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Summary: Attitude Makes the Difference--Not Circumstances!
Review: If anyone has a right to complain about tragedy in life, it is Helen Keller. If anyone has a right to give exuses why she can not achieve her dreams, wallowing in self pity and depression, surely it is this woman. But Helen Keller does very little of that. Amazingly, this woman holds incredible fortitude and optimism. She goves accounts of her hardships, but she always ends with looking at the positive side of things. I also feel saddened by the reviewers who belittle this remarkable woman. They complain about a blind author, who explains things from a visual perspective. But I believe it is Ms. Keller who can see, and it is they who cannot. She has eyes, for other people are her eyes. I also do not agree with the reviewers who criticize the author for relating about the character of her freinds. Her freinds help make "the story" of Helen Keller's life possible. I think the moving element of this whole work rests in this principle. Miss Sullivan, her teacher, must be one of the most courageous, patient and charitable women ever to grace the earth with her existence. When a person looks around, it is easy to only find self-centered people, who waste their lives away, but for Annie Sullivan, her life certainly is not a waste. Helen Keller likewise holds the attitude to achieve the most, and she emplifies that throughout her life. This book makes me feel guilty for anytime I fall into the trap of self pity. It surely is not the circumstances in which we meet life, but the spirit in which we meet them that determines our happiness.
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Summary: Who could not be inspired!
Review: If this book had been written by a "regular" person it would be remarkable, but given the fact that Ms. Keller wrote it after having lived the difficult life she had, it's remarkable. And she wasn't that old when it was written. This is truly an amazing story of an amazing woman. It's an easy read, full of insight and thought-provoking comments. On an interesting note, I recently read a book titled "Bark of the Dogwood" which uses quotes from this book at the beginning of each chapter. Do yourself a favor and buy this one. It rank right up there with "Diary of Anne Frank" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
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Summary: Who could not be inspired!
Review: If this book had been written by a "regular" person it would be remarkable, but given the fact that Ms. Keller wrote it after having lived the difficult life she had, it's remarkable. And she wasn't that old when it was written. This is truly an amazing story of an amazing woman. It's an easy read, full of insight and thought-provoking comments. On an interesting note, I recently read a book titled "Bark of the Dogwood" which uses quotes from this book at the beginning of each chapter. Do yourself a favor and buy this one. It rank right up there with "Diary of Anne Frank" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
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Summary: Helen Keller-a remarkable person and writer
Review: In my own personal opinion, Helen wrote a book that not only offered hope for those with disabilites, but one that also shared her MANY talents.Its amazing to read about her childhood in the beginning of her life because, she was struck with her life long disabilities at only 19 months. In her book, The Story Of My Life, she shares all her emotions in such good detail and it really took me back to realize that this woman had to express her self in that way because she couldnt see or much less hear.I just think that her book is so awesome and I love reading it and knowing that people take so much for granted.
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Summary: opens your mind
Review: In the introduction Robert Russell says, "Imagine yourself whisked out of your room and suddenly landed on some distant planet where there was other life--but landed with your eyes permanently closed, your ears sealed, and your tongue all but useless. How would you sense an approaching danger or an approaching friend? What would such a life be like? But perhaps such a catastrophe seems so impossible that it isn't worth thinking about. It isn't so impossible. Things like it do happen. It happened to Helen Keller." Helen Keller writes about her own experiences, perceptions, and understanding with a beauty and sweetness that you can touch and taste. Reading about her life expands your mind to life's infinite possibilities, realities, and to the resiliency of the human mind. Helen was a kind, aware, and incredibly intelligent woman. Reading about her life in her own words is irreplaceable. Helen has truly left a mark on this world, and so has her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Both of their lives have left me equally awestruck.
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Summary: Unbounded Positivity Creates A Life Fully And Joyously Lived
Review: It is rare to find a work of literature infused with such optimism, joy, celebration and "lust for life" (if I may borrow from the title of Irving Stone's portrait of Van Gogh); and reading through "The Story Of My Life" by Helen Keller is a great way to revitalize and reinspire our own simple joy of living, loving and learning. Feeling sorry for oneself after learning that Ms Keller overcame deafness and blindness, and went on to graduate from Radcliffe College (conquering the Harvard curriculum including Greek, Latin, German, French, Geometry, Algebra, Science, English History, English Literature, and many other erudite subjects) is a bit silly when one considers a typical night in our New Millennium spent on the sofa eating Domino's Pizza and watching "American Idol"... *sigh*. But hey, if WE had a private tutor like Anne Sullivan, spending her whole life communicating the outside world to us by spelling into our hand with the manual alphabet, there's no telling what WE might accomplish TOO!...wait a minute, who am I kidding? Helen Keller was not only a brilliant pupil, but a poetic, romantic, deeply emotional, caring, brave, adventurous and philanthropic woman. And she got to hobnob with the likes of Mark Twain and Alexander Graham Bell! While her life was beset with unimaginable difficulties, and the everyday annoyances, losses and disappointments common to us all, she was eminently triumphant in her journey and leaves the world a legacy of hope, progress and above all, happiness - to not only special-needs children, but humanity in general. A great quick read.
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Summary: Deaf and Dumb becomes Brilliant!
Review: 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.
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Summary: The Helen Keller Story
Review: One of the best books I have read in the past year has to be The Helen Keller Story by Catherine Owens Peare. It is a marvelous book about Helen Keller growing up and getting better at her disability. One of the major reasons I enjoyed this book is because my sister is deaf. My mom does some sign laugh. I usually just write her notes. Another reason I found the book to be so wonderful is when Helen has to fight for her rights to get an education. Society didn't believe that people with problems had rights. Of course, my favorite reason for loving this book is Helen acts so helpless but she learns. To conclude The Helen Keller Story by Catherine Owens Peare was truly my favorite book
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Summary: Why I hated the The Story of my Life.
Review: 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.
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Summary: Not Good
Review: The book confuses me. This book shows that Hellen Keller can see and hear. The brevity and logical structure were completely off, thus making the book not clear. Also, the story jumps from one event to another many times. This book should keep consistent with its events and then move on.
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