Customer Reviews

Story of My Life

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Helen Keller (1880-1968) is a revered figure in American popular culture. Struck deaf and blind by illness at the age of 19 months, she still managed to get an education and become a writer and activist. Her story was further popularized by William Gibson's play "The Miracle Worker," which was also adapted for both film and television.

Keller's autobiography, "The Story of My Life," first appeared in installments in "Ladies' Home Journal" in 1902. This book is truly one of the great American autobiographies: an inspiring story of a courageous individual who overcame tremendous odds.

Keller writes about many things: her childhood in Alabama; her relationship with her beloved teacher, Anne Sullivan; her attendance at the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York City; and meeting such eminent figures as Mark Twain. She especially stresses her love of literature, which she describes as "my Utopia."

Along the way are some fascinating details and profoundly moving passages. Her tribute to the Homer, the blind poet of ancient Greece, is particularly powerful. I also loved her interpretation of the biblical Book of Ruth: a story of "love which can rise above conflicting creeds and deep-seated racial prejudices."

I think that many will regard Keller's autobiography as a mere historical or sociological document. But I think the book deserves a place as a great work of literature, and moreover as a work of literature in the great American tradition. Keller's poetic, often sensuous words about the natural world are comparable to the work of Emily Dickinson. And her stirring account of her revelatory awareness of language reminds me of Frederick Douglass' account of his first awareness of the power of literacy. The book as a whole is enhanced by Keller's charming, likeable literary style.

"The Story of My Life" is a wonderful book by an amazing individual. Helen Keller still has, I believe, much to say to contemporary audiences.

I was about 8 years old, my grandmother had a "bed and breakfast" type of house in Garmisch, Germany, I was on my way home from school and had picked some flowers for her "B & B" tables, when I saw a lady with awhite cane, I gave her the flowers which I had picked for my grandma, The lady to whom I gave the flowers was Ms. Keller, the lady accompanying her was Ms. Sullivan. The next day, my teacher at school asked me to her office. Thinking that I was in trouble (again) I was worried about what was going on. She asked me where I had met Helen Keller; To which I replied "Helen who??" , She then explained to me who Helen Keller was. My grandmother and I then were invited to one of the finer hotels in Garmisch to have dinner with Ms Keller and Ms Sullivan. At which time she presented me with a hardcover of her book "The story of my life". What I belive makes this book special is the fact that Ms Keller wrote a note to me In GERMAN, she wrote: "An meiner kleine freund der meine hand froh machte mit 'Primrosen', eine botschft from fruehling mit liebe Helen Keller" In rough translation: "To my little friend, who made my hand happy with a message of spring with love Hellen Keller". This book is most certainly one of my most price posessions.

The miraculous Helen Keller and her equally astounding teacher, Annie Sullivan, go into great detail of their struggles to overcome Helen's grave disabilities. It is so astounding, in fact, that it's almost incomprehensible. Helen's amazing mental ability, Annie's guidance and their mutual tenacity are surely to be credited.

It is a wonderful story to read, especially so because it is told BY them and not as interpreted by a third-party biographer.

Unfortunately, Helen's eloquence and the prose of the day can border on the flowery side (to be it mildly) which made me unable to push through as quickly as I might have otherwise.

But then again, that's the beauty of her success story: it WASN'T too good to be true!

I first read this book in 6th grade. I have read it several times in the intervening years, the most recent time being within the past one year.

Helen Keller, blind and deaf since the age of 1 1/2 has offered, in her own words an accounting of her life experience. It is incredible to imagine how this woman, unable to see or hear can give such a strong voice to descriptions of nature. The book is replete with beautiful, articulate metaphors that draw the reader into the world as Helen knew it. One wonders how a person with no language can "think," and Helen provides some clues. During these "dark days," prior to the arrival of her "Teacher," Annie Sullivan, Helen's life was a series of desires and impressions. She could commnicate by a series of crude signs she and her parents had created. She demonstrated early on that she could learn.

I like the way Helen herself takes her readers past that water pump when she learned that "all things have a name." Instead of getting stuck there, Helen takes her readers on the journey of her life to that point.

