CHILD PRODIGY READS FAST, SHOCKS FRIENDS WITH KNOWLEDGE. I started reading children’s books around the age of one, and by two or three, I was delving into young adult literature and classics from authors like Dumas, London, and Twain. Although I didn’t fully grasp the sociocultural contexts or sexual motivations at that age, I was driven by an insatiable curiosity. I frequently consulted the dictionary to understand new words, which helped me grasp most of the characters and plots despite my young age. As a result of my extensive reading… See more.
I started reading children’s books around the age of one, and by two or three, I was delving into young adult literature and classics from authors like Dumas, London, and Twain. Although I didn’t fully grasp the sociocultural contexts or sexual motivations at that age, I was driven by an insatiable curiosity. I frequently consulted the dictionary to understand new words, which helped me grasp most of the characters and plots despite my young age.
As a result of my extensive reading, I developed a mental model that might resemble techniques used by speed readers. My natural reading method involves scanning a page vertically down the center of the lines, allowing my brain to process the meaning of each line while scanning the next. This technique enabled me to read fiction at approximately 1000 words per minute with high retention and comprehension. Although I read concept-heavy texts more slowly due to the need to ponder complex details, I never felt hindered by word-processing limitations.
By college, I realized that my early reading abilities were unusual. My parents have videos of me reading aloud as a toddler, which few outside of close family and friends believed. My ability to finish novels quickly, such as reading the Game of Thrones series in a weekend or the Wheel of Time series in a week, surprised many. E-readers greatly benefited my travel, as I previously had to carry multiple pounds of books. Despite a huge vocabulary developed from extensive reading, I often mispronounced less common words until well into college. I also had a knack for reciting passages verbatim from books I enjoyed, though I lost this ability after adolescence.
