What do you think?
Rate this book
Speed Reading in a Week: Teach Yourself
Speed Reading In A Week is a simple and straightforward speed reading course, giving you everything you need to know in just seven short chapters. From increasing your reading rate and effective memory techniques, to overcoming distractions so that you can read in any environment and developing a reading programme to make it second nature, you'll eventually wonder how you ever read any other way.
This book introduces you to the main themes and ideas of speed reading, giving you a basic knowledge and understanding of the key concepts, together with practical and thought-provoking exercises. Whether you choose to read it in a week or in a single sitting, Speed Reading In A Week is your fastest route to
- The five-step system
- Speed reading
- Remember what you read
- Your eyes and effective reading
- Distractions and solutions
- Reading different types of material for different reasons
- What next?
ABOUT THE SERIES
In A Week books are for managers, leaders, and business executives who want to succeed at work. From negotiating and content marketing to finance and social media, the In A Week series covers the business topics that really matter and that will help you make a difference today. Written in straightforward English, each book is structured as a seven-day course so that with just a little work each day, you will quickly master the subject. In a fast-changing world, this series enables readers not just to get up to speed, but to get ahead.
This book introduces you to the main themes and ideas of speed reading, giving you a basic knowledge and understanding of the key concepts, together with practical and thought-provoking exercises. Whether you choose to read it in a week or in a single sitting, Speed Reading In A Week is your fastest route to
- The five-step system
- Speed reading
- Remember what you read
- Your eyes and effective reading
- Distractions and solutions
- Reading different types of material for different reasons
- What next?
ABOUT THE SERIES
In A Week books are for managers, leaders, and business executives who want to succeed at work. From negotiating and content marketing to finance and social media, the In A Week series covers the business topics that really matter and that will help you make a difference today. Written in straightforward English, each book is structured as a seven-day course so that with just a little work each day, you will quickly master the subject. In a fast-changing world, this series enables readers not just to get up to speed, but to get ahead.
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2002
16 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Tina Konstant
41 books9 followersTina Konstant was born in Zimbabwe, raised in South Africa and currently lives in Scotland with her husband, a pair of beagles and an African Grey Parrot.
Her latest publications include short story collections: "So You're Dead... Now What?" (all about the afterlife), "I Didn't Do It!" (a collection about murder and mayhem) and "I Love You, But..." (short fiction about relationships we hate to love).
Tina's non-fiction focuses primarily on speed-reading and managing information overload with additional titles on copy-writing and managing change.
In addition, Tina is the host of The Waffle-Free Storytelling Podcast - a storytelling podcast without the waffle!
For more about the author and to join in the conversation drop by her author website (www.tinakonstant.com), join her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TinaKonstant), follow her on Twitter (@tinakonstant), have a random conversation on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tina.konstant/), or a less random conversation on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinakonst...).
Her latest publications include short story collections: "So You're Dead... Now What?" (all about the afterlife), "I Didn't Do It!" (a collection about murder and mayhem) and "I Love You, But..." (short fiction about relationships we hate to love).
Tina's non-fiction focuses primarily on speed-reading and managing information overload with additional titles on copy-writing and managing change.
In addition, Tina is the host of The Waffle-Free Storytelling Podcast - a storytelling podcast without the waffle!
For more about the author and to join in the conversation drop by her author website (www.tinakonstant.com), join her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TinaKonstant), follow her on Twitter (@tinakonstant), have a random conversation on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tina.konstant/), or a less random conversation on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinakonst...).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 25, 2021
I can't resist to read of any book titled haloed speed reading, however, still not able to read. FOMO (fear of missing out) is looming large throughout the system.
However, it gives push to devour more books. Life is short and lots to read.
Reality of speed reading:
Woody Allen revealed his having taken a thorough quick-reading course: “For instance, Barnaby, I read ‘War and Peace’ in 42 minutes. What’s it about? I’ll tell you what it’s about. It’s about Russia.”
