Product Description
We all learn to read at school, after a fashion. But for most of us, this is not an optimal use of our brain power. In this course you will learn to better use the left brain's focused attention combined with the right brain's peripheral attention, in close harmony. Good communication between the brain hemispheres is a pre-requisite for creative thinking and also a sense of wellbeing, where thoughts and feelings are integrated.

As you probably expect, this course will also teach you to read much faster and at the same time, to remember more of what you have read. These are obviously great advantages.

There is another major benefit. Most of us, as we read, 'speak' the words in our heads. It is this subvocalisation that holds back fast reading and it is unnecessary. It is possible to have an inner speech, a kind of 'thought awareness,' that isn't linked to the tongue, mouth and vocal chord muscles, and this is much faster and more fluent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Most intelligent speed-reading course
Most intelligent, best researched and best written. It explains in some depth the mechanics of reading, thus making the reader aware of what he/she is doing and of the scope for improvement. I was a very fast reader to begin with but now this book has brought my reading to a whole new level. In practical terms, and in terms of enjoyment, this means a great deal: twice the number of books I can read in the same time, and much better retention. ... Read more

Product Description
Barron's Business Success books offer useful advice to career-minded men and women who are looking to get ahead in the business and corporate world. Titles touch on all levels of management, marketing, organization, and related business operations. Reading and comprehending a large number of documents and reports—many of them specialized and technical—is a vital task that is intrinsic to fulfilling management and executive responsibilities. The authors of this practical book recommend techniques and exercises designed to increase reading speed dramatically and to retain important information more easily. They also offer tips on methods for comprehending dry and often difficult reading matter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A good place to start
I just finished this and I was a bit disappointed. Other reviews gave me higher hopes. If you are looking for something that you can jump right into this book will get you going. It is really short. A big part of this is that there are few exercises, instead encouraging you to utilize the techniques while reading your own selections.
The biggest disappointment in this book was that it focuses on using a pacer to guide your speed. This is essentially tracing down the page following the end of a pen or your finger. I don't like pacers so I wasn't thrilled to attempt many of the techniques.
For someone that needs to boost their speed "now" I would recommend this for the average person who hasn't really delved into speed-reading before. However, for the person who is willing to work and really wants to take off, I can't recommend this book. I have buyers regret and wish I didn't buy this as their wasn't anything new for me.
So far i can only recommend "Triple your Reading Speed" by Wade Cutler.

Speed Reading for Professionals
I have only previewed this book.I have not yet had time to do the exercises necessary to accomplish my goals.It appears to be well written and I expect to achieve some level of success when I follow its guidelines.

It works!!
This book is short which is AWESOME if you don't know how to read fast. The practice material is interesting. Has lots of practice and tips for the beginner.
I was not a beginner with speed reading and still found ways to make my reading even faster.
And i love that it doesn't cost much and actually works wonders!

Successful Speed Ready
I have tried to improve my reading skills using "Breakthrough Rapid Reading" 5 or 6 times. Each time ended in frustration. Using "Speed-Reading for Professionals" only 1 time I have increased my reading from 209 words per minute to 730 words per minute. This is measured for casual reading which was the primary reason I wanted to learn to read faster. Everything the authors said would happen did. As I read faster my comprehension went down. As I stuck with reading faster it began going up. It is back to normal or a little higher than before. Comprehension seems to get better the more I read. I highly recommend this book.

"Breakthrough Rapid Reading" and "Speed-Reading for Professionals" are similar though the later is much smaller in size. Because of the easy success with SRP I tried to figure out why it worked so well. It took me weeks to figure it out. The main difference is BRR is very labor intensive having you time yourself constantly and SRP does not. I think BRR became to heavy of a burden so I would quit.

It also helped me to take notes as I went through SRP. Then each day, I would review my notes so I could practice what I learned.

Reading really is fun.

Gary

Good techniques but not enough detail on application
I was somewhat disappointed with this book. On the one hand, it introduced a lot of helpful techniques in a fairly clear and concise manner; on the other hand, I found it often lacked sufficient detail on how to actually apply them. As a result, when I tried the techniques I often didn't experience the dramatic gains in reading speed the book claimed would result.

For example, this book helped me determine that one of my problems is subvocalization and showed me why this is slowing down my reading speed; unfortunately, the book says very little about how to stop doing it (and I did look carefully, including in the index).

I think this book did help me a little, and I know what I need to do to improve my reading speed, but I'm going to have to read another book to figure out how to apply that knowledge. This book will probably be helpful if you already have some speed reading background; otherwise you may just find it frustrating. ... Read more

Product Description

This fourth edition of Triple Your Reading Speed does just that -- with self-quizzes and tests that make it fun and simple to acquire the skills that will give you an edge in school and on the job. The renowned Acceleread Method helps you to break old habits that may be slowing you down, and develop strategies for increased comprehension in less time, with

• eye exercises to control and expand vision
• drills for practicing pacing and block reading
• strategies for mastering the "two-stop" reading method...and more!

Boost your reading power today with Triple Your Reading Speed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Increased my speed after one day
For a book so cheap it was worth the investment. I'm sure results may vary as you can see by the reviews, but for me it has been a great help. It started working for me after learning how to increase my visual bite. I had to increase it slowly at first, but once I got use to this I was reading that pretty fast after a one day. It works fast but I think you have to understand that if you want to increase comprehension you have to allow yourself time to get use to the new speed. It's like learning how to read again. So I understand that a lot of people did not find it helpful because of comprehension, butyou're got to put in some practice with this to retrain how you read. Learning this way also helped with eye strain and reading fatigue. Once I got use to the speed my eyes were working a lot less and I could read for a lot longer.

Review of book
bought this book for my son who wanted to increase his reading skills.He was surprised to find out that his reading was so slow.He has increased his reading 40% in 1 week.Great book.

Good but lost interest
I bought this because I do a fair amount of reading and really enjoy it.And I wanted to read faster so I could read more and learn more.I tried this last year in December, after a month or so, I lost interest.It is something I want to return to, but I just don't have the time at the moment.We'll see if that changes.It did seem to be teaching my some things that would increase my reading, and the parts I do remember... it had some valid tips and techniques to help with reading speed.I'm a slow reader by nature, maybe that is why I lost interest (took too long to read ;-).


__________________
Bottom line
It worked for me, just didn't spend the time to go through it all
Make sure you have the time to DO IT

Good concepts, unrealistic claims
This book was interesting since it described what you can do to increase your reading speed.The actual descriptions are not that long.The majority of the book is dedicated to doing exercises.

I did increase my reading speed a little, but don't expect to increase it by the amount claimed by the book.

Only 3 concepts, but quite precious ones
This book contains 3 very clear concepts, and the rest is all about practice.

The 3 concepts are:

1 - we usually read at 150 words per minute because that's the speed of talking and almost all of us were tought to "speak" (silently) what we read. speed reading cannot happen if we vocalize, even mentally, what we read. so stop vocalizing.

2 - speed reading is about making the fewest eye movements possible. moving the eyes is tiring and is a waste of time. so we should enlarge our sight field, both horizontally and vertically, in order to point the eyes only in few points of the line we are reading, hopefully in the middle. then a lot of exercises to get your mind & eyes used to "see" that broader field. I think this is the toughest think to learn, it's basically re-learning to read.

3 - before reading a book, preview it by reading the cover, the comments, the table of contents, the introduction, the conclusion, and figure out what the book is about, what it's going to prove. this way you create a mental framework and reading becomes more searching for the answers to these questions that you've made before.

I asked myself: "What!? the whole book is about these 3 ideas?! Have I wasted my money?"
But I have to be honest, and admit that my reading has benefitted a lot from the very beginning, not sure if I read faster, but I feel I'm saving my eyes from a lot of useless effort, and I'm enjoying reading more than before. ... Read more

Product Description
On your marks, get set, read!

