Speed Reading by Evelyn Wood
Do you speed read? I was in a used bookstore the other day when I saw a copy of The Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program by Stanley Frank. Speed reading is something I don’t know much about, so I bought the book and decided to give it a try. After reading the book yesterday I have a few observations and a question for you.
First, I did see an improvement in my reading speed. In my initial speed test I read 519 words per minute. After using what’s called the “underlining hand motion” my speed increased to over 700 words per minute, which is an increase of almost 50 percent. However, my eyes were very sore afterward and I felt a bit stressed out.
Second, the information on sub-vocalizing was fascinating. Sub-vocalizing is a term that describes the fact that most of us silently pronounce each word we read, which can really slow reading down.
But my question is this: What do you think of speed reading? Do you use it yourself? Have you tried it and abandoned it? There are varying views on the subject: Some people think it’s harmful and ruins the reading experience. Others like the idea of speed reading but don’t think Stanley Frank’s book is very helpful. Amazon.com readers seem to prefer Peter Kump’s Breakthrough Rapid Reading. What do you think?
It depends on what kind of reading I am doing. If I have to read something technical or boring for some reason, speed reading would be a good thing. But not when I read for enjoyment. I think enjoying a book means taking it at your own pace. Sub-vocalize if you want to. I often re-read passages right away as I am reading. Sometimes it is to clarify the meaning of what I just read. Often it is just because it was so good, so true, so well constructed that I want to savor it.
So, speed read the tax code, but not Jane Austen!