However, it gives push to devour more books. Life is short and lots to read.
Reality of speed reading:
Woody Allen revealed his having taken a thorough quick-reading course: “For instance, Barnaby, I read ‘War and Peace’ in 42 minutes. What’s it about? I’ll tell you what it’s about. It’s about Russia.”
December 13, 2018
It has some insights, but could have been way better
February 28, 2022
This is an Awesome Short book on Speed Reading Habits. To the point. More bullet points than paragraphs.
More practical than theory. Here are the contents.
The Five-Step System
Speed Reading
Remember what you Read
Your Eyes and Effective Reading
Distraction and Solutions
Reading different types of material for different reasons
What’s Next?
This is a short 120 pages book. Highly Recommended.
Dil Nawaz
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
www.facebook.com/thelionstudios
Info@thelionstudios.com
More practical than theory. Here are the contents.
The Five-Step System
Speed Reading
Remember what you Read
Your Eyes and Effective Reading
Distraction and Solutions
Reading different types of material for different reasons
What’s Next?
This is a short 120 pages book. Highly Recommended.
Dil Nawaz
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
www.facebook.com/thelionstudios
Info@thelionstudios.com
Read
November 27, 2020Excellent book for those who want to read faster and remember what they've read.
I highly recommend it!
I highly recommend it!
March 10, 2013
I love to read and always have a book on the go. I wondered how speed reading worked so I thought this would be an interesting book.
The book is broken up into seven chapters/days:
* Sunday - The five-step system
* Monday - Speed reading (this is the chapter where you actually learn how)
* Tuesday - Remember what you read
* Wednesday - Your eyes and effective reading
* Thursday - Distractions and solutions
* Friday - Reading different types of material for different reasons
* Saturday - What next?
Rather than read the book in one sitting (it's short so can be done), I read a chapter a day. The book discusses the five step process, pacing, how to deal with distractions, skimming versus scanning, reading with your eyes rather than your eyes, etc. and has questions (a test) at the end of each chapter to re-enforce what you've read. You can use the techniques for novels but it works best with non-fiction.
There are blank pages in the back where you can take notes ... in fact, you are encouraged to makes notes in the margins of books or highlight things.
It takes practice ... there is a template for a 21 day program in the back on the book. I'll give it a try.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2013/03...
The book is broken up into seven chapters/days:
* Sunday - The five-step system
* Monday - Speed reading (this is the chapter where you actually learn how)
* Tuesday - Remember what you read
* Wednesday - Your eyes and effective reading
* Thursday - Distractions and solutions
* Friday - Reading different types of material for different reasons
* Saturday - What next?
Rather than read the book in one sitting (it's short so can be done), I read a chapter a day. The book discusses the five step process, pacing, how to deal with distractions, skimming versus scanning, reading with your eyes rather than your eyes, etc. and has questions (a test) at the end of each chapter to re-enforce what you've read. You can use the techniques for novels but it works best with non-fiction.
There are blank pages in the back where you can take notes ... in fact, you are encouraged to makes notes in the margins of books or highlight things.
It takes practice ... there is a template for a 21 day program in the back on the book. I'll give it a try.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2013/03...
September 3, 2016
Use a pacer. learn about peripheral vision when reading. I've seen those two lessons better delivered from a blog post here and there. Not sure this book was for me. Not even sure it needed to be a book.
August 21, 2025
(Really a 3.5, because I'm nice)
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a lot of researching to do for work and/or school purposes. I had purchased this book back in university and found some of the steps to be helpful when researching for secondary sources. The Sunday and Monday chapters offer unique and quick steps for the research aspect, while the rest of the book were things I honestly could have found on the internet. I will say that the Wednesday chapter gave a good reminder on how to take care of our eyes and why this is important for not only speed reading but any kind of reading or up-close activity in general.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a lot of researching to do for work and/or school purposes. I had purchased this book back in university and found some of the steps to be helpful when researching for secondary sources. The Sunday and Monday chapters offer unique and quick steps for the research aspect, while the rest of the book were things I honestly could have found on the internet. I will say that the Wednesday chapter gave a good reminder on how to take care of our eyes and why this is important for not only speed reading but any kind of reading or up-close activity in general.