Most adults today are working with antiquated skills and ingrained beliefs about their reading abilities, or lack thereof. But with the tips and examples offered in The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Speed Reading, getting through a load of must-do reading doesn’t have to be an arduous or overwhelming chore. The strategies are surprisingly simple once revealed. With practice, readers will not only speed through and understand books, articles, and professional journals but will also build their personal reading confidence and competence.

• Written by a reading specialist
• Useful for students, business people, lawyers, doctors
• Includes how-to strategies as well as practice timed readings
• Tips for reading on paper and onscreen
... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Incredible book! A life-changer, reading is so important!
This book is amazing. I bought it a year ago and yes, for a while it was on shelf just lounging. However, I just started my sophomore year in school, and the second week in I'd already felt a bit overwhelmed by the reading assignments (only 1 math class and several English ones.) I thought I was a pretty good reader - English is a strong point for me - but I did a test in this book, and I scored only 163 words a minute! EGADS I was below average...but now, only 3 days later, I read 368 words a minute no joke! And there's no gimmick either - the book has an appendix at the back, where you do 1-minute reading tests, and you pick ANY article at random. After the timing, you write down stuff you remember, and then compare to the actual article. For the next test you read another, so its NOT just testing the same article, but a whole new one, and I was faster! I have more focus now and don't get distracted so easily, and when I try reading my old way (kind of hearing the words in my head) it feels SOOO slow! AND I haven't even finished the book yet (I think the first few chapters are most important, and then she gets more into "cheat reading" and skimming and such, and good conditions to read under, and other things I haven't gotten to yet. But I am VERY happy I can read much faster now, actually reading and comprehending things too. This book is incredible and a real investment.

This book may be helpful to those committed to increasing their reading speed
I'm afraid I didn't manage to get this book completely finished before having to return it to the library (the book didn't work for me!).

However, it was quite an interesting read, and I've given it three stars, since I feel it will probably help some who really wish to increase their reading speed.

An initial chapter includes a description of various finger methods to use to help you to read faster. Although I've never regarded myself as an idiot, my intelligence is apparently lower than idiot level (though I understand idiots have an IQ of 0-20), since I failed to comprehend what was involved in some of the methods - I just couldn't grasp it. But I'm sure all you others will be able to.

Most of the passages at the end of the book for test purposes I found extremely boring, and when I attempted to speed-read these I had from 0-10% comprehension, or at least retention, as far as I could judge. Though the author does inform us that if we continue to speed-read, eventually we will end by focussing to such an extent that we will eventually gain more comprehension than we usually have even when reading slowly. But I didn't get that far, unfortunately.

I DID find out:

1) that the books I read are in general books I really want to read and that I find interesting (as far as the present book is concerned to a slightly lesser extent) and that I don't really want to read these books any faster than I do, since I also really want to understand them and retain some memory of what I've read.

2) that when I occasionally read works of fiction or other not too intellectually challenging books I do actually read quite fast - this happens automatically.

For those who sometimes have to read material they don't really find interesting, for example, students, who are obliged to take boring courses, or businessmen having to read dull reports, I feel that with a bit of application these persons could probably increase their reading speed considerably with the help of this book. But that is just a conjecture.

To revert to the finger (and also hand) methods of increasing speed, the author presents various of these, too many as far as I was concerned. I got bored trying them all, and I PERSONALLY didn't find any of them helpful. I find it best just to command my eyes to read faster without help from my fingers. But we are all different.

The author informs us that the key to achieving faster reading rates is "learning to spread your peripheral vision". We are introduced to "eye warm-ups" and special techniques such as looking for keywords and reading in "thought chunks". I PERSONALLY found that this slowed down my reading considerably as I had to think about what "thought chunks" were not to mention locating them.

There's a chapter about skimming, scanning and skipping. The author is correct when she states that some of us feel obliged to read everything, when there's no need to. I too have that problem. But in the case of this book I took her at her word and skipped the 2 or 3 final chapters, which, as I stated above, I didn't have time to read anyway.

Apart from the obscure explanations about finger methods, the book was well-written and easy to read. It is probably worth reading for those really committed to increasing their reading speed. One of my problems with the speed reading may be that i have not really taken time to practice, and practice is of course essential.

Tips that you can use right away.
I experienced a 30% speed increase in entertainment reading within a few weeks.Trust your ability to retain - if you can take that leap, the rewards are substantial.

Also, I made progress by not over-emphasizing any single technique; don't spend time of something that isn't helping.

I had already developed technical document "scanning" techniques, but there was a noticable increase when I also applied peripheral vision.This book is a great tool, and if you apply what you learn, you will finish the book at a much faster pace than when you started it.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading
Excellent teaching concepts. Would recommend.All you need to know about speed reading in one package.

A decent book
This book has its ups and downs.Though it has some actual speed reading tips and tricks, most of the book consists of what the author calls "Cheat reading," which, basically, is reading titles and skipping everything else.
It does not go into much detail about how to use your hands in the section there of, making it difficult to grasp. ... Read more

Product Description
The fun and easy way to become a more efficient, effective reader!

Want to read faster — and recall more of what you read? This practical, hands-on guide gives you the techniques you need to increase your reading speed and retention, whether you're reading books, e-mails, magazines, or even technical journals! You'll find reading aids and plenty of exercises to help you read faster and better comprehend the text.

• Yes, you can speed read — discover the skills you need to read quickly and effectively, break your bad reading habits, and take in more text at a glance

• Focus on the fundamentals — widen your vision span and see how to increase your comprehension, retention, and recall

• Advance your speed-reading skills — read blocks of text, heighten your concentration, and follow an author's thought patterns

• Zero in on key points — skim, scan, and preread to quickly locate the information you want

• Expand your vocabulary — recognize the most common words and phrases to help you move through the text more quickly

Open the book and find:

• Tried-and-true techniques from The Reader's Edge program

• How to assess your current reading level

• Tools and exercises to improve your reading skills

• Speed-reading fundamentals you must know

• Helpful lists of prefixes, suffixes, roots, and prime words

• A speed-reading progress worksheet

• Exercises for eye health and expanded reading vision

• Tips for making your speed-reading skills permanent

Customer Reviews (8)

Loads of errors
I am only halfway through the book so this is not a complete review. The content is not too bad so far - I am surely learning some techniques for increasing my reading speed. But overall I am not really happy with the book. There are simply too many obvious errors. Two examples: The answers (number of appearances of digits) to Ex. 4-2 are way off. And in the back, there is a score table for exercise 5-2 but this exercise does not appear in the text. Actually, when comparing the "In this chapter" at the beginning of chapter 5 with the actual text, it seems like there should indeed have been another exercise at the end.
However, the worst part is almost that there are no word counts given for all the exercises that requires you to calculate your Word-Per-Minute rate. Am I the only one that is too stupid to figure out how to get the number of words or where to find it? Or are we actually supposed to manually count all the words?

SPEED READING 44 YEARS LATER... THE BASIC PRINCIPLES STILL APPLY
I plucked a tenuous book off my shelf written in 1966 entitled: Mastering Speed Readingby Norman C. Maberly, ED.D. (128 pages) and subsequently went on to Amazon to see how the concept of speed reading has progressed. Enter, Speed Reading for Dummies, by Richard Sutz. C. 2009 (274 pages). Personally I read everything from mysteries, non-fiction to Wired magazine and the Wall Street Journal (okay, I don't read Chick Lit and NYT's Bestsellers). I tested and classify myself as an advanced reader (over 300 wpm) and wanted to pick up the pace and further improve my skills... This book helped and will give you the tools and tests you need.

Sutz explains early on that the typical reader techniques stopped at the 3rd grade level of oral reading... word by word that you might still be applying in your mind. He also debunks the myths. One of them is that you don't have to run your fingers down the pages, known as a pacer (a visual guide) like Dr. Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds - The First Season. You will learn to break bad habits and understand eye fixations and how to widen your visual field when reading. Sutz's Speed Reading for Dummies is concise and comprehensive and deconstructs the written word to help recognize the patterns and accelerate your intake on the page-- and also covers tips for reading articles online and emails in this digital age.

