[latepaul]

So says this article

Put another way, the problem with speed-reading claims is that speed-reading is really just another way of saying “skimming.” You can flash as many words as you like in front of your eyes, and though you may be able to understand each word on its own, they won’t mean much as a collective whole. Language processing just doesn’t work that way

In the end, the only reliable way to become a faster reader, then, is to expand your vocabulary — and the best way to do that is to read more. There is no shortcut, in other words

I must admit my reaction was "well, duh!" but it's nice to have some proper science to back that up.

I should also say that there's nothing wrong with "skimming" for certain purposes - background research, trying to quickly get a feel for a lot of material - but for me, most of whose reading is fiction for pleasure, I'd rather savour and understand what I'm reading.