September 13, 2017
I felt somewhat cheated by this book. I bought this several years ago as I had an interest in the skill of speed reading. Frustratingly, the book dances round the subject for ages, going on about understanding what any piece of text is about, ensuring you are reading the right parts etc etc. etc. Yes! Yes! I cry, but get on with it - tell me how to actually speed read. Eventually we get there and it is basically a couple of paragraphs. Then it tells you to practice. Genius. I still can't speed read.
April 12, 2018
Not much new here. Still, there are good tips for reading with intention, sniping off specific topics in non-fiction books instead of using a gunshot approach. These also work to some extent with fiction books, but then, who wants to speed read through fiction? Not me. I like to savour each word.
The most interesting quote is this:"we read with our ears", meaning, instead of reading groups of words or just the important words, we tend to read each word the way we would read it out loud.
The most interesting quote is this:"we read with our ears", meaning, instead of reading groups of words or just the important words, we tend to read each word the way we would read it out loud.
April 21, 2020
This book is a good overview of different techniques which can be used to read faster and understand more.
The most important thing is to read with purpose; gathering what you know already know and scheming to see if the book has what you want.
It also has a few exercises to improve concentration.
The most important thing is to read with purpose; gathering what you know already know and scheming to see if the book has what you want.
It also has a few exercises to improve concentration.
January 12, 2020
I was disappointed because the book focuses on speedreading technical information, such as textbooks. However, there were still a few interesting tips. For example, I should have skimmed the book first and discovered the focus on technical reading.
February 22, 2020
interesting exercise Konstant suggested: simultaneously count from one to 26 and go through alphabet from A to Z, thus 1-A-2-B-3-C-4-D etc. How fast can you do it? It may be quite meditative and relaxing.
January 7, 2020
Quick handy guide to effectively increase your reading abilities.
June 29, 2013
This book takes a different turn than the other speed reading books I've read in the past: weekly routine. It starts with Sunday through Saturday, while practicing and teaching you the steps to speed reading and comprehension tactics that are more effective for the reader.
The five steps:
1. Prepare
2. Preview
3. Passive Reading (which most of us do)
4. Active Reading
5. Selective reading (which I have to learn with reading law material)
There involves highlight and eliminating: what is sufficient and necessary. We also have to review the structure of the material. Which this is a required step when taking the LSAT on the Reading Comp section; know the author's voice and the structure of the academic literature in order to attack the questions. Even with 300-page book, recommends to do a 5 min overview. Yet what I've learned is not fast reading, but pick and choose what you want to read of importance and make a roadmap, or mental map of what you need to know even using highlighters to keep those facts/opinions in tact. In my current course, we call it 'diagramming' and this system seems to work best.
Memory relies on perception, attention and reasoning. Connected to pieces of information, not isolated facts, greatly on association, not just designed to store info but also use it. Luckily our memory can be trained. I wonder if using herbal pills still work for memory support as well.
Encourages a reading time limit, which we have to do on the LSAT per sections. I've been practicing this habit for a couple months on and off and gotten better, but the diagramming is much better and making early predictions of what you read is even better than speed reading/paying closely to time constraints. But practice makes perfect.
These types of books I'm able to skim fast and complete in one sitting, within 1-2 hours. She also encourages to build your vocabulary and have familiarity so you can zoom through much faster, not held on a new word. I agree since I've been prepping for LSAT...this can be an important factor and synonyms since it may be linked in the answer choice just paraphrased or reworded with syn/like terms. I have reviewed a number of unfamiliar vocab to assist me. I've also added this as a writer and reviewer, learn these words!
