Review: Fascinating and Effective Method
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2013
I've read about the Memory Palace method in novels, and seen the concept discussed in TV shows. The concept has always fascinated me, but seemed also too complicated to learn. How do you begin to build a palace based on a two-sentence piece of dialog about it in a TV show?Enter Anthony Metvier and his book. In this book he not only discusses in depth the concept of a Memory Palance, but how to use the concept in a very concise way to learn Russian... or any language, for that matter. He insists that anyone can use this concept to learn a language. I had my doubts but was willing to try, especially since I was given the book as a gift! I never turn down this kind of gift since I love methods of learning that really work.The book then takes you step-by-step into the exact method of creating a Memory Palace. There are specific rules that are fascinating in and of themselves, as well as truly helpful. For instance, two rules that caught my attention were these:1. Never cross your own path when creating a route through a Palace2. Never trap yourself in any part of your Palace so that you can't get outYes, the rules are that concrete, that specific, and very effective. Unlike many motivational-type books, Dr. Metvier is very clear about the amount of time required to create the Palace(s) completely before ever attempting to learn a single Russian word. Following his rules, I realized his time estimate was exactly right. I took the time to follow his instructions, and then began populating my Palaces with words. Having struggled with foreign language vocabulary all through high school and college, I was amazed at how easily I was able to use this system with a few days to learn quite a Russian few words. Most importantly, the process is fun. I hate "the grind" so I can see how continued use of this system (including his tips on monthly maintenance) is going to really boost my memorization of Russian vocabularly. A really neat system and approach! I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to or wants to learn Russian quickly--and retain what they learn.