In the final analysis, as Sutz points out: You decide how much you want bring to your reading. The evolution of speed reading has come along way since Evelyn Wood threw her book in the dirt and invented "pacing" when she brushed the dirt off the pages, but the basic principles still apply (just without the pacer perhaps).
You have to read a lot, challenge yourself and practice to read more in less time. It also boils down to: what are your personal goals? Me personally, if I'm reading a mystery, I might want to slow down and enjoy the story or dialogue. On the other hand, I also have to quick study and clump and chunk information in technology and other areas of my professional life and that requires me to apply the techniques in this book.
It works if you read and practice these techniques!

Note: As to the other reviewer that had trouble silencing the inner voice (referred to as vocalizing) you have to clump information and practice for this technique to work in order to silence the inner voice that vocalizes.

I must be too dumb for this book
It's a frustrating book. It doesn't give enough detail as to what you're supposed to be doing while you're not "talking/reading to yourself in your head".

The "experts" don't even provide a way for the reader to ask them questions. I was looking for a website or email for some clarification but NOPE "you're on your own thanks for the cash".

I wouldn't buy it.

Speed Reading Really Works
I learned that speed reading is really efficient reading. This book is so full of common sense. It has helped me become a much more efficient reader.

2010 Goal
Great book.It seems like they understand HOW I read NOW.

I enjoy the techniques and have used some.Alas, I am lazy and disorganized so I haven't dedicated myself to completely following through - yet.

Vocalization - son of a gun - THAT'S the word!

I will master the techniques in 2010 : )
... Read more

Product Description
A previous National Director of Education for Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics presents his do-it-yourself program for increasing reading speed and boosting comprehension.

"Speed reading is one of the truly useful educational ideas of the last few years, and this book can be the least expensive and most efficient way you can learn it." --William Proxmire, United States Senator

The perfect answer to today's information explosion, Peter Kump's rapid reading method has already helped thousands of people to read up to eight times faster, with better concentration and retention.

This program brings together the best of what classroom speed reading courses have to offer, and distills fundamental principles and skills that can be learned at home with the help of the drills and exercises provided. And because it lets readers choose their own material and set their own pace, it's the ideal method for busy people juggling a full schedule.

Breakthrough Rapid Reading makes conquering information overload a reality. So whether it's cutting down on that backlog of business reports and technical matter or scaling that mountain of newspapers and leisure reading, getting up to speed is only a matter of time and practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (58)

Just as good as the original course
I'm not completely through this book yet but want to give a review. To be clear, I was a graduate of the Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics Course years ago, in the early 1970's. At one point, I was even a "Demonstrator" for the company and would go around and demonstrate my speed reading in front of audiences to help sign up new people. And yes, I was paid for that.

But, in the final analysis, speed reading is a SKILL not a talent and skills that are not used are lost.After completing the course, I read most of my college level text books in the first two weeks of school.It was a huge help.

Fast forward to today and this book teaches the exact techniques I learned all those years ago. In fact, my reading speed is rapidly coming back to me after only a few weeks of daily exercises. If you are in school, or have a heavy work load, this is the book for you.It will drastically increase your reading efficiency and retention, just as it did for me years ago.

I heartily recommend the book to anyone that wants to learn to speed read.AND, this book is so CHEAP compared to what I paid years ago for the course.I think back in 1970, I paid at least $500.00 in 1970 dollars and that was a LOT of money.It was also well spent and I'd do it all over again.

But to be able to get this book for around $15 is absolutely amazing.

Anyway, GREAT book. It really WORKS. Get it and DO THE EXERCISES!!!

It works.

Quality Purchase
The book I ordered from this seller was shipped very promptly. They also took great care in packaging the book and the condition of the book itself was actually better than their description.

One of the Best Books on the Subject
Do a Google search on speed reading and you'll get bombarded w/ hits.Speed reading books and software seem to be as ubiquitous as weight loss titles.I've applied speed reading techniques for years and have found the subject title to be one of the best books available.If you've never applied speed reading techniques before, the use of the hand as a pacer will come as a revelation and will give immediate results.

Most books on the subject of reading improvement try to grab you with some variation on the term "speed reading".What you should really be after is "optimal reading".A lot of reading material can be read rapidly (magazine articles, newspapers, some biographies, etc.).However, speed reading techniques aren't generally relevant to highly technical books, most academic textbooks, poetry and pretty much any fiction or non-fiction book with a lot of dialogue, where you'll want to read at the cadence of the actual conversation.

Woody Allen had a joke:"I took a speed reading course.We read "War and Peace".It was about Russia." He makes a great point.Your goal should not be to read fast; it should be to read w/ comprehension as efficiently as possible.Anyone can read 3,000 WPM w/ 0% comprehension.

Recommended.

This made me a speed reader
This book simply did it for me. A year ago I didn't even know there was such a thing a speed reading around. As soon as I heard about it, I wanted to become a speed reader. I love reading, and I always have dozens of books around my desk I'd love to read, but it just takes so much time. So, to become a speed reader, I simply went to Amazon and entered "speed reading" in the search function. I bought this book cause of the good comments. After two weeks I red the first chapters and started to do the exercises with my hand going through the words. My reading tempo increased significantly. My speed reading skill come in very handy to read books in my free time, but also at my work when I have to read long texts.

To anyone out there who is interested in speed reading: this book is highly recommended. I don't think you can do anything wrong if you just follow the author his guidelines.

Good book
This is a good book. If one follows the rules in the book they will definitely increase their speed. ... Read more

Product Description

Now you can join the millions of people of all ages who have reaped the rewards of the famous Evelyn Wood Speed Reading and Learning Program. All the secrets of this amazing system are now available to you in this book. Find out how you can:

• Read 50% faster in only an hour
• Double your reading speed in a week
• Soar beyond -- to read an amazing 1,200 to 3,000 words per minute -- and remember everything you read!

DISCOVER THE SPEED-READING PATH TO POWER AND SUCCESS

In just a few lessons, the proven techniques of this dynamic learning system will unlock the natural power of your mind, opening the door to new realms of intellectual power and potential success.

THERE'S NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH!

Customer Reviews (56)

Fundamental knowledge to Speed Reading
For the last 3 months, I read several books on speed-reading and tried several softwares to improve reading speed. I think this is the first book people should read who wants to improve their reading speed. This book is easy to read and comprehend, which gives me motivation to continue read this book. After reading book, my reading increase about 150%, 100-words-per-min (below average) to 300 (average). This book actually make me start to enjoy reading.

This people is for everyone, of all ages. But I think people who goes to school will get the best out from it because there are several sections that talks about studying techniques.

If you are a student, read everything. If you want to further improve, read "Super Reading Secrets". It's great for craming.

If you read for self-help, read chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 11.

If you read for pure enjoyment, such as Novels. Read chapters 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11.

Along with reading speed reading books, I use ace-reader and Eyeq speed-reading softwares to work out my eyes to further increase my reading now. As of now, my reading is around 400 - 500 words per minute. I continue look forward to learn more techniques, do reading exercises, to gradually further increase my reading speed to SuperSonic level.

Hope this review helps.

More of the same
The second of three books I've read on the topic.Not more or less impressive than either of the other two.The author did strike my pet peeve by spending plenty of time telling me how wonderful the author is.That type of writing style makes me feel like a blonde sitting alone in a bar after I've already bought my own drink.

This book is a must for ADD'ers!!
I purchased this book in about 1991. Due to my constant struggles with undiagnosed ADD, I didn't actually read it until about 4 years ago. In fact, up until that time I had read maybe 10-12 books in my entire life. Despite everything I tried, I couldn't stay focused on most books longer than about 3 minutes. (Yes, that explains why I failed so many classes in high school for not completing reading assignments, book reports, reading the instructions, etc., etc.)