She also mentions about things that can help or deter your speed such as moods, stress, knowledge, familiarity, difficulty of text, and also using a pacer to help see all the words at once.
The five steps:
1. Prepare
2. Preview
3. Passive Reading (which most of us do)
4. Active Reading
5. Selective reading (which I have to learn with reading law material)
There involves highlight and eliminating: what is sufficient and necessary. We also have to review the structure of the material. Which this is a required step when taking the LSAT on the Reading Comp section; know the author's voice and the structure of the academic literature in order to attack the questions. Even with 300-page book, recommends to do a 5 min overview. Yet what I've learned is not fast reading, but pick and choose what you want to read of importance and make a roadmap, or mental map of what you need to know even using highlighters to keep those facts/opinions in tact. In my current course, we call it 'diagramming' and this system seems to work best.
Memory relies on perception, attention and reasoning. Connected to pieces of information, not isolated facts, greatly on association, not just designed to store info but also use it. Luckily our memory can be trained. I wonder if using herbal pills still work for memory support as well.
Encourages a reading time limit, which we have to do on the LSAT per sections. I've been practicing this habit for a couple months on and off and gotten better, but the diagramming is much better and making early predictions of what you read is even better than speed reading/paying closely to time constraints. But practice makes perfect.
These types of books I'm able to skim fast and complete in one sitting, within 1-2 hours. She also encourages to build your vocabulary and have familiarity so you can zoom through much faster, not held on a new word. I agree since I've been prepping for LSAT...this can be an important factor and synonyms since it may be linked in the answer choice just paraphrased or reworded with syn/like terms. I have reviewed a number of unfamiliar vocab to assist me. I've also added this as a writer and reviewer, learn these words!
She also mentions about things that can help or deter your speed such as moods, stress, knowledge, familiarity, difficulty of text, and also using a pacer to help see all the words at once.
February 10, 2016
A very quick read (excuse the pun) with a lot of tips and approaches to increasing speed and dealing with the key aspects of memory: acquisition, retention, retrieval and concentration.
The book is structured to be read once a day for seven days. Each day focuses on various aspects of reading such as how to speed read, how to remember, what role your eyes play in effective reading, how to read different types of material and why.
Although I have completed a course and have read other books on speed reading, this book is short, concise with a great approach to reading more efficiently and effectively.
The book is structured to be read once a day for seven days. Each day focuses on various aspects of reading such as how to speed read, how to remember, what role your eyes play in effective reading, how to read different types of material and why.
Although I have completed a course and have read other books on speed reading, this book is short, concise with a great approach to reading more efficiently and effectively.
November 21, 2015
This is a decent intro to speed reading paced over a 7 day period.
If you've never taken a speed reading course then this book is a good start. If you've taken a speed reading course previously or have read another speed reading book you probably won't learn anything new.
My biggest take away from this book is actually found in the first paragraph ... The key to effective speed reading is deciding what you should or shouldn't even read in the first place.
If you've never taken a speed reading course then this book is a good start. If you've taken a speed reading course previously or have read another speed reading book you probably won't learn anything new.
My biggest take away from this book is actually found in the first paragraph ... The key to effective speed reading is deciding what you should or shouldn't even read in the first place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2014
Had some practical points which are helpful such as learning to read the middle of the sentence, paragraph, page. Plus she includes help in determining if you should read the material or just skim or skip reading it altogether.
August 31, 2014
Good intro to speed reading techniques. The 5 step system requires practice for 21 days as stated in the book. I recommend it to anyone who has a desire to improve their reading comprehension, speed and productivity!
June 7, 2013
Great for those who wants to increase their reading speed.
January 7, 2015
Basic techniques - nothing new
August 30, 2016
A quick read. Always good to review the techniques.
December 29, 2024
Good manual like
April 15, 2017
Very good, practical advice. The most compelling was: why am I reading this? Is this worth my time? If a book is only worth a skim or flip through, then fine, do only that.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews