Famous Writers who Overcame Dyslexia

[AuntShecky]

I've found that the old saying "You learn something new every day" is true--especially here on the LitNet, where the Litnutters often bring up topics and ideas that are new even to a crotchety old auntie like me.

Since my immediate family has been affected by disabilities, both physical and mental, I became aware of the struggles some of our fellow human beings have faced and face every day of their lives. I knew about dyslexia, but I had never connected that condition with writers, until a certain LitNetter brought up the subject recently, which raised my consciousness. Curiosity inspired me to do an online search of writers affected by dyslexia, and I began to be enlightened.

I had already known about the late TV producer/writer Steven J. Cannell who had shared his experience with the world, but upon further reading I found that another distinguished writer who happens to be one of our family's favorite authors also has managed to conquer dyslexia. This is none other than National Book Award Winner and Academy Award recipient, John Irving.

With such stellar examples, people with dyslexia -- as well as those of us who have diminished expectations about the abilities of others!-- should take note-- and take heart! Dyslexia can be overcome-- you can achieve whatever you want to achieve, as long as you're persistent. (And work hard.)

The following are some web pages I found on the topic just this afternoon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Cannell

video:
http://www.cannell.com/dyslexia.php

http://dyslexia.yale.edu/Irving.html

[miyako73]

Thank you, Auntie. Maybe it's just me. I find special treatment or lowering of the bar because of what I am and have very condescending.

My nephew is both autistic and dyslexic (yes, it runs in the family). When he said "me no want go bathroom me no want taking bath." Her mom found it cute and she did not want me to correct him. I actually found it to be a form of abuse- pushing that child to be totally disabled even in speech.

It is condescending, at least to me, for someone to use different rules in considering my works because I am disabled. I want to advance not to be confined in a misguided, unhelpful patronage.

[zoolane]

Thank you Aunty, the links are very interest, most all that Stephen Cannell was great what he did.

Also I always wonder who guy with typewriting was. I watch videos partner pc other day (hopeful tomorrow) I have no sound.

[OrphanPip]

The severity of dyslexia can be reduced, but not everyone has it to the same severity.

My brother and father's dyslexic traits are fairly severe, they can't spell effectively and my father in particular has difficulty reading. I can read and write without difficulty apart from some borderline issues with dysgraphia. When I write by hand, I sometimes write words out of order (occasionally I mix upper and lower case letters, or begin writing a word in the middle, which requires me to move my hand back to finish the beginning of the word), but this is just an inconvenience rather than a real disability. I usually notice the mistakes as I make them and correct them.

[miyako73]

Also, I find dyslexia easier to overcome than learning English. English is a very complex language. It is more difficult than math. In dyslexia, I have no problem as far as comprehension is concerned. In learning English, comprehension is a big problem. When I was a kid suffering from dyslexia, I spend hours to rewrite and rewrite a paragraph like I was piecing a jigsaw puzzle together. The keyword here is effort.

[zoolane]

Wow, I am glad that people are talking about dyslexia more open on the site.

[OrphanPip]

Also, I find dyslexia easier to overcome than learning English. English is a very complex language. It is more difficult than math. In dyslexia, I have no problem as far as comprehension is concerned. In learning English, comprehension is a big problem. When I was a kid suffering from dyslexia, I spend hours to rewrite and rewrite a paragraph like I was piecing a jigsaw puzzle together. The keyword here is effort.

That is too simplistic, some forms of dyslexia can't simply be overcome by effort.

And English is more difficult than math? By what qualitative measure, what does that even mean?

[zoolane]

Mine person is grammar obvious spelling and structured of sentence making, I have try for last 3-4yrs to get some sort grammar to stay in my memory but some reason I can not get grasp of grammar.

[miyako73]

I'm just sharing my experience. Math is direct and clear. one is one. In English, "in" has different uses. "the" changes meanings. gh, lf sound f as in laugh and half. Unfamiliar idioms are difficult to understand. These were my difficult experiences when I started learning English. My dyslexia experience was with my native language, which I could perfectly comprehend.

Zoolane, I'm not dismissing you and your writings. What I'm suggesting is double your effort. Edit, edit, edit. I'm pretty sure you don't use a spell checker. Don't give up to your disability.

[zoolane]

I'm just sharing my experience. Math is direct and clear. one is one. In English, "in" has different uses. "the" changes meanings. gh, lf sound f as in laugh and half. Unfamilar idioms are difficult to understand. These were my difficult experiences when I started learning English. My dyslexia experience was with my native language, which I can perfectly comprehend.

Which is good to sharing experience what I think Pip meaning is every one different.

[AuntShecky]

We were just discussing this topic a couple of weeks ago, and what do you know, a new movie about dyslexia will be televised this weekend. It's called The Big Picture and will be broadcast on HBO.

I wanted to get the direct link from HBO, but the PC I'm using doesn't have the appropriate version of "Flash Player." A newspaper article about the movie from a San Francisco paper wouldn't load properly. If you type "The Big Picture+ HBO documentary" in the Google box, you might be able to access that link more easily than I could today.

But I found out about the movie this morning from a news show, and here's that link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/#49549969