Tony Buzan, the author of Mind Map Mastery, passed away on April 13, 2019, at the age of 76. He was the inventor of the Mind Map, the famous visual thinking tool that has been used by millions around the world. The Mind Map below illustrates Tony’s life.

Tony’s curiosity knew no bounds and he was constantly seeking ways to improve himself and to inspire others. Born in London in 1942, his family moved to Vancouver in Canada when he was 12, and he received a joint honors degree in psychology, English, mathematics and general sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1964. During his studies, he realized that he could memorize and learn much faster by using a form of visual note-taking that was inspired by Leonard da Vinci and Joseph Novak’s concept mapping. In time he developed this technique into the Mind Map: a diagram that mimics the workings of the brain’s neural network through linked branches that allow ideas to evolve through the power of association. Tony discovered that using color and illustrations in Mind Maps was vital for engaging all our visual senses and maximizing memory. He himself was very colorful in his attire and had an excellent sense of fashion.

Ideas always came naturally to Tony and he also had the ability to inspire others to help him implement them. He was a co-founder of the Mind Sports Olympiad, of the World Memory Championships, and of London’s Mind Body Spirit Festival. He authored or co-authored more than 150 books, and he took Mind Maps a stage further through his popular iMindMap software. He edited the International Journal of Mensa and was nominated for a Nobel Prize.

Tony made a great contribution to the world during his lifetime, not least his belief that anyone can improve their memory, creativity, reading speed and spiritual intelligence. It’s a privilege to have published his last book, Mind Map Mastery, and to be part of his legacy. Here’s an interview I had with Tony a few years ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GqBCZaIAAA