized removal of this area should never be repeated, since human lab experiments were unikely to duplicate the situation, and since other conditions (like accidents, strokes, or Alzheimer's) would almost certainly never remove such a specific area, Mr. M. has given a unique perspective for what it means to lose this critical part of the brain and mind (indeed, he soon became one of the most referenced patients in medical literature). --The author provides some vivid background for memory (Note: it is not intended to directly cover "how-to-improve-your-memory" issues and it does not discuss the tremendous bioethical issues this case raises). He gives several vivid and metaphorical descriptions of memory, all intended to show it is an intensely active, ever-changing, evolving process, and not a static representational recording device (like a tape recorder). The author shows human memory offers an incredible richness and dynamic adaptibility which could never be duplicated by a simple data retrieval device. Memory is not a hard-disc, it's part of a great adventure. --Of course, a short book with a deep topic will have omissions, but .... --In summary, I thought this well-written and accessible book was an admirable story both of Mr. M. and of memory -- one of the richest (and most frustrating) parts of our individ

Fascinating Triumph

I am really amazed that this book seems to have gotten little attention. A coworker left a copy at my job and I picked it up out of curiousity. What a find! Hilts writes well and incorporates a wealth of knowledge into the tale of a man who had his memory removed. Far from a tale of amnesia, this is an exploration of the inner workings of the brain, but even more, it is a testament to the power of memory. Indeed, Hilts makes a strong case that memory is in fact the quality that makes us most human. At times moving and disquieting, this slim work fires the imagination and changes perspectives. I hope, if you've read this review, that you will give this book a shot - it deserves a wider audience.