Hardcover: 352 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.50 x 9.50 x 6.62 Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (April 15, 2003) ISBN: 0375400125

Book Description
From one of the world’s leading experts on reading and dyslexia, the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and practical book yet to help us understand, identify, and overcome the reading problems that plague American children today. 

For the one in every five children who has dyslexia and the millions of others who struggle to read at their own grade levels—and for their parents, teachers, and tutors—this book can make a difference.

Drawing on recent scientific breakthroughs—many of them in her own laboratory—Dr. Shaywitz demystifies the subject of reading difficulties and explains how a child can be helped to become a good reader. She discusses early diagnosis in young children as well as the diagnosing of older children, young adults, and adults. 

Dr. Shaywitz explains why some bright adults can read only very slowly, and what they can do about it. Her book makes clear how the latest research, including new brain imaging studies, is uncovering the mechanisms underlying dyslexia and has led to effective treatments for each age group.

Dr. Shaywitz instructs parents in what they can do year-by-year, grade-by-grade, step-by-step for a dyslexic child. She lays out a home program for enhanced reading; guides parents in choosing the best school for their child and in working with teachers; and suggests ways of raising and preserving the child’s self-esteem. She provides exercises, teaching aids, information on computer programs, and many other invaluable resources.

In addition, her book corrects such popular (and harmful) myths as the belief that dyslexia is primarily a male problem, that children with dyslexia see words backward, that dyslexia is linked to intelligence. She shows us how, although dyslexia cannot be outgrown, its effects can, with careful planning and hard work, be overcome.

Dr. Shaywitz lifts the barrier of ignorance surrounding dyslexia and replaces it with the comfort of knowledge. Here is a trusted source to which you can turn for information, advice, guidance, and explanation. 

In sum, here is cutting-edge research translated into an easy-to-follow plan of action offering help—and hope—to all who have reading problems, and their families.

I bought this book because I had seen the author speak and was impressed at the time. I was hoping that this book would help flesh out some of the points she touched on in her talk. 

To my surprise, it actually did. This is a very readable, very engaging book; for the first time, I felt that I actually understood what reading and reading problems were all about. The book initially goes through some of the underlying theories of reading, and then provides rather practical and down-to-earth advice about how to become a better reader. 

I also had no idea that reading problems were so common (and so insidious), and I was surprised (as well as unexpectedly moved) by the very last section of the book that talks about some well-known people who have dyslexia (including John Irving, Charles Schwab, Wendy Wasserstein, Steven Cannell, David Bois, and a number of doctors). 

It is rare, in my experience, to find a book that can connect at both a scientific and personal level; this one does.  Reviewer: andrew27 from USA