When asked about the details of a book I’ve read, I usually sound like someone testifying in front of a Congressional panel. I just keep repeating: “I don’t recall.” Julie Beck on one of life’s frustrations: Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read. “Surely some people can read a book or watch a movie once and retain the plot perfectly. But for many, the experience of consuming culture is like filling up a bathtub, soaking in it, and then watching the water run down the drain.” (I don’t remember taking a bath…)