I'm cheating a bit actually, as I started reading it when I was young, around 8 years old. I had my books constantly taken from me during class.
I never met anyone who read the series until JordanCon 9, so it wasn't something I thought about.
Oohhh! My mom picked up EOTW in a garage sale, she had no idea what it was and just thought it looked like something I'd enjoy. She never read the series herself before she passed. It's a bittersweet memory, but one I hold very close to my heart.
Speaking of which, this would've been around...