Memorising Entire Books

Nope. But I hear that the doctor Patch Adams has memorized over 14 hours worth of poetry.

It was about 400 years from the time of Homer until the Illiad and Oddessy were written down. They were memorized line by line, quatrain by quatrain by those gifted keepers of the culture. It's not by accident that 400 BC marked the 'Golden Age' of the Greek CityStates and also the beginnings of Roman culture, Jewish writings which became much of the Old Testament, and the record keeping of the Syrians. It also was about the time when the Heiroglyphics of Egypt morphed into a writing system more conducive to quill and papyrus, and also approximately the period of Confucius and his wise sayings.
We are truly spoiled, and have to sometimes remind ourselves of the degree.

Well...it is done all of the time in Islam. Thousands of Muslims memorize the Qur-an word for word and can recite it back at will. It is something quite unique to this religion.

Enrique Sanchez

When I had to leave college due to a health/financial crisis in the family, I had to go to work in a factory. I thought I would go crazy, as the particular task was so repetitive; the equipment to do it would not be created for a very long time, thus people were pieces of the machinery. I would keep a book open next to where I was "feeding pockets", using my peripheral vision to read as I did this labor. I was determined that I would demand as much as possible from my mind and memory; I set about memorizing poetry mainly~Edgar Allan Poe, "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam", etc.~and the stories of Ray Bradbury. For a long time afterward, I was capable of reciting these works.

It seems to be a trait in our family, being able to memorize and retain, and I did have a phenomenal memory for essays and other pieces till, in the Eighties, I knew that something was wrong. When I ended up in the emergency room, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS) (most were jokingly referring to it as Yuppie Flu~not very funny), fibromyalgia and~surprise!~ADHD. While I still have a rather good memory, it's nothing like it used to be.

However, I can be very determined at times and, if necessary, would tackle memorizing a novel or two. I love the works of Ray Bradbury and Thomas Burnett Swann in particular though Swann might not be remembered or valued by most. Swann's fantasy novels are slim little volumes that possibly could be tucked into my fibrofog-bound mind. Bradbury's style, as someone noted, is almost poetry, so it would be delightful to memorize a volume of his short stories though it would be difficult to select which ones. I must say that I have always been partial to "Dandelion Wine". The works of H.P. Lovecraft are other possibilities except... Can you imagine living with such poetic darkness? His works are fascinating yet, for the most part, so bleak!

~~MystMoonstruck~~

I memorised "The Jungle Book" when I was just 4 years old. It was my favorite book as a kid, and after having it read over and over to me, I took to reading it myself, until I memorized it. :)

There are no problems that cannot be solved with a can of brake clean and a lighter

In the novel it’s pointed out that in the future the Book People have devised a way to induce photographic memory.

That is to say they’ve accomplished a method to enhance the already present photographic memory abilities inherent in all people who otherwise have grown too accustomed to “blocking things out” rather than absorbing things in.

Many of the book people can memorized more than one book.

They also mention a few other futuristic concepts including beetle cars than can morph into helicopters, a weapon that shoots steel bars to surround and capture its victims, and a mechanical hound that can record your chemical signature “scent”, track you down and inject you with poison.

Maybe Ray predicted a few things that have yet to come true?

You'd be surprised what you are capable of doing.

NEVER PUT LIMITATIONS UPON YOURSELF, OR THEY WILL COME TRUE!

Not unlike the oral history that was handed down by many cultures especially those without writing. Sometime the minor details would change but the fabric of the stories remained.