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The Gift of Dyslexia
The Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read... and How They Can Learn.
- GenresNonfiction
Paperback
Published February 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 26, 2026
This book is absolutely fascinating!! Both my brother and my husband are dyslexic; so the topic interests me very much. The GIFTS they have, the 3D perception, etc, are just amazing. I see it in my brother, he's excellent at sports, at knowing where he is in space, at carpentry, at problem-solving, at architecture, at being aware all at once of his surroundings ("he takes in the room"), at playing chess and being 5 moves ahead of me at all times....I am "traditionally smart", "school smart", but not like my brother! He's the type who could probably get the answer without knowing how he got it. But he was also hyperactive, so with both situations in school, he didn't do well at first.
But he caught up! As a teen, he became a reader, and reads voraciously now, in his early 60s. He seems to have no problem with reading speed or comprehension, the only thing left is his continuing inability to spell. With all that reading, that is hard for me to understand, but then---I visualize words in my head, he sees pictures. I can spell because I can read off the letters that I can see in my head.
My husband had a harder road and still hates to read. He CAN read, but it gives him no pleasure. He can even read aloud, but makes many mistakes, most often substituting words. He's 73 now, and is not really interested in doing anything about it. He had a career as a mechanic, which sounds typical for a dyslexic. Works with his hands. Likes diagrams, not instructions. He told me he NEVER sees a word in his head, he sees pictures. He was in school in the 50s and 60s, and was made fun of (brutally) by both teachers and students. He felt stupid and humiliated. I feel so bad for him!!
So I would love to work with someone younger who would like to conquer dyslexia, while keeping the good parts of it! I've love to experiment. I had already read this book, actually, back in the early 2000's, and I did try one of the exercises on my husband (and even on myself!) and my husband said it worked, but I'm not sure. At any rate, we didn't keep it up or go further.
This is a GOOD book and easy to understand, especially if you or someone you love has dyslexia.
But he caught up! As a teen, he became a reader, and reads voraciously now, in his early 60s. He seems to have no problem with reading speed or comprehension, the only thing left is his continuing inability to spell. With all that reading, that is hard for me to understand, but then---I visualize words in my head, he sees pictures. I can spell because I can read off the letters that I can see in my head.
My husband had a harder road and still hates to read. He CAN read, but it gives him no pleasure. He can even read aloud, but makes many mistakes, most often substituting words. He's 73 now, and is not really interested in doing anything about it. He had a career as a mechanic, which sounds typical for a dyslexic. Works with his hands. Likes diagrams, not instructions. He told me he NEVER sees a word in his head, he sees pictures. He was in school in the 50s and 60s, and was made fun of (brutally) by both teachers and students. He felt stupid and humiliated. I feel so bad for him!!
So I would love to work with someone younger who would like to conquer dyslexia, while keeping the good parts of it! I've love to experiment. I had already read this book, actually, back in the early 2000's, and I did try one of the exercises on my husband (and even on myself!) and my husband said it worked, but I'm not sure. At any rate, we didn't keep it up or go further.
This is a GOOD book and easy to understand, especially if you or someone you love has dyslexia.
Displaying 1 of 1 review