
Spellbound
My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith
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Narrated by:
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Phil Hanley
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By:
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Phil Hanley
About this listen
This program is read by the author, comedian and severe dyslexic Phil Hanley, who reveals his unlikely path to success in a story that is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.
When Phil Hanley was in first grade, he realized something that would forever set him apart from his peers: he couldn’t read. His teachers were ill-equipped to assist him, and he slipped through the school’s cracks, year by year falling further and further behind his friends. Finally, he was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability that would shape the rest of his life.
Unable to pursue college or a traditional job, Phil was thrust into a life defined by unconventional twists, including a stint as a runway model in Europe. Eventually, he found himself on a stage with a microphone, a spotlight, and five minutes of jokes. Unlike so many previous pursuits, stand-up felt right to Phil, and he soon discovered that the more he worked at it, the more he got out of it—a realization that, he compellingly argues, saved his life. Spellbound is a story of humor and also of struggle and heartbreak, of constantly living in a world that sees things differently than you do, and of triumph over adversity.
Hanley tells us that dyslexia can be a huge challenge, but it doesn’t spell certain condemnation (and neither can he). Just the opposite: dyslexia has been more than a blessing in his life—it’s been his North Star.
A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.
©2025 Phil Hanley (P)2025 Macmillan AudioCritic reviews
A Lit Hub Most Anticipated Book of 2025
“Brilliant, funny, poignant, raw, honest, and full of heart, Phil Hanley’s Spellbound is the voice of a movement. He shares wisdom about what it's like to be dyslexic, but most importantly, he sets the record straight on what is right with the dyslexic mind and how we can all find our path and voice in the world.”—David Flink, Founder of Eye to Eye and CNN Hero
"From the backroads of Canada to the runways of Milan, Phil has a great story. I’m sure there are unruly Canadians and sarcastic Deadheads, but he’s got to be the only one that’s both."—Colin Quinn, comedian
"Spellbound is an achievement of authentic and talented storytelling. Hanley delivers validating, relatable and humorous anecdotes for the millions of people who have dyslexia and sends messages of resilience, acceptance and ultimately, celebration. I personally appreciate this book, not only as a therapist, but also as a parent who is always looking for positive and successful stories to share with my dyslexic son."—Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
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Award-winning journalist Alexis Madrigal sculpts an intricate tableau of the city of Oakland that is at once a groundbreaking big-idea book, a deeply researched work of social and political history, and an intimate portrait of an essential American city that has been at the crossroads of the defining themes of the twenty-first century. Oakland’s stories encompass everything from Silicon Valley’s prominence and the ramifications of a compulsively digital future to the underestimated costs of technological innovation on local communities.
By: Alexis Madrigal
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Big Chief
- By: Jon Hickey
- Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Mitch Caddo, a young law school graduate and aspiring political fixer, is an outsider in the homeland of his Anishinaabe ancestors. But alongside his childhood friend, Tribal President Mack Beck, he runs the government of the Passage Rouge Nation, and with it, the tribe’s Golden Eagle Casino and Hotel. On the eve of Mack’s reelection, their tenuous grip on power is threatened by a nationally known activist and politician, Gloria Hawkins, and her young aide, Layla Beck, none other than Mack’s estranged sister and Mitch’s former love.
By: Jon Hickey
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Heartbreaker
- A Memoir
- By: Mike Campbell, Ari Surdoval - contributor
- Narrated by: Mike Campbell
- Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Mike Campbell was the lead guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from the band’s inception in 1976 to Petty’s tragic death in 2017. His iconic, melodic playing helped form the foundation of the band’s sound, as heard on definitive classics like “American Girl,” “Breakdown,” “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “Learning to Fly” and “Into the Great Wide Open.”
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The best!
- By Patricia Closson on 03-25-25
By: Mike Campbell, and others
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Unshrunk
- A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance
- By: Laura Delano
- Narrated by: Laura Delano
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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At age fourteen, Laura Delano saw her first psychiatrist who immediately diagnosed her with bipolar disorder and started her on a mood stabilizer and antidepressant. At school, Delano was elected the class president and earned straight-As and a national squash ranking; at home, she unleashed all the rage and despair she felt, lashing out at her family and locking herself in her bedroom, obsessing over death. Delano’s initial diagnosis marked the beginning of a life-altering saga
By: Laura Delano
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In My Remaining Years
- By: Jean Grae
- Narrated by: Jean Grae
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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In My Remaining Years, by creative juggernaut Jean Grae, debunks the myth that coming-of-age narratives should be reserved for the kids, providing a much-needed rallying cry for those of us still trying to figure it out in our forties. These laugh-out-loud essays cover everything from aging gracefully, what happens when you look for community and almost start a cult, befriending childhood demons, gender fluidity in middle age, the cost of being too fabulous, and the various gymnastics we do to avoid becoming our parents, taking us from her childhood in 1980s NYC to present-day Baltimore.
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Her amazing voice and storytelling ability
- By Roxanne Shante on 03-20-25
By: Jean Grae
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The Fifteen
- Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America
- By: William Geroux
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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The revelatory true story of the long-forgotten POW camps for German soldiers erected in hundreds of small U.S. towns during World War II, and the secret Nazi killings that ensnared fifteen brave American POWs in a high-stakes showdown.
