A very interesting book about the process used by the human brain in acquiring reading and writing skills, written for the layperson but with enough technical information to keep an advanced audience interested as well. Special attention is given to dyslexia and how it affects acquisition and development of reading skills. I was confused by the poor reviews some have left for this book, as I found it well-balanced without excessive scientific detail, but those expecting fan-fiction about Proust and his affair with a genteel squid will be disappointed. ( )

This was an interesting look at the topic, but a bit technical for the casual reader.
Most enjoyed the history of the evolution of the reading brain ( )

3.5. I agree with some of the other reviews of this book that it fails at being either nonfiction for general readers or an academic text, fitting into neither box. But I still appreciated it. As an English teacher, it was helpful to learn about the development of reading and its related neuroscience. I learned some things about dyslexia and how reading shapes our brains. Yes, it was a bit repetitive and vague in some areas but has some good information. ( )

This is a very dense book, but the author manages to make the "science" and "educator" language accessible to the layman. I found this interesting in an academic way, not a lot of practical use to someone who isn't studying the brain, etc. It was interesting to read about the development of a child's brain on the path to reading and gives inspiration if you have a young one in your life to interact verbally and visually with children using words, letters, song and rhyme. ( )

Really good read if you are interested in how our brain came to be able to read and write.

Please follow the link to my blog page to read the review.

https://polymathtobe.blogspot.com/2023/10/book-review-proust-and-squid-by.html ( )