|
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading (Complete Idiot's Guide to) | 
| Authors: Abby Marks Beale, Pam Mullan
Publisher: Alpha
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $9.74
You Save: $7.21 (43%)
New (36) Used (9) from $9.74
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 13016
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 7.3 x 0.7
ISBN: 1592577784
Dewey Decimal Number: 372.455
EAN: 9781592577781
ASIN: 1592577784
Publication Date: June 3, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
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 Idiots Guide to Speed Reading, getting through a load of must-do reading doesnt 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
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Excellent Speed Reading Book!! August 23, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I've bought speed reading software (Speed Reader X: Speed Reading Made Easy) in the past and found it quite disappointing. Yes, you DO learn how to read faster with comprehension, but you are limited on what you learn.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading is extremely helpful in learning MANY new methods to speed reading. It's up to date to include speed reading on-screen, and offers many tips on increasing your comprehension as well. You'll learn to try out many methods to keep pace (single-finger, multiple-finger, card), and, with experimentation, can figure out which method works best for you. You also learn about picking out key words to get the main idea, while skipping the smaller, less-important words (filler). Or, if that method doesn't work well for you, there's always "though-chunking," reading words as groups. This method works best for me, and increased my reading speed because my eyes stop on 3 or 4 points per line instead of stopping to read each word in a 13-word line. In a sense, you're stretching your peripheral vision to read more than one word at a time. And the book offers many exercises on improving that.
There are a number of sample readings for you to practice on, along with space to keep track of your progress. This is very helpful to boost motivation and confidence, which the book points out is very helpful in making progress. If you feel and know you can speed read, then you will. The book offers a number of tips and strategies on how to remain focused while you read, where the best (and worst) places to read are, and how to give your eyes a rest.
I've just finished reading this book and continue to practice, practice, practice everyday. That is ESSENTIAL in learning a new method. With the tips I've learned in this book I was able to increase my reading speed from 235 WPM (words per minute, an average reader), to 390 WPM with about 80% comprehension, the same as I would get with my normal speed. I was able to read Johnny Got His Gun, a 320 page novel, in 2 days, something that might have taken me over a week with my normal reading. And I understood it all. A great book.
Bottom line:
Get this book if you really want to learn how to speed read. It DOES take practice, but you WILL get results.
A good speed reading book. August 18, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
I have always looked for books on speed reading and have many books on the subject. I have read one of the author's previous speed reading books, and I think this is the best by far. When using your hands as a guide to reading, it does help read faster. She has many great tips on how to read, what not to speed read through, and so on. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learning to read at a faster rate.
Just imagine what you can read... July 8, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I recently had the opportunity to read Abby Marks Beale "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading". Like many people, I feel overwhelmed with stuff I have to read to be up-to-date. There is the pile of reading I have-to-read, but not to be outdone is my want-to-read pile too. I am thinking about going back to school, again, so I looked at this as an opportunity to learn how to read not only better, but smarter.
I have gotten into the habit of using a blank index card not only as my bookmark, but also as my pacer card. I have found that this keeps me focused on what I want to read, and not what I have already read. It really does help me to keep a quicker pace while I'm reading. I tend to use this for my want-to-read pile.
For my have-to-read pile I find that I use my index finger as my pacer. I can get into a steady rhythm and that helps me to keep moving along with what I'm reading. That combined with sitting up straight and a quite place, has increased my speed and comprehension.
What I liked best about the book, aside from the tidbits of info contained in the speed tips, speed secrets and speed bumps, is that there is not just one method to read faster, but several. The book presents many options and lets you decide what works best for you. And "Speed Reading" gives you a variety of articles to use to test you effectiveness with the different methods. It has everything you need to track your speed reading progress.
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading" is destined to a classic, much like "Elements of Style" by Strunk & White. It is something that everyone can benefit from, young and old alike. It would make a great gift for someone going off to school, going back to school or graduating from school. And anyone who likes to read for that matter. If you can read this book and master the techniques, just imagine what you can read...
 I found this book quite helpful. June 24, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Beale's book is well written and practical. She shares a variety of techniques and encourages the reader to try them and pick the ones that work for him or her. Included are seven practice readings and a chart to track your progress. The author's approach is upbeat, flexible and enjoyable. I look forward to continuing to use the techniques Beale suggests, improve my speed and comprehension, and enjoy my reading.
Tips for every reader!!!! June 9, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I bought 3 extra copies and gave to teachers who teach reading. I also tutor Adult literacy and am using it to help with teaching my student. As a reading teacher myself, I enjoyed the tips throughout the book and got many ideas to incorporate in the classroom. I manage mechanics on a full time basis have bought 2 extra to have for use at their leisure. As for helping me, the chapter on electronic mail and organizing that was very helpful. I now spend less time and energy through techniques in the chapter.THIS BOOK IS WORTH EVERY PENNY! Thank you Abby!
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
