Last Reader Standing ─ The Story of a Man Who Learned to Read at 54

The day Archie lost his thirty-one year job as a laborer at a meat packing company, he was forced to confront the secret he had held so closely for most of his life: at the age of fifty-four, he couldn't read. For all his adult life, he'd been able to skirt around the issue. But now, forced to find a new job to support his family, he could no longer hide from the truth.Last Reader Standing is the story of Archie's amazing—and often painful—journey of becoming literate at middle age, struggling with the newfound knowledge of his dyslexia. From the little boy who was banished to the back of the classroom because the teachers labeled him “stupid,” Archie emerged to becoming a national figure who continues to enlighten professionals into the world of the learning disabled. He joined Barbara Bush on stage for her Literacy Foundation's fundraisers where she proudly introduced him as “the man who took advantage of a second chance and improved his life.” This is a touching and poignant story that gives us an eye-opening view of the lack of literacy in our society, and how important it is for all of us to have opportunity to become all that we can be—to have hope and go after our dreams. It will also help parents, educators, and medical practitioners to better understand their roles in supporting and providing opportunity for the reading challenged.

Unable to read until he was 54 years of age, Archie Willard's life changed when he learned to read. Not content with simply knowing how to read, Archie took his message of the importance of literacy “to ends of the world.” From sharing the stage with former First Lady Barbara Bush, to writing about literacy for magazines, journals and newsletters, from co-creating videos and documentaries and other media—Mr. Willard was relentless in bringing literacy awareness and its importance to improving both life and lifestyle to all.At the age of eighty-two, Archie continues to work with literacy issues in medicine and consumerism nation-wide.