To Read or Not to Read: Answers to All Your Questions About Dyslexia [Hardcover]

Daphne M. Hurford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 1998

Written by a former journalist who is now a learning specialist, "To Read or Not to Read" is the first book to explain fully and in simple terms what dyslexia is--and what it isn't.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former Life magazine journalist Hurford has written the best comprehensive book about dyslexia intended for a general audience. Told with consummate respect for the intelligence and perseverance of dyslexics, Hurford's work could and should change lives. She begins with the comforting reality that many successful, important people share this condition, among them Einstein, Churchill, Yeats and Nelson Rockefeller. Her careful definition accurately reflects the term's vague etymology (dys, difficult, and lexis, word): "difficulty reading words, writing words, remembering words, and sometimes even pronouncing words." Hurford helps explain how this often misunderstood condition that affects 15% of Americans can show itself in widely varying ways in dyslexics' reading, writing and day-to-day life. "According to the Dyslexia Association," Hurford reports, "dyslexia is 'neurologically based'" and "the brain... needs to be trained" in order for the dyslexic to effectively function in the realm of the printed word. Now a learning specialist with a private practice in New York City, the author delineates the school's role in helping dyslexics. Her explanations about diagnosis, remediation and available services will be of enormous help to parents, students, and dyslexics of all ages as they work with this condition. Hurford draws on both clear interpretations of current research and on dozens of case studies that prove that the frustration of dyslexia can be greatly reduced. This is concise, comprehensive and informative reading.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Harold S. Koplewicz, M.D. professor and vice chairman of Psychiatry, and director of the Child Study Center, New York University School of Medicine; and author of It's Nobody's Fault Finally, an easy-to-read and scientifically based book on dyslexia. Daphne M. Hurford has written a comprehensive guide for the evaluation and treatment of dyslexia. For the millions of Americans suffering from dyslexia, this volume is a necessary addition to their family library. -- Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (August 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684839504
• ISBN-13: 978-0684839509
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,720,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Parents should read this book!, October 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: To Read or Not to Read: Answers to All Your Questions About Dyslexia (Hardcover)

As a parent of two children (now grown and successful), I look back to when they were in school and remember the concerns I had about their progress in learning to read and write. It goes without saying that most parents want their children to do well in school. Being a good reader is certainly a critical factor in how well a child learns any subject. Ms. Hurford's book, "To Read or Not to Read", provides invaluable and interesting information for parents about the process of learning to read. It is not just a good reference on dyslexia but also it contains background on testing children to help identify possible reading problems. Parents who have the slightest concern about their children's reading will gain insight from this book. As an added bonus, the portions of the book with short episodes about famous dyslexics are fascinating.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars First-rate characterization of dyslexia, September 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Marquette, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Read or Not to Read: Answers to All Your Questions About Dyslexia (Hardcover)

Hurford has provided a first rate characterization of dyslexia by describing individuals with dyslexia and how they have coped in various settings. Her talent is in assimilating research and literature, presenting it in a readable and understandable format, and allowing the reader to gain a sense of what it is like to be dyslexic in school and out of school. Dyslexia is contextually sensitive - or manifests itself differently in different circumstances - and Hurford does a nice job of bringing this conception to the fore. It's not an "academic" book, but an "understanding" book. I will be recommending it to my students in special education as a good source for information not contained in more academic tomes.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a comprehensive guide re: evaluation and treatment of dyslex, November 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: To Read or Not to Read: Answers to All Your Questions About Dyslexia (Hardcover)

I enjoyed reading Daphne Hurford's book. It is a comprehensive, sensible guide that will assist any parent through the maze as he or she journeys into the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of reading disorders. As a parent I appreciated the developmental perspective and discussion of dyslexia across the age range. As an evaluator, I respect Daphne Hurford's knowledge and I am impressed with the sequential explanation of detection and diagnosis. Thank you Daphne.