The ancient Greeks, for whom, as for all pre-literate cultures, trained memory was incredibly important, created a complex system of mnemonic techniques. Inherited and recorded by the Romans, this art of memory transitioned into European culture and was revived (largely thanks to Giordano Bruno) in an occult form during the Renaissance.

Frances Yates' book, first published in 1966, served as the foundation for all subsequent research dedicated to the history of philosophy, science, and literature. The author traces the history of memory from the ancient Greek poet Simonides and ancient Roman treatises, through the Middle Ages where memory takes on a theological perspective, through the aforementioned Renaissance magical memory, to the universal language of the "innocent Kabbalah," a project developed by G. W. Leibniz in the 17th century.

In addition to this main theme, Yates also addresses questions related to ancient architecture, Dante's "Divine Comedy," and Shakespearean theater. Readers are presented with the second, significantly revised translation of this book.

Frances Amelia Yates (1899–1981) was a distinguished English historian of Renaissance culture.