I browsed through the first few chapters, probably ignoring most of it. But I kept at it even after having to re-read entire pages where my mind had wandered. After several hours, I finally made it through the initial reading speed test. I still have the paper that says I read 250 words a minute and I figured I had about 15% retention (basically nothing, like normal - and that is only if my mind didn't completely wander off). Using the simple subsonic reading techniques described in this book I was immediately able to get just over 600 words per minute with an amazing retention of, well... everything! I was stunned! My wife quizzed me about the sample chapter I read and I answered everything correctly. I was simply amazed!

I found the simple techniques for subsonic reading superb and worth ten times the amount the book cost me. As for the rest of the topics in the book, such as student priorities, scheduling, essay writing; I really didn't care about because I wasn't a student. However, the introduction to mind-mapping was good and provided an excellent jump-off point for learning more.

But, I would like to comment about those people who are looking for a book to try to achieve the "super-sonic" reading speeds or whatever it's called these days. Those people should probably just accept that if anyone can actually do that it is because they had at least 95% of the talent/ability before a book or program helped them discover it and not because of any magic technique.

By the way, I have read well over 100 books since reading Remember Everything You Read, both fiction and non-fiction books. My current reading speed is a comfortable pace of about 800-900 words per minute. But, even still, the absolute best part about having read this book is that I remember what I read! And, that has truly changed my life.

Remember everything you read
I didn't really like this book because it made you feel like you had to read really fast on everything! Not true!

It works!
Amazon.com is the only place I couldfind this book!Go figure!It has helped me learn to read faster, and so to get through my university classes faster and easier.Why isn't it on the all-time best-seller list? ... Read more

Product Description
Here’s what you’ll learn inside of “How To Be A Speed Reading Expert”:

- How you can get at least 80% of what you need to know in just 11-13 minutes, even from the topics you’re not interested in.

- The most important part in every paragraph that should be given the most time in understanding.

- You can learn anything by doing three important things. What are they?

- Why speed readers are considered impatient readers.

- Why pronouncing words when reading should be avoided.

- How to improve memory and concentration by 10%.

- How the newspaper reading method is being done.

- Major causes of decrease in speed reading.

- How to reduce the number of times the eyes skip back to a previous sentence.

- How to increase information perception by 50%.

- What type of reading is necessary for academic materials.

- When we should “scan” the text.

- The purpose of asking the question “So what?” in reading texts.

- What to do when your momentum seems to be slowing down.

- And more

Author Randall Magwood is a speed reading expert, and has taught many people how to speed read and comprehend books faster.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Torn
This "book" leaves me a bit bewildered.

There is some good information here but I would suggest that the tips on studying are more valuable than the speed reading tips. The book provides a lay of the land for speed reading and also provides some interesting background information related to speed reading and the brain. It is not a full-on guide to speed reading but more of a survey.

The study tips are good. They are not unique to this book but they fit well with the topic of varying your speed reading technique based on your needs.

There are no exercises in the book, so if you are looking for a "course" in speed reading, look elsewhere. If you're just looking for a no nonsense look at technique, this may meet your needs. There are no visual aids to speak of, so it is quite readable on an iPhone/Touch.

For a concise, but more thorough book on speed reading, have a look at:Speed Reading for Professionals (Barron's Business Success Guides)

The Most Useful Book on Reading That I Have Ever Read
This book is short, remarkably comprehensive, and remarkably easy to read.I had taken a number of reading classes in my school years and was looking for a book that included the material that I already knew was essential for improving reading speed & comprehension - and this book had nearly all of it.

For its short size (only 867 sectors - about the size of a short story), the book packs a lot of important & useful information.This is probably because the author, Randall Magwood, has such a clear & direct writing style, and a fine sense or organization.I easily read the book in a single evening even though I spent an extensive amount of time underlining the most useful material.

Magwood includes sections on:
Relating the purpose of reading with the 5 types of reading styles;

The mechanics of reading, with direct & clear material about how to improve your mechanics;

Reading problems like vocalization, sub-vocalization, skip-backs, vocabulary, paying attention, overuse of eye fixations, narrow range of fixations, etc.

Reading intelligently & actively: knowing why you are reading something and techniques for getting the information that you want out of what you are reading.Preparation techniques before you start reading, and what questions to ask while you are reading, etc.

A large section on studying - virtually a short course about how to study.

Tips for developing good eyesight, and

How to calculate your reading rate.

There were a few minor negative issues about the book.There is no active table of contents - unforgivable in a reference book.There were a few formatting errors - One sentence at the end of a section was cut off, there were a number of large empty spaces in the middle of the text, and the size of the heading fonts was inconsistent (some subtitles were larger than the titles themselves).

A final observation: Mr. Magwood seems to write exclusively for the ebook market and, surprisingly, there is no section in the book that specifically addresses techniques best suited for reading ebooks.All of the material is applicable for paper books, and most is applicable for ebooks, but there is a difference. The Kindle Forums make it clear that Kindle readers want to learn how to read their Kindles more efficiently.The missing ebook section was conspicuous by it's absence.

The section on studying techniques mentions writing questions & comments on the margins of the pages and also highlighting critical parts that define the main idea in a paragraph.Writing notes on the Kindle is problematical at best. It is time-consuming and doesn't stand out very well.As I read the book, I did extensive underlining (highlighting itself is not yet available) - which can be an agonizing and time-consuming process on the kindle.This has to do with the Kindle itself which is so slow that it seems to frequently lock-up - a definite time killer.

I loved Magwood's clear, direct and organized style.How can you put a price on being able to learn how to read efficiently and how to study in a single evening?

The material is so easy to read, you can read it over & over with advantage.There are very few frills in this book.Magwood sticks to his main ideas and doesn't cloud or confuse them with extraneous material - that's what makes this book so easy to read, and re-read.For me, $4.95 is a little high for a book that is the length of a short story, but this book is a definite exception and worth the price.And did I mention how enjoyable and easy to read it is - and it will definitely get you excited about reading again (as if Kindle readers weren't already quite excited).


... Read more

Product Description

He says that's his best offer. Is it?

She says she agrees. Does she?

The interview went great—or did it?

He said he'd never do it again. But he did.

Customer Reviews (103)

Excellent Resource
I could not be more pleased with this purchase. I read it in two days and was impressed with the clear and concise methods...or better yet, how to read the "signs". One of the best I've read on nonverbal communications!!!

very informative
I enjoyed reading it immensely. I know this isn't the most in depth review. i'm tired, but i wanted to put in my 5 stars that it is a great book.

Paperback $9 Kindle $12? WTF
This publisher is nuts. It cost nothing for an ebook yet they insist on charging more. I will not buy any more books fro Harper Collins. I will tell everyone I know not to either. Pirates!

Learn How To Understand Others
An excellent book about understanding others based on thier use of non-verbal language!Joe has years of experience in practicing and understanding human communication, which he shares in an informative and entertaining manner.The best part of the book is how it teaches you to read the person and not generalize, which is important, because the use of non-verbals and what they mean are person specific.

Terry M. Drake, LSW, NBCCH
Author of Live Happily, Ever After... Now!

Extremely informative book, full of real life examples
This is extremely informative book, full of real life examples. It teaches you how to observe, read and interpret people body language and then use that information in your favor. The author is a highly knowledgeable FBI agent who knows what he is talking about and shares his years of experience with us in this book. I find it both fascinating and informative what techniques, authorities use when interviewing suspects and this helps me better identify when people are honest or full of it. I am a person who takes no nonsense from anybody and in order to assure that, I needed to develope my body language and social skills and reading this book served this purpose perfectly for me.

