My Dyslexia by Philip Schultz

An inspiring memoir of a Pulitzer Prize winner’s triumph over disability.

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.

My Dyslexia was interesting. It provided a fascinating perspective into the world of living with dyslexia, as well as describing the effects of bullying. The book also touched lightly on his Jewish background. His writing was clear and his voice was very distinct. It was a pretty quick and easy read. I finished it in a couple of hours.

I have a little bit of reluctance to critique a memoir, since it’s someone’s personal experiences. However, My Dyslexia did get a little repetitive at times. Some of it probably could have been condensed.

Overall, My Dyslexia was okay. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in dyslexia, learning disabilities, or poetry.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Google