... I am a rather slow reader--I haven't tried any speed reading stuff, but they always sound gimmicky to me.
I took a speed reading class the summer before I started college - thought it'd give an edge.
It actually works. Could fly through a book and pass a comprehension test just fine.
But....
It converts reading from a pleasure activity into work.
Must really focus like a laser scanning the pages.
This took away the best part of reading - allowing your mind to wander as inspired by the text or the girl next to you.
So I abandoned the speed reading. And pursued the girl next to me.
Every so often I shift into speed reading mode more as a skimming tool to find a specific phrase or part of the book I'm interested in.
More often I shift into the girl next to me.