In addition to having a good linguistic base, Helen also demonstrates having a phenomenal memory. When she was twelve, she wrote a story she believed to be her own. Entitled "The Frost King," it bore a strong resemblance to one written by a Ms. Canby called "The Frost Fairies." Many of the sentences are identical and a good number of the descriptions are paraphrased. In relating this devasting incident, Helen and Annie recall that Annie had exposed Helen to the story some three years earlier and Helen had somehow retained that information. This plainly shows intelligence.

Both the "Frost" stories are reprinted in full, thus giving the reader a chance to see just how amazing being able to remember such a work really was.

Helen describes her work raising money for other deaf-blind children to attend the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston and in so doing, embarks upon her lifelong mission as a crusader for multiply challenged individuals.

This book is Helen Keller's autobiography and is somewhat unusual because Helen Keller was deafblind. It is beautifully written and although I don't necessary agree with all the conclusions drawn by the author of the introduction, I found the autobiography very moving to read. Much of the time Helen wrote in a way that you would not realise she could neither see nor hear anything around her.

The fact that Miss Keller was not deaf from birth but became deafblind as a very small child following an illness makes her achievements particularly incredible. She had to re-learn her communication skills and this is due in no small part to her teacher and mentor, Annie Sullivan. Miss Keller came from a wealthy family who were prepared to go to endless lengths to help their daughter to live a fulfilling life, and it is thanks to them and to Miss Sullivan that we have Miss Keller's writings and pioneering work for deaf and deafblind people.

This is an incredible book to read and it also provides some interesting cameos of some of the people Miss Keller met (such as Mark Twain) because her letters are included at the end.

Its a miracle!

Helen was deaf, but she learned how to read with her fingers.

When she was younger she got an illness that when it went away it took her sight and hearing with it around 19 she learned how to read Bridal books thanks to her teacher, and my best friend Anna Sulivan that also taught her the combination of water from a pump on one hand and the spelling of "water" in the manuel alphabet into her other hand. I think that she message sent to you would be that its not bad being deaf, your just like a person beside that you cant hear or talk nor see.

Helen Keller wrote this book to show and to tell you about her life.

The quote "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much" it means that for Helen Keller she would have took a long time to learn how to read but she had people that helped her all together so they did so much to help her.

I would recommend this book to girls and boys; women and gentleman between the age of 11 to 35. It is really a good book.

I was in my early teens when I first came across references to Helen Keller, and have long admired her from the little I knew of her story.

Reading about her in her own words is an inspiring experience. She strips us of all excuse for mediocrity - she who so easily could have pointed at the cruelty of her fate and resigned to life in the shadows.

The courage with which she lived her life, the matter of fact way she accepts herself and moves on, and the significance of her achievements must surely serve as an inspiration and an admonition for all who would otherwise have felt justified in being less than they could be.

Most people have seen the "Miracle Worker." That story was more about Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. This book gives you a glimpse into the thoughts of the little girl, Helen. I was amazed to read about things from the point of view of a little girl who was blind and deaf. She was so lost and alone until Anne Sullivan came into her life. But, even she knew when she was doing something wrong. She describes great details of her life I never heard before. She even gives an idea of what life was like before she discovered words. Helen wondered why her mother and others moved their mouth, but it was some time before she knew they were communicating with each other and then her long struggle to communicate began. I was surprised to read how she learned to read lips with her hands and even eventually learned to speak audibly. Not only did she gain that knowledge, but she became a brilliant young woman, writing the English language with great skill, as well as a few other languages. This book is brief, but well worth your time. You will gain a better understanding into the life of one with Helen's severe handicaps.

Originally published in 1903, the first 100 pages tell of Keller's life from childhood to young adult. It is a classic of overcoming obstacles and provided many with their first realisation of what it means to be deaf and blind. It provides a wonderful look into her world and the world of 100 years ago. If there is one thing that sums up Keller's childhood it's "with love and many kisses." She never seemed to tired of attention and was everyone's friend.

The second half of the book (pages 105-225) is comprised of letters written by Helen from when she first learned to write up until 1901. The first letters are extremely interesting as we see her progression in ability and thought processes. Later on I became bored with the whole process and wished that there was some context to what she was writing about. A handful of the letters are explained by the compiler but most are just an exercise in reading someone else's mail and not terribly exciting at that. The story deserves 5 stars; the letters 2 stars.

I think that Helens Book was a great message. I think it tells people that no matter who you are you can always reach your goal.