There are many photos used in this book which are greatly educational and make the points clear. Reading this book gives you practical knowledge of human body language; then it's up to you how to utilize that knowledge. Practical knowledge is always a power and never forget that with great power comes great responsibility.
I personally believe that body language is more important than verbal language, more honest, more convincing, more real and more reliable. It is our natural way of communication that goes beyond the boundaries of times and places. This book teaches you very well about it. Once you learned the basics, you can use it at work, at home, with friends,... or basically anywhere there is another person around you.

I have only one criticism to this book and that is the frequent use of uncommon words which I find unnecessary and pointless. Here are some examples:

.....but to the unknowing they may look erroneously benign
.....Be astute and don't linger
...I would be remiss if I didn't mention the nonverbal cues


You will have no problem finding more examples of this type. Meanwhile I can understand (or at least guess) why this is happening. Mr. Navarro, the author is a Cuban born immigrant who has learned English as the second language. The problem is sometimes when foreigners learn English, they over do it. They use words and verbs that are rarely used in daily conversations among English speaking people. Or maybe they just open up a dictionary and choose an equivalent that is barely used and less common. My suggestion is this book gets edited by a person whom English is the first language and can offer better alternatives.

Well I think I put more emphasize on this negative point than necessary. As for the positive points and what this book can teach you, just go ahead and buy it, and I guarantee what you will learn is well worth the $ 9 on Amazon or$ 19.00 I paid in Barn's and Noble store.

The good news is once you mastered the body language; you can easily and effectively use it to better your life and those around you.
... Read more

Product Description
The newly revised and updated edition of the classic book on improving reading speed and comprehension. Buzan offers a flexible approach to reading, combining traditional information on speed reading with the latest discoveries about the potential and workings of the brain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Sales pitch to buy his other books
The tips given in the 1st few chapters are worth going over. The tests are of very little if any value to help the reader. I hate the fact that he tells you only so much about a subject and leads you only to a reference of his other books so you must buy everything he has written to understand what is in the book. If you are looking for a good "how to" on speed reading this isn't the book to get. all the info in the 1st few chapters can be found with a simple google search on how to speed read.

Great starter book
Tony Buzan's book is among the first books that got me started on speed reading when there wasn't much info about it going around.
Although it's a good place to get started it's a little bit outdated.
It will definitely help you improve your speeding skills.

Especially for people that, like me, do most of their reading online on their computer.
I created a web based application called Eyercize that let's you practice speed reading with online material. You can check it out @ http://www.eyercize.com

Get an audio program in addition to this book
Like in all of his books, Tony Buzan reiterates his favorite assertions on mind mapping and mental abilities of a human.

This book consists of history and the new developments of speed reading, self tests and exercises, mixed with short essays on physiologic aspects of reading, like left and right cortical research, the number of brain cells and their interconnections, the anatomy of eyes (including the cross-section), control of eye movements t to increase the speed and comprehension of reading (with diagrams of eyes' progression while reading).

The author addressed the common reading problems: subvocalization, finger-pointing, regression and back-skipping, and presents the new approaches to overcoming them. He gives practical advises on improving your concentration and increasing your comprehension. Much attention is given to developing advanced skimming and scanning techniques, range reading skills, metronome training.

The book finishes with tips on getting control of different kinds of text: the newspapers, literature and poetry.

In addition to this book, I can recommend exercising with a speed reading audio program, that should be listened while reading. I can suggest "The Speed Reading 16-Minute Audio Program" which I have personally used.

speed reading
Good content...but today's teens will not sit down and use this book.It is very technical.

I might be out of step here, but I liked it.
I have several of Tony Buzan's books, and I appreciate his work very much. Although I don't believe that he is the only word in mind improvement, he has been extremely helpful to me.

And this book was no exception.He covers what I feel to be important parts of reading speed improvement -- using the hand to guide, the different guiding movements, improving eye span (among other things).He also touches on the importance of building up vocabulary, and of course, Tony Buzan would not be Tony Buzan if he didn't mention something about Mind Mapping -- another tool of his that has helped me greatly.

You'll have to put in some dedicated, sustained effort into the exercises in this book.They are understandable, but improving reading speed is always a challenge.I've improved my reading speed through this book, and I want to take the book again and work with it to keep the skill up.

I can't answer for those who say that the book did them no good.Perhaps it didn't.But it did do me good.And I'm glad I bought it. ... Read more

Product Description
Speed Reader-X® is an efficient and to-the-point training system that concentrates on speed techniques. It uses the latest software which is designed to help you practice speed reading exercises.

The human brain is capable of taking in information much faster than the average person can read. Speed Reader-X teaches a new, visual method of taking in information.

Speed Reading is not pushing harder. It is a new method of viewing words and sentences. Do you find yourself reaching the end of a paragraph and realize you have no idea what you just read? Your brain became bored and tuned out what you were reading. Speed Reader-X will retrain your brain to take in information as fast as it can.

The Speed Reader-X Training System is suitable for teens, college ages and adults. It has settings for children and adults which show appropriate reading level passages for practice. Children with a 3rd grade reading level can use the program but they should have good reading skills. Teens to adult will find the program more suitable.

There are many speed reading systems that claim you can double your reading speed in five or ten minutes. The truth is anyone can double their reading speed anytime without any instruction. You simply push harder and read faster. There is no trick to that. The problem is that you cannot sustain this reading method long enough to read a book or magazine. Speed Reader-X gives you a new way to look at words and take in information without that little voice in your head slowing you down.

Speed Reader-X is designed to make learning speed reading fast and easy. Each lesson includes a video instructor who explains the lesson objective and reveals more about speed reading methods. The system consists of 10 lessons. It also includes eye warm-up exercises and a tachioscope style trainer which is not only educational, it is fun. After the video introduction is completed, you are shown some sample text where you can practice the lesson objective. As your eyes scan the text on the screen you are un-learning bad habits and learning new, good habits. You click the Next button, words flash and you begin to quickly overcome the roadblocks you were taught in school.

You can load your own reading material in the practice section(where you can also create your own custom lessons) and in the reading test areas. The CD includes almost 200 texts you can select from and the free bonus DVD includes 17,000 additional texts.

The software helps you retrain your eyes to move smoothly over text without stumbling over words. After completing each lesson, you can see your results on the screen as the progress chart draws your latest reading speed results right in front of you. You do not have to wonder if you are making progress, you can see the numbers.

You can practice in the privacy of your own home, on your schedule. Tackle as many lessons as you wish each day. Speed reading has been around in one form or another for a long time but very few people take advantage of it or even know about it. This is your chance to join the elite group of people in the world who can speed read. Don't miss this opportunity. Order your copy now.

This description applies to Version 6.0 of Speed Reader-X® ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

needs fixing
so i try to use the practice sessions.i can load one file, as long as its not to long, and then after reading thru it i have to close the program and open it again to go on to the next
file.the practice sessions also don't go all the way to the end of the file i'm reading.this is a simple simple and might i add simple software program.the programmer couldn't fix the pointer to start again or go on from where one file leaves off and another one starts.so simple that if i knew the language he uses i would get a dissembler and fix it myself.i'm thinking of just writing one myself.

Speed Reader Y?
Speed Reader X sounded really good. I did the routine on youtube, found their site, purchased the product, and I eagerly waited. Despite it's great reviews; this product does not live up to its idea. The lessons video are from animated people, the info stuff found anywhere,somewhere I read that there were 30 lessons, but there are only 10.and I can't access the final three. I don't think it works well on Win7. I mean, it isn't that you cannot learn from Speed Reader X, the eye candy is great, especially appreciate the scroll look for the random Classic books. However, keep in mind that these are from the Gutenberg Project library. I was rather disappointed in the product. One last quibble: When you do a 'timed' test, you are unable to answer questions; so one can easily just skim ahead and say, I read faster now! And they've been on the program for 2.4 seconds. No, you can just clck fast.I'm still going to use the program, and read their classics when I want to, but I'd shop around if your a school who wishes to keep tabs on your students progress 'for real'. Despite my discontentment, I don't complete want to ignore this program, as it is or can be enjoyable.

