Famous Speed Readers: From Tony Robbins to Historical Figures
The ability to read quickly and comprehend vast amounts of information has long been admired and sought after. Throughout history, many notable figures have been renowned for their exceptional reading speeds and voracious appetites for knowledge. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most famous speed readers, from modern self-help gurus to historical icons, and examine their thoughts on the practice of speed reading.
Anthony Robbins Speed Reader
Tony Robbins: The Modern Speed Reading Advocate
Tony Robbins, the renowned motivational speaker and self-help author, is a strong proponent of speed reading. In his youth, Robbins recognised the power of knowledge and sought to consume as much information as possible. He has often spoken about how learning to speed read changed his life:
“As a young man, I decided I was going to read a book a day. I didn’t quite read a book a day, but over seven years, I did read more than 700 books…”
Robbins credits his success in part to his ability to rapidly consume and synthesise information. He took a speed reading course as a teenager and used this skill to devour hundreds of books on psychology, personal development, and human behaviour. This foundation of knowledge became the basis for his career as a life coach and motivational speaker.
In addition, Robbins has endorsed techniques like PhotoReading (a branded version of speed reading), remarking, “I have seen Paul Scheele help countless numbers of people to discover a faster, more efficient path to success through his PhotoReading system. No matter what you need to read, he can teach you to get it done in a third of the time.”
Reese Witherspoon: Speed Reading in Acting
Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon has utilised speed reading techniques in her acting career, particularly for parsing scripts and memorising lines. She has shared that it takes her three readings to memorise lines: once the night before, once during hair and makeup, and once alone in a quiet space. Witherspoon’s application of speed reading underscores its utility beyond traditional educational or professional settings.
David Bowie: The Man Who Read the World –David Bowie’s Son Launches an Online Book Club in His Honour
David Bowie is widely known for his music, but one lesser-known aspect of his life is his voracious appetite for reading. Bowie was an avid reader, often finishing a book in a single day. His son, Duncan Jones, once described him as “a beast of a reader.” To honour his late father’s deep love of literature, Jones launched an online book club, aptly named the ‘Bowie Book Club’, through the official Instagram account of the late rock star in December 2017 (davidbowie.com, 2017). The club’s first book was Peter Ackroyd’s Hawksmoor, with a completion date set for 1 February 2018.
Bowie’s literary tastes were remarkably diverse, encompassing a broad spectrum of genres and styles. His reading list included classics such as Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Homer’s The Iliad; modern novels like Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange and Wallace Thurman’s Infants of the Spring; as well as an eclectic selection of non-fiction books on history, biography, art, and architecture. In a testament to his wide-ranging intellectual curiosity, his list even featured The Beano, the iconic British comic.
In 2013, three years before his passing, Bowie compiled a list of 100 books that had profoundly influenced his life and work. This carefully curated selection serves as a literary self-portrait, offering insights into his personal philosophy, artistic inspirations, and intellectual pursuits. The list was later showcased as part of David Bowie Is, a touring museum exhibition that provided fans with a unique glimpse into his inner world.
Given that Bowie left no conventional autobiography, this list of books arguably represents the closest he came to a memoir. While some titles were chosen to introduce his fans to works he admired, many had a more profound impact, shaping his creativity and worldview. Bowie’s reading habits not only fuelled his artistic expression but also reflected the depth of his inquisitive and multifaceted mind.
References
- Pegg, N. (2016). The Complete David Bowie. Titan Books.
- Sandford, C. (1997). Bowie: Loving the Alien. Time Warner.
- O’Connell, M. (2018). To Be a Machine. Granta Books.
- The Guardian. (2016). “David Bowie’s 100 favourite books: the master of reinvention’s literary passions.” Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com
- The British Library. (2021). “David Bowie’s Literary Legacy.” Retrieved from https://www.bl.uk
- DavidBowie.com. (2017). “Duncan launches Bowie Book Club via Twitter.” Retrieved from https://www.davidbowie.com/blog/2017/12/28/duncan-launches-bowie-book-club-via-twitter
Brian Tracy: The Success Expert
Brian Tracy is a renowned motivational speaker, author, and success expert who has inspired millions of people around the world. With over 80 published books and numerous audio/video programs, Tracy’s work has helped individuals and organisations achieve their full potential.
