It was beyond thrilling to hear the hosts of the Stuff You Should Know podcast debunk Evelyn Wood’s speed-reading system in their May 17, 2021, Shortstuff installment. My book Scan Artist is mentioned at 07:40, about seven minutes into the 14-minute segment. You can listen here. Much of what’s discussed is in my book.
I’m particularly delighted that Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, the creators of this tremendously popular podcast, saw the parallels between Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics and Scientology. In both cases, the companies pulled out all the stops to silence their critics. They also counted on “pride and shame,” as Clark and Bryant put it, to keep disappointed consumers from requesting refunds or voicing their dissatisfaction. After spending a lot of money on an Evelyn Wood course, people didn’t like to admit they’d thrown their money away. Instead, most blamed themselves for their failure to speed-read. Scientology works the same way, as the podcast points out.
I can now admit that between the late 1960s and early Seventies, not only did I waste my parents’ money on an Evelyn Wood course, but I also bought one ridiculous tutoring session with a Scientologist. I cannot speed-read nor am I “clear.” However, I am overjoyed to be featured on one of the world’s most popular podcasts!