Amazing program

I was very pleased with my purchase of Speed Reader-X

It starts with ten lessons. Each one has a video introduction and then you practice what you learned in the video. The main thing it teaches is how to control sub-vocalization. This has helped me go from 240 words per minute to over 600 words per minute in only one week on the course. It still takes some concentration, and I have to sit in a quiet place to focus and sometimes I start to sub-vocalize again, but I am getting better the more I practice. There is also an exercises area where you can practice other speed reading related exercises and a practice area where you can load your own material for reading.

For the money it was well worth it!! This is something I can use the rest of my life.

I read through the comments here before buying and I have to say some of the negative comments are really dumb. One person gave a one star rating and then asked for more information because she had not bought the software yet. Had not bought it and still gives it a one star? Then another complains it is a computer generated voice and flashing words, which is false it is clearly not a computer generated voice and the lessons are not flashing words, clearly this person gave a one star based on screenshots at the website and never used the software. Some of the others make no sense and I suspect they are reviewing another software product, not Speed Reader X because their descriptions do not match the product.
What I am getting at is the product is really good and the bad reviews do not appear to actually be relevant. Read through them anyway, you will get a good laugh at their expense.

Ifyou want a good speed reading system, this is it.

a complete joke
This program is like using a computer program from 1980. it is a dinasaur. it does not even explain anything it just assumes you know how to speed read and then gives you lessons to better your speed reading. it is not a video but just a comuter generated voice that tells you almost nothing and then some words flash on the screen. terrible!waste of money!!

What a Fantastic Product!
I bought this product last December. I saw the commercials of EyeQ, but it is a bit expensive so I started looking for other speed reading products.
I read some very positive reviews about Speed Reader X written by people in a college where the system is used. After looking at some of the different reviews, I decided to choose this software as it is much cheaper and the reviews say it can give the same effective result.

After using it for two months, I have to say I like the system a lot! My reading speed is jumping from 230 wpm to around 450 wpm. It still goes up and down a bit but I guess it can be further improved if I practice more with the techniques taught. I absolutely love the idea that the system can load my own reading material. I like browsing the Internet and Blogs, so when it is something long I will copy and paste it into the system to practice.

There is another module of Speed Reader X called Ultra Mind Improvement Studio. I think the module is rather vital, as it helps improving comprehension along with my reading speed. I started the lessons from both Speed Reader X and Ultra Mind Improvement Studio altogether. Now I feel that my understanding is even better than when I read slowly in the past.

The CD looks great, though I went for the online version because I did not want to wait for the software by mail and it also had the advantage that I did not have to install any software. I read a review of the online version at speedreaderxreview.com, in case you want to check it out.
... Read more

Product Description
Author instructs readers on his Acceleread method. Readers learn how to preview chapters, books, reports, letters, memos, and newspaper and magazine articles as valid aids to becoming a faster, more effective reader; to overcome wasted eye movement while reading; to develop eye control and increase eye span (visual awareness/field-of-view); to employ and benefit from pacing and block reading; to master and use the "two-stop" method for faster reading; easy means to estimate the number of words in any type of publication; methods and techniques to prepare mentally and psychologically for any test or examination; common-sense ways to assure higher scores on any true-false quiz; helpful information to achieving better grades on multiple-choice tests; to make essay-type tests easier and improving chances for a more positive outcome and a better mark. Book also includes practice passages and tests to measure reading comprehension. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A truly excellent program
As a high school student, I have a large amount of reading to do every evening. I first discovered speed reading with Evelyn Wood's program: I found it wanting in practical instruction, and I felt it was just 'advanced' skimming. Then I came upon Photo Reading (or Rapid Reading made E-Z). This was an absolute waste of money. The author reminded me of a used car salesman- the book was all hype, no substance. When 'Triple Your Reading Speed' finally came across my path, I had settled upon the status quo of slow reading. Lo and behold, Mr. Cutler's Acceleread Method is the real deal. You have to face the fact that faster reading is only achieved with practice. However, I was able to triple my speed and improve comprehension 20% in just 3 days. The book strikes a balance between theory, drills, and application. One week after discovering this book, I am reading at nearly 5x my original speed. IF YOU WANT TO SPEED READ INSTEAD OF 'SPEED SKIM,' THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

Best Book
This has to be the best Speed reading book I've ever read. It's easy to read and and easier to apply. All you have to have it the will to make it happen.

Good book, will triple your reading speed with work.
I read this book over six months ago and within two weeks of reading it I had already tripled my reading speed from the original 150 words per minute to 450 words per minute. Some of the techniques it ask you to practice seem very impractical though, for example you are expected to be able to read each line of a page by just glancing at the middle. The exercises that taught you how to do this were very frustrating, I spent almost two hours per day trying to practice this for about a week, then It became to frustrating and I just gave up and moved on in the book. The next technique the two-step technique was much more helpful and is what I have used to succesfully triple my reading speed. Unless you devote more time to the read a whole line at once technique though this book will never enable you to read faster then triple your current reading speed, if that is not enough for you then suggest you look elsewhere.

Since reading this book though I have digressed back to a reading speed of about 150 words per minute, mainly because it is more fun just to read at my regular pace.

Overall I'd say this is a descent book which will keep up it's promise of tripling your reading speed but there are definatly better speed reading books out there. ... Read more

Product Description
Practice exercises, comprehension tests, and charts designed to improve eye-span movement are included in a simple program designed to double or triple reading speed. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

I've almost tripled my reading speed
This book covers all the basic information to help you start reading faster and it emphasizes that after reading that information speed reading can be accomplished just by pushing yourself. It also gives tips on helping comprehension, but I didn't really think they were very helpful. The book isn't very clear on how to fix the problems it's showed you you have, but just reading fixed my problem. I haven't looked at any of the other books on speed reading, but this book helps without the stupid claims of making you a genius or anything like that. If you do decide to get this book you should do exactly what the author says and don't skip any of the book because the boring parts are perfect for practicing your speed reading.

I've almost tripled my reading speed
This book covers all the basic information to help you start reading faster and it emphasizes that after reading that information speed reading can be accomplished just by pushing yourself. It also gives tips on helping comprehension, but I didn't really think they were very helpful. The book isn't very clear on how to fix the problems it's showed you you have, but just reading fixed my problem. I haven't looked at any of the other books on speed reading, but this book helps without the stupid claims of making you a genius or anything like that. If you do decide to get this book you should do exactly what the author says and don't skip any of the book because the boring parts are perfect for practicing your speed reading.

There are better speed reading books out there.
This is not the must-have book that some of the reviewers might have you believe. The book is out of print and it really isn't worth all the effort of tracking it down.

The one serious flaw of the book is that it doen't contain any drill exercises. The author just basically tells you to practice his methods and that with time you will become a faster reader. It would have been nice if he mentioned exactly how you are supposed to practice his methods. A better introduction to speed reading might be "Triple Your Reading Speed" by Wade E. Cutler -- a book that contains a lot of excellent eye exercises that will make it easier for the beginner to increase his reading speed.

My reading rate has definitely improved!
Zorn's book is a great book and it has really put me on the road to further improvement of my reading rate and comprehension.He makes no absurd promises, but he tells you from the start that if you practice the methods he presents, you will get results, and that it's all up to you to keep at it.

I started at a pitifully slow reading rate of 169 words per minute with 60% comprehension and progressed to 468 wpm with 100% comp. by the end of the book. I found that my results were much better when I worked through complete chapters at a time (and every day), rather than stopping in the middle of a chapter, since the information presented in each chapter serves as a reading warm-up for the tests presented later in the chapter.

