autobiographical memories

I found this little briefing on different types of autobiographical memory, i thought it was an interesting way of classifying them. the full article is on this site:

http://bfc.positscience.com/brain/autobiographical_memory.php

But here's the interesting excerpt:

What’s clear is that we have many reasons for remembering our past.
Sometimes we intentionally reminisce, for example when we want to share old stories with friends and family. The retelling of the past in social settings is an intricate dance taught to children early in life.

Some events are so surprising and important that they become flashbulb memories. For example, many people can remember exactly where they were when they heard the news John F. Kennedy was shot, that man had set foot on the moon, or that airplanes hit the World Trade Center.

On other occasions the memories pop up out of the blue, summoned by something as fleeting as a familiar feeling. “(T)he smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us,” is how the French novelist Marcel Proust described it.

Studies have also shown that autobiographical memories aren’t necessarily accurate, that they are creative constructions that may change over time to keep up with new circumstances. And that illness or trauma can affect the ability to recall who participated in remembered events, the details of the events, and the life periods in which they occurred.