Septuagenarian Memorizes ‘Paradise Lost’

Connecticut researchers have verified a man’s claims of memorizing the entirety of the epic poem “Paradise Lost” by John Milton. John Basinger, 76, of Middleton, said it took him eight years to memorize the 60,000 words of the poem. He can recite the entire 17th century work in three eight-hour sessions. John Seamon, a psychology professor at Middleton’s Wesleyan University, tested Basinger under clinical conditions after seeing him perform a portion of the poem. He said the researchers recited two lines from the poem at random and Basinger was able to correctly recite the next 10 lines nearly 90% of the time.