Throughout the book, Zorn encourages the reader to keep practicing and to not give-up.I actually bought this book many years ago, and put it down, just certain that it would never help me.I was wrong, this book has definitely helped and I hope to further improve.

Dr. Zorn , wherever you are, thank you!!!

Sound, Practical, With No Mugwumping
I've reviewed a few other books on speed reading for Amazon, and of them all, this one is the best.This modest little book is about one thing: Speed Reading.You aren't bombarded with sales pitches (or pseudo-mysticalmumbo-jumbo) like you are in the VASTLY overpriced Photoreading Whole MindSystem book by Paul Scheele.

Zorn is an educator--Scheele, Tony Buzan,Howard Berg and Marcus Conyers...these others are hucksters. Buzan's booksare helpful, but his tendency is to try to make too little go too long away, primarily, one suspects, to promote his "brainpower"business.

This slim little book effectively balances useful readingexercises with practice texts (mercifully brief).Zorn covers all thebasics--regression, phrase reading, recognition rates, concentration,comprehension, "superreading" (5,000 wpm and above) and so on.There are NO wild promises, no sales pitches, no fancy jargon. If you canonly get ONE speed reading book, get this one.

What this book doesn'thave--which some of the others do (at the expense, I should add, ofpractical speed reading instruction)--is instruction on learningtechniques.That's a different cup 'o meat, though, in my opinion; you canget one of Buzan's books dealing with Mind Mapping if you want to improvestudy habits.I'm sure there are others out there, too...I just don't knowwhat they are.

Zorn has written a modest, straightforward, helpful book. I'd hate to see this go out of print while so much junk (like thePhotoReading Whole Mind System) continues to remain in print. ... Read more

Product Description
Speed-reading is about reading--and being able to recall--more written information in less time. Following a unique five-step system, this practical guide teaches readers the basics of speed-reading in less than an hour.

It includes tools and information on a variety of reading and memory techniques that allow readers to start using and practicing the techniques as they read--and therefore finish this book in a fraction of the time they would have taken previously. The book shows how to read effectively under pressure and concentrate in today's noisy, distracting environments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The best book for fast readind and everything else a student may need
I have read few books about fast reading . But this book is the best. It also talk about memorization and othere area a student may need help with.

Excellent
I borrowed the book from the library and went through it in a couple sittings.It is a very good book and helped me quite a bit.There's quite a bit the author has to teach, yet it's simple and very easy to understand and implement.Give it a shot

Comprehensive book on speed reading
I found this book to be the most insightful and comprehensive book on the topic of speed reading that I have ever read.The author advocates a 5 step process for reading that will have you reading more quickly and effectively in no time.She addresses points in a clear and concise manner that other authors on the topic glaze over, and there are several exercises throughout the book to help you solidify your new skills.

Most authors on the topic jump right into the mechanics of speed reading and focus on increasing the number of words per minute you can absorb, Tina Konstant addresses the true goal of speed reading:processing and retaining information more quickly.She gives clear advice on how you can improve your memory, concentration and vocabulary.These necessary skills are just as important to speed reading as the techniques on which other authors focus.

The one area where I think this book could use some more "meat" is in the study skills section.For a good read on how to use the skills you learn from this book in your education, refer to the Evelyn Woods 7 Day Speed Reading book.However, in terms of general "how to" on speed reading and retention, I could not recommend a better book than Konstant's.I highly recommend it.

Comprehensive book on speed reading
I read this book and found it to be very insightful.While there IS only a small portion of the book focused on the specific topic of technique, the author does a good job of pointing out that there is more to speed reading than eye-hand movements.Memory, concentration, and vocabulary drive not only how quickly you can read, but also whether you will remember the content.

I have read several books on this topic, and this book is the best by far at defining not only the HOW of speed reading, but all of the related disciplines required to make your reading time more effective.I highly recommend this book.

Misleading and Ineffective
I purchased this book because the book I wanted was out of print (Speed Reading by Robert Zorn) and because this book was written recently.I figured I would give this unrated book a shot.

Well after reading the book for a day I realized it was not what I was looking for.This book instead of focusing on the subject of speed-reading decided to spend time on irrelevant topics.

To show my point here is the table of contents:

(1) Introduction (2) The Five-Step Reading System (3) Speed Reading (4) Developing your Vocabulary (5) Concentration (6) Memory(7) A Book is a Book is a Book (Reasons for reading books) (8) Your eyes and effective reading (9) Distractions and Solutions (10) Real World Reading (11) Working and studying for a living (12) Useful information

Notice how there is only one or maybe two chapters that focus on speed reading. There has to be at most only 30 pages of Speed Reading information... but that is a generous estimate. Also the methods Konstant teaches are ineffective and vague. She promotes the use of a pacer in the reading process, which is a bad ineffective method to gain speed in reading.

If you are interested in learning to speed-read then I suggest you pick up Robert Zorn's Speed Reading.Since the book is out of print you might need to do some searching in order to find it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good advice
This is my first speed reading book but i followed the authors advice and was increase my reading speed in less than a week

Faster Is Easier & Comprehension Better
This is a helpful book that allows you to assess your reading speed by doing the exercises in the book, and doing your own calculations.You can learn the simple technique of this and rate your progress.I was able to read significantly faster after following the tips and methods in in "Speed Reading Made Easy."It's primarily about skimming quickly.There are pointers on skimming for main ideas, cluster of details, and using the vertical field of vision.Another major technique you must use is not reading to your self with you "inner voice."Your inner voice slows you down.By simply scanning the words your brain recognizes what your reading, hence you'll understand, and your comprehension will actually improve.
I have to go over this book every year and a half, because for some reason, over lengthy periods of time, my reading slows down.I then have to focus on picking up my reading speed.It works, and it's easier to speed read than to read in the slow, time consuming, inner voice, traditional way.

Skim All or Nothing technique
The book will teach you how to skim.The book contains exercises that would help the reader develop the skill.Fine book. ... Read more

Product Description
Power Reading is the best, fastest, easiest, most effectivespeedreading and comprehension course ever developed! Most people seeamazing results in the first few days of the 30-day Power Readingcourse.Included in this unique speedreading course are the mosteffective techniques for comprehension improvement, study, notetaking, test taking and retention in school, work or pleasurematerials.

Rick Ostrov has spent years teaching, working with and researchingthe top speedreading programs from around the world.Throughout hismore than 30 years of instructing and research, personally teachingthousands of professionals, students, educators and families, he hasdistilled the most effective techniques into his Power Reading course.

Power Reading is totally different than any other program becauseit teaches you in your own material while you actually study or readfor school, work or for your own enjoyment!

The Power Reading course focuses on increasing comprehension andstudy and technical reading skills, as well as teaching people how toread faster.Emphasis is placed on understanding and being able touse information as well as speedreading. Included are the most up todate and effective techniques for study, note taking, test taking,presentation and retention.

Power Reading, as thousands of successful students have discovered,is the most effective speedreading and comprehension course everdeveloped!

"The Power Reading course is also available in a book and CDpackage edition (ISBN 0960170642) - please check "All Editions." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

power reading
This is a great book. Rick didn't make you feel you had to read everything fast!Down to earth guy.Don't hesitate to buy this great book!

Value is mostly in the structure, not dense content....
I agree with the spotlight review that says this book does not contain a lot of content and that much of it appears to be padded.However, despite the simple approach, it will teach you to read faster.While, the book is light on content, it is not quite as light on content as some of the reviews would have you believe.There are certainly more than two important concepts in the book.

However, the most valuable aspect of this book is that it offers a structured program and lots of support and encouragement.It is difficult to change old habits and this book gives you a good track to run on.I recommend it, but you may want to augment is with additional materials.I also think the "why" explanations for various practices is useful and valuable.

