I Can’t Read: A Book Review
Would you read a book to get a job? If you already had a job and were told you would have to read a book in order to keep it, would you do it?
This is a question that Will Manzanares poses to his employees. All his employees have done it, and even though someone occasionally balks at this, he tells them about Audible and offers them a discount code, so there’s really no excuse.
Will doesn’t seem terribly interested in excuses. Many people say this, but Will lives this 100%. Will is passionate about learning, reading, and getting as much information as he can. But this wasn’t always easy for him.
Will Manzanares couldn’t read when he was growing up. It wasn’t for lack of trying, either. Will is dyslexic. He didn’t know it at the time, and it wasn’t until much later in his life as an adult that he was diagnosed with it, but Will is dyslexic, and he doesn’t let it stop him. Not one darn bit! He doesn’t think it should stop anyone, in fact, and he is more than willing to help people who are dyslexic learn how they can hone their own superpower and unlock their fullest potential.
Will’s book, I Can’t Read, is part autobiography, part personal philosophy, and all positive, taking the reader inside his curious and active mind to discover how he works around his dyslexia to become one of the most successful businessmen in Tacoma, Washington.
It started out with Will counting desks in reading class, and then goes on to explain how he learned to discuss reading assignments with his classmates, memorize certain passages beforehand, and listen to books being read aloud by family and classmates. Once he discovered the audiobook service Audible, he became unstoppable, consuming books as fast as he could listen to them.
Will’s writing style is engaging, reader-friendly, and positive. Though many others have written about dyslexia, this isn’t a book that is academic, dry, or heavy with professional jargon. Once people read this book, they may be inspired to reach out to someone they know who may be dyslexic or who may have a similar reading issue, and they may want to suggest the gift of an Audible subscription, with this book being one of the first things someone may want to listen to.
Every reading teacher, librarian, and school system should get a copy of this book and read it, if nothing else to try get better understand the perspective of some students who may struggle, and how they can help them. This book, in fact, may be the first step to take to help those students believe in themselves, and it really is an entertaining read. Will believes everyone has certain gifts, talents, and “superpowers” that need to be nurtured, and one of the best forms of nurturing is to practice. If you’re curious about what kind of “superpowers” you may possess, or if you just want a good, fascinating, quick read in which the author is approachable and interesting, then pick up this book!