37 pages 1 hour read

Jonathan Spence

The Memory Palace Of Matteo Ricci

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1984

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Essay Topics

1.

The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci is a biography of the Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci. However, it is also a history of cross-cultural exchange. Identify three moments where Spence uses Ricci’s life story to weave in larger histories and draw broader conclusions about life in this period.

2.

Spence writes about both mnemonics and memory. Explain the differences between the two concepts and analyze how they are employed in the text.

3.

Create one image to place within your own memory palace. Describe the context and design of the palace (the setting), the image, and its associated meanings.