Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith

Comedian and severe dyslexic Phil Hanley 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.

Phil shows 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.


About the Author
Phil Hanley is a proud dyslexic and an internationally touring comedian who has made countless TV appearances, including on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He has recorded two comedy specials, The Half Hour for Comedy Central and Ooh La La, which can be found on his extremely popular YouTube channel. A passionate advocate for neurodiversity inclusion, Phil sits on the board of Eye to Eye, one of America's biggest nonprofits for neurodiverse students, and promotes neurodiversity acceptance in his viral stand-up videos and at in-person events across North America. He is a regular at the Comedy Cellar in New York City, where he lives. He'd hate for me to tell you this but he used to be a model.