Power Reading:The Best,kFastest,Easiest,Most Effective Course on Speedreading & Comprehension Ever Developd
Took a Evelyn Woods Speed Reading Course Company Provided.About 20 Yrs ago. Did help on the speed & comprehension. But over the years lost the
real feel of speed reading & comprehension.Found this book on Amazon &
bought the book. Make a long story short.Mr Rick Ostrov work on this Great
learning tool is what I need to get back to a reading & comprehension level that I am really comfortable.Yes I bought four more to give to
grandkids & friends that I know will use them.. Oh that reminds me. Need
to order at least 4 more. No I not being paid to say this.One more thing
using the REGULATOR really helped.Oh with 30 years of experience Rick did
a excellent job. GREAT BOOK TO HAVE IN YOUR LEARNING TOOL BOX

Not a bad little book, but a good deal of filler.
Rick Ostrov, Power Reading: The Fastest, Easiest, Most Effective Course on Speedreading and Comprehension Ever Developed (3/e) (The Education Press, 2002)

I will admit, in the spirit of full disclosure, that I read this book in something less than the month it's supposed to take, and completed it less than a week ago, so the full extent of Ostrov's tutelage has not yet taken root in my head. So I can't attest, ultimately, to the efficacy of the course itself. I can just tell you about the book.

It's not a badly-written little thing at all. And while the main obstacle that Ostrov sees to people reading to their full potential is one I discovered on my own seven or eight years ago (and have been struggling to overcome since; I'm hoping that by the end of next month, following these exercises, I'll have done it), I understand that most people probably haven't figured it out yet, and am not going to deduct points on that basis.

The bottom line is that if you want to read faster, this is worth looking into. I can't guarantee it will work, of course, because everyone's different. I can tell you that the problems Ostrov addresses are quite common, and the solutions he offers to them are common-sense solutions, though he might have offered a few more pointers on how to get around certain things, rather than just pointing them out and saying "this is something you need to overcome if you're going to be a true power reader." But really, it's quite an inexpensive book for the possible rewards. ***

Power reading
Great book to read and study.I recommend it to anyone that is thinking of improving your reading speed.Great book every read. ... Read more

Product Description
M->CREATED ... Read more

Product Description
A recognized speed-reading expert takes the reader through the mechanics, starting with a diagnostic test to measure the reading speed, then demonstrating hand motions and methods of expanding one's visual field. Subsequent chapters clarify the connection between reading mechanics and psychology, offering methods to expand memory power . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Eh...
This book really didn't accomplish what it set out to do. It started off with the claim that the reader will not only read faster, but that reading comprehension will increase. The only real speed reading excercises are for viewing (not reading, as the book says) large chunks of text quickly. But it ends there. There are no tips about comprehending material while viewing it quickly. There are tips for memory retention and classic conditiong for relaxation (both of which you can find in an Intro to Psych class), as well as smart ways of how to read texts (look at charts, topic sentences, etc...), but nothing about understanding the chunks of text we are "viewing" quickly. I admit that after doing these dizzying excercises, my regular reading for comprehension increased in speed a little bit. However, it is still not up to the rate I would consider "speed reading."
Final Verdict: If you really want it, check it out at the library or buy it used. But look for a better book first.

Disappointing
This book is a real disappointment. There's very little actual helpful material to improve your reading speed. Moreover, it hardly covers sub-vocalization, which is a mayor factor inhibiting your readingspeed. The hand exercises are silly and will not increase your speed. A large and useless part of the book only covers texts for practising, like you can't practise on any other texts... Buy another book.

Not Much Here
Save your money.More than half of this book consists of "practice" texts--and, of course, you can practice on any book you happen to be reading.

There are a *few* useful exercises, whichinclude reading two lines at once, then 5, then whole paragraphs, thenwhole pages.You can't read like this for comprehension; the authors haveyou do it to get used to scanning segments of text at once , rather thansingle words. Another exercise has you read for one minute forcomprehension, another minute at double that speed, and another minute attriple.These exercises DO help, but as far as speed reading instructiongoes, that's it.Really.

There is also some very basic instruction onmemory-enhancement techniques, nutrition, posture, previewing texts, and soforth--standard stuff.

In short, this book is a waste of money.TonyBuzan's book "Speed Reading" is far better.Some of the olderspeed reading books offer far more in the way practical instruction thanthis book does. "Double Your Reading Speed," published in 1964 byThe Reading Laboratory, comes to mind.

Wow
Wow, it's amazing how much this book will help you improve your reading time.I can't believe I've been reading word by word my whole life when i could be reading huge blocks-and comprehend everything!

What a surprise
After ordering this book I let it sit around for several months before getting to it. I was not expecting much at all. I had some free time this morning and read the whole thing. My reading has gone from 200 words perminute to about 800 in just a few hours. I am quite impressed. I have nowbeen reading all day. The more I practice the techniques in this book thefaster I read. This is after just a few hours! More importantly, I am nowcomprehending and retaining printed material much better. A great book forthe price. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning is normally a function of left-brain logic and reasoning, but Quantum Speed-Reading introduces a revolutionary method of learning that bypasses the left brain and taps directly into the power of the right brain.

The implications are huge.

Discovered by accident by Yumiko Tobitani of the Shichida Child Academy, Quantum Speed-Reading involves repeatedly flipping through the pages of a book without making any attempt to read the words. When done properly, Tobitani found that this enabled her grade school students to understand the content of the books—even when the books were written in English, a language the children did not know how to read!

Tobitani’s system appears to enable us to process information via the right brain, and so the result is instant and holistic rather than sequential and fragmented. The results are little short of magical, and the possible applications are endless.

Quantum Speed-Reading includes numerous photos and illustrations of the Quantum Speed-Reading system in action. Besides exercises for children and adults, Quantum Speed-Reading provides a program for toddlers. Quantum Speed-Reading was originally published in Japan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Could be much better
I bought this book because I was interested in the idea of being able to read at an "ultra fast" speed. Even though I have a basic understanding of the information conveyed in the book, it was a difficult read because of the apparent translation issues.The layout of the book was at times confusing and the sentence structure was often awkward. This book was obviously meant to be used to help young people develop the ability to read at a "quantum level", but the author did make the attempt to explain how an adult could apply the techniques to him/herself. Still, the attempt did not nmake up for the lack of coherency that occured throughout the book.The idea behind it still intrigues me, but I'll wait till I find a better book that will inspire me more than this one this did before I actually try it out for myself.

Unrealstic promise.
This book promises that at the end of Quantum speed reading(QSR) course you could hold book in front of your eyes, flip through pages and not only you can comprehend 300 page book in a matter of seconds depending on how fast you flip. You can hear sound and smell, feel etc.. Furthermore it says people who are proficient in QSR can look into eyes go inside their body and ask the cell to do what they wish those cell to do.
I read the book where most pages are dedicated explaining the accomplishment of QSR, about 20 odd pages of techniques and exercise. One technique asks you to imagine yourself as orange rod, the other technique asks you to keeping staring at the word FLOWER and soon see it as flower,feel the smell of flowers etc... Interesting experience(or not of it) but did not gain anything least my reading speed and comprehension remained the same. I don't know what to say, they have website which promises a DVD in the making;may be that would be interesting too. As for me my expectations are simple read fast and comprehend better and that is bieng fulfilled better by a book which i am currently reading .i.e. Triple your reading speed by Wade E. Cutler

Photo Reading?
Tobitani appears to have independently discovered the same phenomenon Paul Scheele discusses in Photo Reading. Given the reasonable price of both books and the implications if true, any reasonable person should investigate the claims in both books. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete course which helps any keyboard player master the art of sight-reading. Teaches how to recognize musical phrases, rhythms and harmonies at a glance. Also contains examples from every style of music from waltzes, operettas and operas, to folk music and popular melodies of piano favorites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a very useful for my piano practice.
I have a Speed-Reading at the Keyboard-Volume 1. I would like to buy the Speed-Reading at the Keyboard - Volume 2 and Volume 3. Please let me know how I can buy them as soon as possible. ... Read more