He has endorsed PhotoReading, stating, “PhotoReading is the best way to get through the top business books of today.”
Theodore Roosevelt: The Voracious Presidential Reader
Perhaps one of the most famous speed readers in history was Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. Roosevelt was known for his incredible reading habits, often finishing multiple books in a single day. His ability to quickly absorb information was legendary, with accounts of him reading a book before breakfast and several more in the evening.
Roosevelt’s reading habits were not just about quantity, but also quality. He believed in the importance of reading a wide variety of materials, from poetry to history to scientific texts. In his autobiography, he wrote:
“Now and then I am asked as to ‘what books a statesman should read,’ and my answer is, poetry and novels – including short stories under the head of novels.”
John F. Kennedy: The Speed Reading President
The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was a notable proponent of speed reading. While the exact speed of his reading has been debated, with some claims of 1,200 words per minute being questioned, Kennedy was undoubtedly a quick and efficient reader. He recognised the importance of speed reading in an era of increasing information and encouraged his staff to develop this skill as well.
Young Speed Readers
The transformative power of speed reading isn’t just for adults; it can have a profound impact on children and young learners as well. Many young students who have taken speed reading courses express how it has opened up new possibilities for them. For example, Nir, a 12-year-old student from London, shared, “I wish I had done the speed reading course earlier (when I was eight years old).” This testimony highlights the potential of learning speed reading at an early age to unlock a lifetime of efficient learning and curiosity.
Speed reading for kids
Similarly, Emilia, a 9-year-old girl from Copenhagen, remarked, “Speed reading course with Jan was fun.” Her comment reflects how engaging and enjoyable these courses can be for young minds, encouraging them to explore the world of reading with enthusiasm and confidence.
Another inspiring young speed reader is Toby L’Estrange (aged 10), who was the first person to speed read the new Harry Potter book shortly after midnight on the morning of 31 July 2016. He learnt extra ‘spd rdng’ techniques from his expert speed reading grandma, Susan Norman. Toby’s review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child demonstrates not only his impressive reading speed but also his ability to comprehend and critique what he reads. This example underscores how quickly young learners can grasp speed reading techniques and apply them effectively. Learn How to speed read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (or anything else) when you’re a kid
Over the past 25 years, we have helped thousands of individuals, both young and old, become proficient speed readers through our courses. Introducing speed reading skills to children not only enhances their academic performance but also fosters a love for learning that can benefit them throughout their lives. Read the testimonials from our speed readers
Harvey Mackay: The Business Author
Harvey Mackay, author of bestsellers like Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware of the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt, is a prominent business speaker and writer. He emphasises efficiency in learning and has endorsed PhotoReading, saying, “If time is money and reading takes time, then I heartily recommend saving money and time with this brilliant guide. For those of us in the fast lane, the PhotoReading Whole Mind System isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
Ken Blanchard: The Leadership Guru
Dr. Ken Blanchard is a prominent figure in the field of leadership and management. He is best known for co-authoring The One Minute Manager, a book that has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into multiple languages. Blanchard’s contributions to leadership theory, particularly the Situational Leadership Model, have been instrumental in shaping modern management practices.
He has endorsed PhotoReading, stating, “Leaders today grasp new ideas quickly, read voraciously across many important topics, and need to stay current with the latest advances in their fields. The PhotoReading Whole Mind System shows me how to do it all.”
Jack Canfield: The Success Principles Author
Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and author of The Success Principles, is a leading figure in personal development and peak performance strategies. He has endorsed PhotoReading, writing in his New York Times bestselling book The Success Principles, “If you read more slowly than you’d like, consider taking a course to increase not only your reading speed but also how fast you absorb the information. The best resource I’ve found is the PhotoReading course.”
