23 very well-known people from the arts, sport, and business worlds talk about how dyslexia affected their childhood, how they were able to overcome the challenges and use the special strengths of dyslexia to achieve great success in adulthood. Darcey Bussell CBE, Eddie Izzard, Sir Richard Branson, Meg Mathews, Zoe Wanamaker CBE, Richard Rogers, Benjamin Zephaniah, Steven Naismith, Lynda La Plante CBE, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Sophie Conran and others share their stories, and their advice. All reveal the enormous difficulties they faced, the strength required to overcome them, the crucial importance of adult support, and how `the different way the brain is wired' in dyslexia has enabled them to see something different in the world and to use their creativity in an exceptional way. They talk about `thinking sideways', and the ability to look at a bigger picture, the often strong visual strength, and the ability to listen, and to grasp simplicity where other people see only complexity. They also talk about how dyslexia continues to challenge them, and the ways they have found to work around this. An introduction, and final section that includes practical information about dyslexia, are written with the support of Dyslexia Action, and a percentage of profit from the book is going to The British Dyslexia Association. The book will be essential reading for teachers and other professionals, and for families affected by dyslexia, and inspirational for people with dyslexia.

Draws on recent scientific breakthroughs to explain the mechanisms underlying dyslexia, offering parents age-specific, grade-by-grade instructions on how to help their children.

This innovative book looks at the keys for success in dyslexic adults, comparing both those who are successful and less successful, enabling parents and teachers to use these keys to best support young dyslexics. These keys look at home life, school, career choices, working relationships, coping strategies, traits, unique selling points, and what is considered success for somebody with dyslexia. The Successful Dyslexic questions if school-based trauma can be used positively, as both successful and unsuccessful dyslexic adults share the same traumatic school experiences. It is how these adult dyslexics have used this trauma, positively or negatively that has set them on the path for success, or to struggle as adults searching for a worthwhile career. The theories of ‘disability paradox’ and ‘post-traumatic growth’ are used to understand why despite having a disability, many dyslexics can be, and are, highly successful. This book details an interview study of 27 successful and 10 less successful dyslexics, with 2 expert interviews, and supported by two large online studies. In total this book includes the contribution of 191 adult dyslexics. Each in-depth interview has sought to understand the individual’s journey from childhood to adulthood, and their quotes are used to enlighten the reader to each of their individual experiences. Armed with these insights, it is hoped that parents and teachers of young dyslexics can set them on the path to unlock their own future success.

Understanding adult dyslexia and exploring strategy-based solutions to encourage success in work.

This book combines moving accounts of the lived experience of dyslexic adults with tips and strategies for surmounting the challenges you or a loved one or family member may face. Drawing on in-depth interviews, Kelli Sandman-Hurley explores common themes such as school experiences; the impact of dyslexia on mental wellbeing; literacy skills; and being a dyslexic parent, perhaps to a child who is also dyslexic. Interviewees share what helped them (or didn't), the strategies they use daily to tackle literacy-based tasks, anxiety and low self-esteem, the advice they would give to the parent of a dyslexic child who is struggling, and reflect on how their experience has impacted their own parenting style. Whether you're dyslexic yourself or supporting someone who is, this book sheds light on an underrepresented topic, providing much-needed guidance and insight around what life is really like for an adult with dyslexia.

“A success story . . . proof that one can rise above the disease and defy its so-called limitations on the brain.”—Daily Beast Despite winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2008, Philip Schultz could never shake the feeling of being exiled to the "dummy class" in school, where he was largely ignored by his teachers and peers and not expected to succeed. Not until many years later, when his oldest son was diagnosed with dyslexia, did Schultz realize that he suffered from the same condition. In his moving memoir, Schultz traces his difficult childhood and his new understanding of his early years. In doing so, he shows how a boy who did not learn to read until he was eleven went on to become a prize-winning poet by sheer force of determination. His balancing act—life as a member of a family with not one but two dyslexics, countered by his intellectual and creative successes as a writer—reveals an inspiring story of the strengths of the human mind.

'If you read only one book about attention deficit disorder, it should be Delivered from Distraction.' Michael Thompson, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling co-author of Raising Cain In 1994, Driven to Distraction sparked a revolution in our understanding of attention deficit disorder. Widely recognized as the classic in the field, the book has sold more than a million copies. Now a second revolution is under way in the approach to ADD, and the news is great. Drug therapies, our understanding of the role of diet and exercise, even the way we define the disorder - all are changing radically. And doctors are realizing that millions of adults suffer from this condition, though the vast majority of them remain undiagnosed and untreated. In this new book, Drs Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey build on the breakthroughs of Driven to Distraction to offer a comprehensive and entirely up-to-date guide to living a successful life with ADD. As Hallowell and Ratey point out, 'attention deficit disorder' is a highly misleading description of an intriguing kind of mind. Original, charismatic, energetic, often brilliant, people with ADD have extraordinary talents and gifts embedded in their highly charged but easily distracted minds. Tailored expressly to ADD learning styles and attention spans, Delivered from Distraction provides accessible, engaging discussions of every aspect of the condition, from diagnosis to finding the proper treatment regime. Inside you'll discover: - whether ADD runs in families - new diagnostic procedures, tests, and evaluations - the links between ADD and other conditions - how people with ADD can free up their inner talents and strengths - the new drugs and how they work, and why they're not for everyone - exciting advances in nonpharmaceutical therapies, including changes in diet, exercise, and lifestyle - how to adapt the classic twelve-step program to treat ADD - sexual problems associated with ADD and how to resolve them - strategies for dealing with procrastination, clutter, and chronic forgetfulness ADD is a trait, a way of living in the world. It only becomes a disorder when it impairs your life. Featuring gripping profiles of patients with ADD who have triumphed, Delivered from Distraction is a wise, loving guide to releasing the positive energy that all people with ADD hold inside. If you have ADD or care about someone who does, this is the book you must read.