By: William Geroux
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Integrated
- How American Schools Failed Black Children
- By: Noliwe Rooks
- Narrated by: Noliwe Rooks
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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On May 17, 1954 the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education determined that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Heralded as a massive victory for civil rights, the decision's goal was to give Black children equitable access to educational opportunities and clear a path to a better future. Yet in the years following the ruling, schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods were shuttered or saw their funding dwindle, Black educators were fired en masse, and Black children faced discrimination and violence from their white peers.
By: Noliwe Rooks
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King Dollar
- The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency
- By: Paul Blustein
- Narrated by: David Stifel
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Prophecies that the dollar will lose its status as the world's dominant currency have echoed for decades—and are increasing in volume. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts claim that Bitcoin or other blockchain-based monetary units will replace the dollar. Foreign policy hawks warn that China's renminbi poses a lethal threat to the greenback. And sound money zealots predict that mounting US debt and inflation will surely erode the dollar's value to the point of irrelevancy.
By: Paul Blustein
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The Mesopotamian Riddle
- An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman and the Race to Decipher the World's Oldest Writing
- By: Joshua Hammer
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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From the ruins of Persepolis to lawless outposts of the crumbling Ottoman Empire, The Mesopotamian Riddle whisks you on a wild adventure through the golden age of archaeology in an epic quest to understand our past.
By: Joshua Hammer
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Lights On
- How Understanding Consciousness Helps Us Understand the Universe
- By: Annaka Harris
- Narrated by: Annaka Harris
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
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Is consciousness a fundamental building block of the universe, like gravity? Can humans develop new senses through neuroscience? And can artificial intelligence ever truly replicate the subjective experience of being conscious? Join Annaka Harris as she calls on distinguished experts in science and philosophy to find answers to today’s most perplexing questions about our minds and the universe at large.
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Heady stuff
- By Dvdmon on 03-30-25
By: Annaka Harris
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O Sinners!
- A Novel
- By: Nicole Cuffy
- Narrated by: JD Jackson, SEVAN
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Faruq Zaidi, a young journalist processing the recent death of his father, a devout Muslim, takes the opportunity to embed himself in a cult called “the nameless.” Based in the California redwoods and shepherded by an enigmatic Vietnam War veteran named Odo, the nameless adhere to the 18 Utterances, including teachings such as “all suffering is distortion” and “see only beauty.”
By: Nicole Cuffy
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The Haunting of Room 904
- A Novel
- By: Erika T. Wurth
- Narrated by: Ina Barrón
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits. A few years later, she’s the most in-demand paranormal investigator in Denver. She’s good at her job, but the loss of Naiche haunts her. That’s when she hears from the Brown Palace, a landmark Denver hotel.
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So good! Finished in 24 hours. I couldn’t stop
- By JJ Gallin on 03-27-25
By: Erika T. Wurth
What listeners say about Spellbound
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- SL
- 03-25-25
Inspirational tale of overcoming a disability and fighting to make it a positive.
I really liked the behind the scenes clips at the start of each chapter. They give you just a small example of the work both Phil and the crew put in to make this audio book.
The perseverance that Phil has had to have to get to were he is at now is incredible. All in all a great listen IMHO.
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- J. Brown
- 03-20-25
I love Phil Hanley’s comedy and I hope someone reads this to him!
I want Phil to know I’ve listened to it twice already. Watched and liked all of his work on YouTube. He made me understand dyslexia on a deeper level than I would have ever imagined. Ooh la la. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a heart. ❤️
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2 people found this helpful
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- jabone
- 03-20-25
good listen
great comedian. loved hearing his story and what he went through growing up and how he helps others
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- DrEHarris
- 03-30-25
Don’t quit your day job
Feel like I know this guy. Second half is very good. Can’t wait for the sequel.
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- Jane Quinn
- 03-20-25
Incredible storytelling
Phil has palpable rawness that is so genuine and his storytelling is second to none.
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- claire bronster
- 03-20-25
Loved it!
Such an incredible read. Read this now!! Funny, heartwarming and will stay with you. Highly recommend.
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- Anonymous User
- 03-21-25
Don’t skip this book
I laughed and cried while listening to this book. A great memoir. Can’t wait to hear more.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jeff A Wagner
- 03-24-25
Phil's struggles
Hearing his story and actually hearing him struggle to narrate really hits home with what he had to overcome. Even if you don't have the same struggles, it is easy to empathize with him and relate it to your own life. He is one of my favorite comics and until this book, I would never have guessed what he had gone through in his life. what he does on stage seems so effortless, something impossible for me to do. I highly recommend listening.
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- Raleigh Chesney
- 03-25-25
Loved every second.
The candid live clips opening every chapter made the story so much more personal and grounded into what an accomplishment this is for Phil and how amazing he is.
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- LoyalGuy John Mc
- 03-20-25
Not what I expected at all
I couldn’t wait to read Phil‘s autobiography. I signed up before release and waited until midnight on the day of the release and sadly it was not released until later in the day. I devoured it wandering around stores in my house listening. I love his crowd work Clips on YouTube and as a fellow dyslexic., I am Marvel at his quick wit. My dyslexia has blessed me with a super fast, quick wet, much like his. I didn’t realize how much I would have in common with his journey through dyslexia.. This was a real autobiography. I was expecting something much lighter. It was amazing and enlightening. It’s a wonderful story told beautifully with plenty of humor, but this is not a laugh a minute story. It’s a beautiful story.
If it wasn’t for talk to text, I would’ve had no prayer to spell dyslexia. Lol.
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1 person found this helpful