John Grinder: The NLP Co-Founder
John Grinder, co-founder of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), has significantly contributed to the fields of psychology and personal development. He has endorsed PhotoReading, stating, “PhotoReading is a very easy to learn system that provides what it offers and at the same time opens up a huge door to achieve a new balance between conscious and subconscious learning processes.”
Dr. J. Michael Bennett: The Reading Scholar
Dr. J. Michael Bennett, a professor at the University of Minnesota, is one of the few scholars in the world with a doctorate in reading. He authored the top-selling book Efficient Reading for Managers for the American Management Association. Bennett has endorsed PhotoReading, stating, “PhotoReading combines all the most efficient reading strategies—proven in university studies over many years—with what is now known about the phenomenal perceptive capabilities of the human brain. It is undoubtedly the best accelerative reading improvement program available today. And, it is presented so that the average person can benefit immediately, and for a lifetime.”
Evelyn Wood: The Pioneer of Speed Reading
Evelyn Wood, an American educator born in 1909, is widely acknowledged for popularising speed reading, a term she preferred to call “dynamic reading.” She developed and marketed a system designed to increase a reader’s speed from the average 250–300 words per minute to significantly higher rates while also improving comprehension. Wood’s methodology involved using a finger or pointer to trace lines of text, thereby reducing sub-vocalisation—the internal speech typically accompanying reading. Her techniques gained widespread attention, leading to the establishment of Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics, which operated numerous institutes across the United States and beyond.
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter: Presidential Speed Readers
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were both avid readers who enrolled in a speed reading course at the White House, along with several staff members. Their participation underscored the value they placed on reading efficiency and comprehension.
Anne Jones: The Six-Time World Speed Reading Champion
Anne Jones, a British educator, has won the World Speed Reading Championship six times. She is perhaps most famous for reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a book of more than 600 pages, in just 47 minutes, achieving a speed of 4,251 words per minute—about 14 times faster than the average reader.
Howard Stephen Berg: The Guinness World Record Holder
Howard Stephen Berg, an American speed reader, has claimed to be the Guinness World Record holder for fast reading, with a speed of 25,000 words per minute. Berg’s remarkable ability has been featured in various media outlets, and he has dedicated his career to teaching others how to enhance their reading speeds.
Jim Kwik: The Brain Coach to Celebrities
Jim Kwik, often referred to as Hollywood’s ‘Brain Coach,’ is renowned for his work with celebrities and top performers, teaching them techniques to optimise brain performance, including speed reading. After overcoming a childhood brain injury that left him with learning challenges, Kwik dedicated himself to studying and developing methods to enhance mental performance. He has since become a bestselling author and a sought-after speaker on brain optimisation.
Conclusion
The journeys of these individuals illustrate the profound impact that speed reading can have across various fields, from education and politics to entertainment. Their achievements serve as a testament to the potential of speed reading to enhance personal and professional development. As technology continues to evolve and the demand for rapid information processing grows, the relevance of speed reading remains significant, offering a valuable skill set for the modern age.
Whether you’re inspired by Tony Robbins’ dedication to self-improvement, Theodore Roosevelt’s insatiable curiosity, or John F. Kennedy’s efficient information processing, the key takeaway is clear: reading is a fundamental tool for personal and professional growth. By developing our reading skills and cultivating a love for learning, we can all become more informed, well-rounded individuals.
As we continue to navigate an increasingly complex world, the ability to quickly understand and synthesise information will only become more valuable. While we may not all achieve the legendary reading speeds of historical figures, we can certainly strive to become more efficient and effective readers.
Join the Ranks of Speed Reading Legends
You too can join the ranks of these legendary speed readers and unlock your full potential! With the right tools and techniques, such as those outlined in the book Speed Reading Faster, you can dramatically enhance your reading speed, improve comprehension, and achieve more in less time. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, stay informed, or simply enjoy more books, this is your chance to transform your reading habits and take your personal development to the next level.