Languages are something of a mess. They evolve over centuries through an unplanned, democratic process that leaves them teeming with irregularities, quirks, and words like 'knight.'
Joshua FoerKissing could have begun as a way of sniffing out who's who. From a whiff to a kiss was just a short trip across the face.
Joshua FoerIf you want to live a memorable life, you have to be the kind of person who remembers to remember.
Joshua FoerWhat distinguishes a great mnemonist, I learned, is the ability to create lavish images on the fly, to paint in the mind a scene so unlike any other it cannot be forgotten. And to do it quickly. Many competitive mnemonists argue that their skills are less a feat of memory than of creativity.
Joshua Foer