World Record for Fast Reading is...

The world record for fastest reading, depends heavily on what counts as “reading” and how comprehension is tested.

One of the most frequently cited speed-reading records is Howard Stephen Berg, who has been described by Guinness World Records as the “World’s Fastest Reader,” with claims of reading more than 25,000 words per minute. However, extraordinary speed-reading claims like this are controversial, especially when meaningful comprehension is required.

For perspective, a typical adult reads around 200–300 words per minute. A strong, practiced reader might reach 400–600 wpm while retaining good comprehension. Once claims get into the thousands—or tens of thousands—of words per minute, research generally suggests the person is skimming or extracting selected information rather than reading every word conventionally.

So if you're looking for a striking fact for a book, I'd phrase it as:

The fastest recorded speed reader has been credited with reading more than 25,000 words per minute.

That wording avoids implying that 25,000+ wpm with full comprehension is scientifically established.

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