Why did I buy this book? I am a middle-aged professor, comfortably situated, and needing neither to impress anyone, nor to make more money, nor to "take exams." But for me, it is a joy at any age to improve my mind.

This book is excellently designed for self-study.

The first part gives you a wide variety of standard techniques, explaining clearly the kind of memory task where each applies, e.g., sequential versus non-sequential. The second part allows you to practice and develop your new skills on 11 different academic subjects, which run the full gamut of humanities and sciences, such as might be encountered in high school or college.

One very effective feature: throughout both parts of the book, the author follows brief tutorial sections on the techniques--seldom longer than a page--with an exercise where you can solidify your grasp and get immediate feedback. I think when you see how well you are doing, you'll be strongly encouraged to continue. This is also an advantage over the well-known Memory Book by Lorayne and Lucas, which I once attempted to study; in that book, the chapters were fairly long, and at the end the authors might suggest you make up an exercise on your own to test the new technique. However, passing a test you made up yourself seems a little chintzy! Or maybe, my creativity was not up to the task. In any case, I gave up on that book after about 2 chapters, notwithstanding all the amusing anecdotes that fill it.

In the second half, I wanted to strengthen my grasp, so I did all the subjects outside my own strong area (physics, math). These are areas I normally have neither much interest nor aptitude, but the techniques came through with flying colors. Out of the 43 exercises I did, with 319 separate items of information, I missed only 10.5 items (and I graded myself conservatively). In other words, my score was 96.7% correct. Now I don't know how well I would have done w/o those techniques, but my memory is entirely mediocre--I am one of those unfortunates who turns the page on a book and sometimes cannot remember what he just read--and it is very doubtful that my usual "brute force" techniques, applied over a similar study time, would have netted me a retention score above 33-50%.

At first glance, techniques of memory play a role somewhat similar to that of glasses on a near-sighted person: they do not enhance his natural biologic capacity, but they give him "workarounds" using other factors at his disposal, in particular, visual and verbal associations built up with help of his own creativity. I was surprised and delighted, as I worked through the exercises, to discover in myself an ability to make creative mental associations I never knew I had. So in this sense, it seems that the techniques did change my brain for the better. I imagine that the techniques, if used often, may become more and more second nature and eventually even "first nature."

I am so glad I found this book: unlike many a self-help book, it did live up to its promises. Dr. Browning, thank you for making available such a readable and well-structured guide!

I think this is a great book for Junior and Senior High Students that have trouble rememboring information for big tests, such as final exams.

Personally, i hate to read. It usually takes me a week or two to read a short novel(150-225 pages) This book only took me 3 days to read! This play is fast paced and wonderful. It is about Stella and her husband who recieve an unexpected visit from blanche. Blanche plays mind games with different men, including the newspaper man and Stanley. Blanche comes to the village terrible shaken up and ashamed of the place where here sister lives. i DO recomend this book to any reader who likes action. It is very easy to read, and rather short. I loved it and im sure you will too.

This book was a great play. Blanche comes to visit her sister stella and she realizes that stellas life isn't as perfect as she imagined. Blanche is not living in a very realistic world. Her desire to a good life soon destroys her! Stellas husband Stanley who is Blanches brother in law brings Blanche closer to her mental state. by the end of the book Blanches imaginary life turns to a disaster.

This is one of the best TOEFL books available. The grammar section is so strong that you can build up your grammar skills very easily. Lots of explanations and lots of examples. Very, very, very good book.

This book was written to give you relief from all the ex-pains in your life. Although the disclaimer says not to use any of the ideas, they sure are tempting. There are even some tear out greating cards of the "only too true" variety guaranteed to make you smile or at least grimmace.

James Vickers' Cliffs Notes for Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" begins with a short biography of the Bard that focuses on what little the historical record tells us about the man. A Brief Synopsis of the Play is followed by a List of Characters that not only tells us who they are but their primary roles in the play. The Summary and Commentary section of the volume breaks down the play scene by scene, and the best way of using this or any other little yellow book with the black stripes is to read the commentary after you have read each scene of the play. This is especially important with Shakespeare because the dialogue is so important and Vickers does not work in as many choice lines as some of the other Cliffs Notes for Shakespeare plays. You cannot deal with Shakespeare if you do not know the key lines. The last section dealing with Character Analyses looks as Caesar, Antony, Octavius, Brutus and Cassius, referring back to the analysis already established regarding the individual scenes. What you will not get from this volume if you are teaching/reading "Julius Caesar" is how the play touches upon the political realities of Elizabethean England. But Vickers does an excellent job throughout of capturing how Shakespeare uses the play to manipulate the audience. Remember, the celebrated funeral oration by Marc Antony is being listened to on stage by a Roman mob that is being watched by an audience of Londoners in the theater. This is one of the better jobs at capturing how Shakespeare constructed a play.

At last. Shakespeare study notes that are really authoritative, accurate and enthusiastic. This new edition of Cliff's notes on Macbeth is outstanding. There are all the usual things that would be expected in notes of this type, but added to this is a real sensitivity in the appreciation of the language, and also an awareness of Macbeth as a play to be performed. it is perhaps this sensitivity that sets these notes apart. The author communicates a passion for the play by opening it up to everyone in the excellent scene-by-scene analysis. shakespare has never seemed so accessible, relevant and exciting. The suggested tasks are particulalrly inventive- a useful tool for teachers and students.

"The Course of true love did never run smoothe." Shakespeare's tale of four Athenian lovers and a fairy named Puck is a very funny play. I loved this story, it is a good love comedy that I would recomend to anyone who is a Shakespeare fan or a loves a good book. I would have to say that this book is for teens all the way to adults. Some of the content may not be OK for children

It is very easy to understand when compared to the original text on Romeo & Juliet. Great to use for studying for exams and help with essays. What else can i say it's fantastic!

In a world locked behind Verona walls, the story of Romeo and Juliet questions the very meaning of love and the importance of it.. It puts forward the notion that a life without love is not worth living, and explains the decisions, the conflicts and tragedy that illustrate the journey in between. Trapped within an ongoing feud that denies the love that Romeo and Juliet posses, it is a struggle in itself to defy their parent's authority, which to some may seem adolescent, but in actual fact is quite honourable. It describes a tragedy so moving, so gripping. It lets us feel the emotionally charged characters, their beliefs, loyalties and values, in such a way that grips our very souls to feel such pity for the end result of their cursed love. They loved only for some hour's time, but sacrificed a lifetime's worth

This was a great helper for my english class. It helped so mcuh for studing and homework. In it you get not only the text, but summaries and translations from the old english to the modern english. It also includes insights into William Shakspears writting technique. It helped me so much i dont know what i'd do without it. I recommend this to anyone who is studing The Tempest, because it will be your bestfriend forever! Definatly choose this edition! It's FANTASTIC!