Dyslexia

Many dyslexics lead very successful lives. Some have even achieved greatness.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was a brilliant painter who also studied anatomy, astronomy, botany, and geology. He designed many machines and drew plans for hundreds of inventions.

Galileo (1564–1642) was a remarkable astronomer. As a child, he had a talent for building toys. During Galileo's lifetime, many people disagreed with his scientific research which showed that the Earth revolves around the Sun and not the other way around. The Catholic Church even put him on trial and punished him for his discoveries! But he was later proven correct.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was one of the greatest classical composers of all time. But as a young boy he was hard to get along with. He often fought with his father and his brothers. One of his music teachers said Beethoven would never compose music. Why? Because he couldn't follow instructions!

Thomas Edison (1847–1931) was an ingenious and prolific inventor, yet his teachers called him slow and uncreative. He left school at an early age. His mother taught him at home instead. In addition to being dyslexic, Edison was also deaf for most of his life.

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) was a brilliant scientist, yet he did not speak until the age of four. He could not read until the age of seven. He failed classes and dropped out of high school. Yet he became one of the world's greatest mathematicians.

Agatha Christie (1890–1976) was a famous writer who had dyslexia. She wrote eighty-three books of detective and mystery stories, and sixteen plays.

Cher (b. 1946) is a successful actress and singer. Until the age of eighteen, she was unable to read. She didn't find out that she had dyslexia until she was thirty Yet she still managed to become a popular television and movie star, and she won an Academy Award (the Oscar) for acting.

Whoopi Goldberg (b. 1955) is a popular movie actress and comedienne, yet she had to cope with many challenges before achieving success. School was hard for her. Besides being dyslexic, she was also addicted to drugs.

Greg Louganis (b. 1960–) was only sixteen years old when he won a silver medal in swimming in the 1976 Olympics. He also won gold medals for diving in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

Carl Lewis (b. 1961–) is an Olympic athlete. In the 1984 summer games, he won four gold medals for track and field. He also won medals in the 1988,1992, and 1996 games.

Tom Cruise (b. 1962–) is one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors. His box-office hits include Top Gun, Rain Man, Mission: Impossible, and Jerry Maguire.

Other famous and successful dyslexics include: Michelangelo, Sir Isaac Newton (who proved that gravity exists), Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone), Harrison Ford, Danny Glover, Jay Leno, River Phoenix, Robin Williams, Pablo Picasso, Muhammad Ali, Magic Johnson, Walt Disney, John Lennon, John F. Kennedy, and George Washington. So if you are dyslexic, you're in very good company!