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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fredramsey" data-source="post: 2404284" data-attributes="member: 20274">I don't think the point was really memory, per se. But yes, considering the man probably met and talked with literally hundreds of people between those times, that's impressive.I think it more has to do with "active slots".This one might cause some arguments, but I think it is very true:The human mind can only... right word?... perceive, or count, up to 3 objects at a time. So, if you are shown 5 building blocks and asked how many you see, you would look at them and say, three and two. Five.  Or two and two and one. Five.Try it, and try your best to be objective about it. It's really true.Strings of numbers? 7 is the optimum. Phone numbers (without area codes) are fairly easy for us to remember, not because we are limited to memorizing seven, but that 7 digits takes up 7 important "slots" in a certain type of memory.So, while I am not privy to the 12 book theory, I'm certain that if it is true, it has to do with the number of slots in some particular type of memory (and I'm not sure of the use of the term books. Books can be of varying sizes).</blockquote>