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Evelyn Wood

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Educator

The Resume

    (January 8, 1909-August 26, 1995)
    Name is synonymous with speed-reading
    First book 'Reading Skills' published in 1958
    Taught speed-reading techniques (1959-77)
    Founded the Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics Institute in Washington, D.C. (1959)

Why she might be annoying:

    She wrote and directed 'Prepare Ye The Way,' an Aaronic (lower order of the Mormon priesthood) Pageant for the Salt Lake City Tabernacle (1941 & 1947).
    She claimed she could read 15,000 words a minute, with the turning of pages the only thing that kept her from reading faster (showboating braggart).
    Students of her teachings have been called 'Woodites.'
    She stated to her critics, 'Which would you rather do: eat a dish of rice kernel by kernel or take a spoonful to get a good taste?'
    She was fair game for comedic spoofing, including Eddie Murphy on 'Saturday Night Live.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    She earned a bachelors degree in English (1929) and a masters in speech (1947) from the University of Utah.
    Her methods were endorsed by three U.S. presidents; John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter.
    Burt Lancaster was a student of her work.
    At its peak there were over 150 of her schools in the U.S. (1978).
    She was married to the same guy for 58 years, until his death in 1987.
    She had two major strokes (1977 & 1986).
    After her second stroke her health deteriorated for 9 years until she died at age 86 (August 1995).
    Today her institutes offer 600 courses and attract about 20,000 customers annually in the U.S.

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 9 Votes: 22.22% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 27 Votes: 51.85% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 33 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 26 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 71 Votes: 52.11% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 101 Votes: 52.48% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 296 Votes: 61.49% Annoying