Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M.

In 1953, 27-year-old Henry Gustave Molaison underwent an experimental "psychosurgical" procedure — a targeted lobotomy — in an effort to alleviate his debilitating epilepsy. The outcome was unexpected — when Henry awoke, he could no longer form new memories, and for the rest of his life would be trapped in the moment.

But Henry's tragedy would prove a gift to humanity. As renowned neuroscientist Suzanne Corkin explains in Permanent Present Tense, she and her colleagues brought to light the...