5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There's Never Enough Time

I was skeptical, but this actually works. I went from a sluggish pace to finishing non-fiction books in nearly half the time. What really surprised me was that my comprehension actually improved—I’m retaining about 70% of what I read now compared to the 50% I was hitting before. The techniques for quietening that 'inner voice' (subvocalization) were the most helpful part for me. It’s well-organized and the chapters are short enough that you don't feel overwhelmed. If you're a student or someone who has to plow through a mountain of emails every morning, just buy it. It’s a solid investment in your own efficiency.

Five stars because it delivers exactly what the title says. It’s a 10-day program, and if you follow the schedule, you will see results. I felt like the writing style was very encouraging, even when the concepts (like using your peripheral vision to see blocks of text) were a bit tricky to master at first. The focus on comprehension is what sets this apart from other speed-reading 'hacks' I've seen online. It’s not just about moving your eyes faster; it’s about training your brain to absorb information more aggressively. Highly recommended for anyone overwhelmed by information overload.

This book is a lifesaver for grad school! The chapter exercises are short and punchy, and they actually show you your progress in real-time. I went from being a 'word-by-word' reader to being able to scan whole paragraphs for the main idea without losing the plot. It’s very easy to understand, and Abby Marks Beale has a way of making the technical stuff feel accessible. I don't care how cheesy the car metaphor is—it works for the structure. If you feel like you're drowning in textbooks, this is the life raft you need. Fast, effective, and worth every penny.

I honestly didn't think I'd get much out of this, but the exercises at the end of each chapter really kept me grounded. The whole 'racecar' metaphor is spread a bit thick—we get it, fast cars go zoom—but if you can look past the cheesy terminology like 'pit-stops' and 'engine overhauls,' there’s actual substance here. I personally found that using a pacer (like my finger or a pen) was a game-changer for my focus. My comprehension didn't just stay the same; it actually felt sharper because I wasn't letting my mind wander off every two sentences. It’s a slim book, which is ironic since it’s about reading faster, but it delivers on its promise if you actually do the work.

Practical and straight to the point. I loved that the book itself is printed in a larger font and is relatively short, making it easy to practice the techniques on the book itself. The previewing and scanning methods have saved me a ton of time at work. I used to feel guilty for skipping paragraphs, but this book gave me the 'permission' to only focus on the keywords and the meat of the content. It’s not perfect—some of the drills felt repetitive—but for the price of a lunch, I definitely got my money's worth in saved time.

A very solid manual for anyone looking to optimize their study habits. The Princeton Language Institute branding made me think it would be a dry, academic slog, but it’s actually quite casual and easy to digest. I particularly appreciated the section on 'previewing' text before diving in. It feels like a small thing, but it sets a mental framework that makes the actual reading much faster. I did find some of the 'props' a bit much—I’m not going to carry an index card around with me everywhere—but the core principles are sound. A good, practical tool for the modern age.

I applied the techniques from this book to the book itself, and it was a breeze to get through. It’s a very meta experience. While I don't think I'll ever be a 'super-speed' reader, I’ve definitely doubled my comfort level with skimming non-fiction. The advice to avoid subvocalizing is hard to follow, but even getting halfway there has helped me pick up the pace. My only gripe is that it feels very geared toward people who don't like reading. As someone who loves the prose in a good book, some of these methods felt a bit clinical. But for business or learning, it's excellent.

This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the Princeton Language Institute clearly knows the mechanics of how we process text, and I did see a bump in my words-per-minute after practicing the peripheral vision drills. On the other hand, it feels very 'old school' with all the physical props like index cards and highlighters. I’m mostly reading on a Kindle these days, so those tips felt a little dated. Also, I’m not sure I agree that skimming is 'reading.' It felt more like a strategy to avoid reading, which might be fine for a boring business report but feels like a waste for a good novel. Still, it’s a quick 200-page read.

I’ve been trying to get through my 'to-read' pile for years, so I picked this up hoping for a miracle. It’s okay, I guess. It basically teaches you that you don't have to read every single word, which felt like a 'duh' moment for me. The author relies way too heavily on car metaphors, which started to get on my nerves by chapter three. I found the 'pacer' technique with a pen incredibly distracting; it honestly made me feel like I was back in grade school. It’s probably great for people who really struggle with reading or hate it, but for a regular reader, it’s mostly just common sense packaged in a fancy way.

It is deeply ironic that a book about faster reading was one of the few books I’ve actually struggled to finish lately. I found the constant car analogies—road maps, stick-shifts, whatever—to be incredibly patronizing and tired. The 'tricks' are mostly things you’ve already heard: don't let your mind wander, look for keywords, use a finger to guide your eyes. It felt like a lot of fluff for very little payoff. I tried the pacer method and it just gave me a headache. Honestly, just google 'how to speed read' and save yourself the time and money. This was not for me.