I was recommended this book and am so glad I picked it up!

As someone who does not read a lot of science/psychology non-fiction, I struggled with getting through the more dense sections discussing neurological aspects of reading with all the brain illustrations and such. While Wolf did an excellent job of making what she was saying understandable, it was just a bit dry for me at times. Also, the book focuses very heavily on the development of the reading brain; while some discussions of the reading brain later in life (for example, the occasional discussion of the effects of strokes on reading), this book is primarily about the development of reading in young children. Don't get me wrong, that's fascinating! But I'm left curious about the effects and continued evolution of reading in adults.

Structurally, the organization is decent. The first part is a very short, brief history of some aspects of the development of reading and writing. The second follows the development of the reading brain throughout adolescence, then the third part is about dyslexia. I found the bit about dyslexia far easier and more interesting than the other three parts, possibly because it is where Wolf has the most personal experience and uses anecdotes that are both fascinating and very sweet. (Meow!)

If you're interested in reading and linguistics (particularly English reading and linguistics), PROUST AND THE SQUID is a must-read. Just come prepared to wade through some dense science.