A fascinating new exploration of memories: how they're formed, why they're flawed, and what their real purpose is, from a world-leading scientist in the field

"Rather than thinking of memory as a hard drive on our computer, holding a firm record of past events in endless files, we should think of memory as a compass, a behaviour whisperer, serving up a general sense of what we have learned in a way that is most relevant to decisions we are facing right now"

World-leading scientist Dr. Daphna Shohamy studies memories and following over 20 years of expert research in neuroscience and psychology, presents an entirely new understanding of the role of memory, arguing that its primary purpose isn’t to accurately remember the past, but rather to help us predict the future, shape behaviour, and influence the people we become. In this ground-breaking book, Shohamy’s Past is Prologue explores how memory works, analyses the science of decision-making and reveals how understanding memory can shed light on a myriad of societal issues including politics, information overload, destructive behaviours and mental health.