John Steinbeck on Learning to Read
"Some people there are who, being grown; forget the horrible task of learning to read. It is perhaps the greatest single effort that the human undertakes, and he must do it as a child." - John Steinbeck (1962 Nobel Prize Winner for Literature)
My comment: If you'd like to generate an interesting discussion with friends or family, simply pose the question, "Do you remember how you learned to read?" Typically, there is a pause, a bemused smile and then a statement to the effect, "I really don't know." The fact of the matter is that almost no one has a clear sense of how he or she learned this vital skill.

