I haven’t forgotten about my book club, and I’m happy to finally be able to report on this book. I chose The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking for the latest selection, and I read it all the way through and then listened to it on audiobook. I love it when authors narrate their own audiobooks. It’s so much more meaningful to hear it in their own voice.

A brief overview:

The book is divided into three parts:

• The first part, "The Science of Memory," explores how our brains store and recall memories. Wiking explains how memories are made up of different elements, including emotions, sensory experiences, and thoughts. He also discusses the importance of context in memory formation and how our expectations and beliefs can influence our memories.

• The second part, "The Art of Making Memories," provides practical advice on creating happy memories. Wiking suggests that we focus on experiences that are new, challenging, and meaningful. He also encourages us to use all of our senses to create richer and more vivid memories.

• The third part, "The Power of Nostalgia," explores the role of nostalgia in our lives. Wiking argues that nostalgia can be a powerful source of happiness and helps us connect with our past and make sense of our present.

What I love about this book:

I knew I would enjoy this book, but I was surprised by how much it inspired me. Several times, I thought, "I could turn this into a class," or "I could center a whole new blog around these ideas. I want to use so many of these principles to emphasize my own philosophies on making a creative and memorable life.

I’m going to do more with this book. You will be seeing some of the ideas pop up here on my blog and some future projects. Please consider reading the book soon if you haven't already read it. I'm excited to make it part of our creative journey!

A few of my favorite quotes from this book:

• “Our lives are not the days that have passed, but the days we will remember forever.”

• “Happiness research suggests that people are happier with their lives if they tend to hold a positive, nostalgic view of the past.”

• “Memories can also have sounds, scents, touch, and tastes.”

• “Memories are made when our wanderlust are unleashed. When we're travelers. When we're explorers. When we're adventurers. When we hunt for treasure - and that treasure is a memorable life. Making memories is to embrace the travel-often mantra. You can always make money - you can't always make memories.”

― Meik Wiking, The Art of Making Memories: How to Create and Remember Happy Moments

What did you think?

Did you read the book? What did you think about it? Are there ideas you want to implement in your own life? Did anything surprise you? If you have any thoughts you would like to share about the book, feel free to post in the online book club. Or you may enjoy sharing a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

What’s next?

I’ll be posting about this next week, but I giving you a heads-up that the next selection for my online book club is Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon. It’s a short read, but really valuable!

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