brian aldiss - the saliva tree

Memory is a funny old thing.
I remember reading Brian Aldiss' 'The Saliva Tree' (and other short stories) when l was a youngster (many, many moons ago), and have just re-read it on kindle.  The story was excellent. It kept me interested, kept the old pages turning, and kept me desperate to find how the plot developed.  But then again, that is also my problem.  The thing is, when l was re-reading it, l couldn't remember anything at all from when l originally read it.
Nothing.
Nadda.
Squat.
The old memory banks were completely closed for business, yet l do remember the cover and title vividly.
It's not even a fantasised scenario, whereby l was just imagining l read it while younger, as l was really into science fiction books when l was a kid (which bright 14 year old virgin wouldn't be?).  I loved the works of   Brian Aldiss, Michael Moorcock and Isaac Asimov at the time, and my original book may still be in a box in the garage (amongst many others).  The trouble is, l can't remember anything about the stories nowadays (or where my book has got to).  I was talking to the FPO this evening, and realised all l can remember about 'Stig of the Dump' was that he was found by a boy on the dump.
I can remember old 'Raven on the Wing' and stories from 'The Valiant', but that is not good enough, especially for someone as big headed as me.
The positive way to look upon this, is l can re-read the books, and enjoy them all once more, afresh and alive.
The negative outlook is, l have lost many of my marbles, and things will only get worse.
My view is, there's so much information that l am interested in and have access to nowadays, it would be freakish to remember everything, so for whatever memory has been lost or erased, something else has taken its place.
That's my view, and l'm sticking to it.
By the way, if you are into people being sucked dry (and Lordy knows, l am), The Saliva Tree is the book for you.

toodle pip