The Speed Reading Book (Mind Set)

I'll be honest, I didn't like this book. It does give you techniques and it should improve youre reading speed if implimented. However, It spends a good deal of the book explaining what you will learn rather than teaching you it and the tehcniques partially border common sense e.g. in the way that a huge part of the book just teaches you skimming. I do almost feel it's just a money making book that probably gets most benifit by increasing your self confidence more than anything else. As in litterally a good deal of the book was just tony buzzn telling me I will achieve these great speeds of reading like x y and z and then repeating that this is what I will achieve.

For the less confident the book contains anecdotes and examples for practising speed reading.

MOST IMPORTANTLY the book has actual techniques which you can use to increase your speed. Other books tell you the theory (no distractions, good lighting, subject headings first etc), but with no techniques its difficult to go that step further!

I found that my speed and concentration increased if I inverted one of the techniques/patterns presented.

There are the odd 'selling' references to mind maps, but the overall good content means it becomes just a distraction.

The rating would alter to 5 stars with even more depth on the techniques.

The first half of this book was quite useful in that it highlights problems with back skipping and other basic reading "problems".

What let this book down for me was the shameless self promotion of his Mind Mapping which he has trademarked.

I did not a book about Mind Mapping (or spider diagrams, to use its non-trademarked name) and therefore don't want to be cross-sold further mind mapping material

The claims about super-high speeds have not yet proved attainable and I have serious doubts about their attainability

That said I have improved my reading speeds as I was particulary slow

When I started the course, I was reading (and comprehending about 80%) at 240wpm. After just a week, I was reading at 700-800 wpm with about 60% comprehension. But many months later, and sticking to the techniques, I've managed to reach 1100wpm and getting closer to 90% retention.

The point is, you will invariably lose comprehension when you first learn speed reading, and you will feel like you're "skimming". But your eyes pick up a lot of peripheral data and this is absorbed in your brain, whether you realise it or not.

Speed reading is like a diet... you have to keep at it, and you have to stick to the requirements through thick and thin.

Highly recommended!

This book is full of outlandish and unsubstantiated claims about speed reading. It is padded with bad science, unreferenced information that is simply unbelievable and exhaustive descriptions of the mechanics of reading which seem to be more imagined than founded in any kind of research. Absolute fraudulant rubbish. Impractical and downright nonsensical techniques promising impossible results. It is not possible to read at 1000 wpm (let alone 25000 wpm!) without skimming. I just bought this book expecting something a bit more realistic with atleast some practical advice, a massive disapointment. A classic case of the emperor's new clothes I'm sorry to see some people have been duped, the author ought to be ashamed.