Buy New

$5.99

FREE Shipping on orders over $35.

Only 19 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Gift-wrap available.

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Want it tomorrow, July 24? Order within and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Ship to:

Select a shipping address:

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Optimism Paperback – March 1, 2011

by Helen Keller (Author)

12 customer reviews

See all 29 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Amazon Price New from Used from

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$26.36

$25.52

$26.12

Paperback

"Please retry"

$5.49

$4.46

$5.18

Paperback, March 1, 2011

$5.99

$4.78

$5.76

Audio CD, Unabridged

"Please retry"

—

Unknown Binding

"Please retry"

—

$40.00

Helen Adams Keller was an American writer and social activist; an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) at the age of 19 months left her deaf and blind. No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels that happiness is his indisputable right. It is curious to observe what different ideals of happiness people cherish, and in what singular places they look for this well-spring of their life. Many look for it in the hoarding of riches, some in the pride of power, and others in the achievements of art and literature; a few seek it in the exploration of their own minds, or in search for knowledge. Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, - if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing. Helen Keller was left blind and deaf by a terrible disease at the age of 19 months, trapped in a shell of incomprehensibility. With the help of Annie Sullivan, she was able to overcome these handicaps and educate herself. Shortly after her autobiography, My Story, appeared in 1900, this book on Optimism was also published.

Frequently Bought Together

Price for all three: $14.19

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together

This item: Optimism by Helen Keller Paperback $5.99
Helen Keller: The Story of My Life (Dover Thrift Editions) by Helen Keller Paperback $2.25
The World I Live In and Optimism: A Collection of Essays (Dover Books on Literature & Drama) by Helen Keller Paperback $5.95

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Helen Keller

99

Paperback
$2.25
Helen Keller

10

Paperback
$5.95
HELEN KELLER

15

Paperback
$10.19
Helen Keller

6

Paperback
$10.29
Helen Keller

42

Paperback
$8.95
Margaret Davidson

50

Paperback
$4.97

Special Offers and Product Promotions

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Product Details

Paperback: 46 pages
Publisher: Bottom of the Hill Publishing (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161203182X
ISBN-13: 978-1612031828
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #134 in Books > Education & Teaching > Schools & Teaching > Special Education > Communicative Disorders
- #654 in Books > Self-Help > Relationships > Love & Loss
- #1230 in Books > Self-Help > Death & Grief

Would you like to update product info, give feedback on images, or tell us about a lower price?

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars

5 star		75%
4 star		25%
3 star		0%
2 star		0%
1 star		0%

See all 12 customer reviews

Share your thoughts with other customers

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Love This!

By Joann on February 7, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Helen Keller has always been a fascination, so in my search for readings about Optimism I was delighted to find this work! Even though it was written 100 years or so ago, it seems to come from such inspiration. The overall message is one clearly needed today. These are such radically different times in 2015! There are so many ways we live as though we are unable to see, hear, speak or communicate with each other at all. We take so little responsibility for having faith in the world and ourselves. And don't hold ourselves accountable for anything that requires much effort or commitment to the greater good of all. We seem to have forgotten how to be grateful for the fact we're alive! Helen Keller had a totally different take on things, for a good reason. This little book is a great reminder of how good life is and something to read often.

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

A great example of optimism against all odds.

By Dave Nemrow on April 14, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Helen Keller's optimism is proof that we can all be positive. She was a wonderful person and a great example.

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

An unbelievable person !! This essay is so uplifting and inspirational, it's simply incredible.

By lois blumenstiel on January 19, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I am so humbled by Helen Keller… but so inspired at the same time. I've read this essay several times and never fail to be uplifted by it.

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

OPTIMISIM AT IT'S BEST

By virginia johnson on October 18, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Just fine fast reading, quick pace It shows ehat we are the master of our own choices. Be positive..It's a must

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

If you're feeling down, try this....

By Amazon Customer on May 21, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

What an amazing viewpoint. Imagine not being able to see or hear and then writing a book about how great life is! It shows how attitude really is everything.

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

It makes you optimist!

By Kathleen Vincenz on December 29, 2012

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

What a wonderful focus on why we should be optimist about the world from a woman who had every reason to be a pessimist. We need to learn something from her. We focus too much on the negative. It is also short, which is always a good thing :)

Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

See all 12 customer reviews (newest first)

Write a customer review

Most Recent Customer Reviews

Five Stars

Quite a gal - nice to see her words. Book came as described.

Published 20 days ago by E. Morrison

Optimism: An Essay

Beautiful words from a beautiful soul. Keller is a role-model; someone I look forward to teaching my two daughters about.

Published 1 month ago by Kim Smith

Great little book

A great perspective on life from a person with a huge disability. She also had great faith in almighty God. Great little book.

Published 2 months ago by Todd A

An incredible lesson from one of the greatest heroes. Teachings on...

A classic. An incredible lesson from one of the greatest heroes. Teachings on darkness and light and seeing forward. Must have for library.

Published 11 months ago by Benjamin J. Morris

Nice Writing

Have only skimmed this - no time to read completely. I am sure it is good. Look forward to reading it.

Published 14 months ago by Earline Butler

If you ever feel sorry for yourself...

Don't. Read this and learn from one so incredibly challenged. A joy to read and extremely useful. I am an LPC... Read more

Published on December 20, 2012 by D. Craton

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more