well, i didn't start reading at 900WPM--it took me 4 years of 'practice' to get to that speed. i suspect, your speed would have increased if you worked with the machine for 4 years, too!(and the one you describe sounds alot like a controlled reading machine!)
my parocial school saved money by running tests for new curriculums, textbooks, and other teaching materials. i suspect we were being used as guinnea pigs for the CR program--we were used for new math (my school had new math about 4 years before most schools rolled it out.) and we were for a new science program. (which was so-so and wishy washy.. or at least i thought so--i learned science reading science books
i had free and easy access to a great library--the Bronx Central branch of the NYC library system--and my mother, while (as i have said before) did not read to me, she took me, and sibling to the library from the moment we could walk.
the Bronx centeral library had a whole floor of building (and it was a big building (300 feet deep, about 100 feet wide) just for children and young adults. (adult books were on another floor, and first floor was a research center) so we kids had it easy.. we were supposed to be quiet, but since it was a kids floor, (and only parents with kids were there,) it was a pleasant bubbly noisy place, not the scared hush that libraries often are)
(the bronx central library recently moved (and doubled in size! --the story was page 1 news/NYT.)
i too frequently reread books.. i rush throught them, for the basic story, and then often in 6 months, reread at a slower place (but still fast by many standards)
