The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
My rating *****Excellent.
~~~~~~~
I absolutely loved this biography of Helen Keller. This is the best book that I have read this year, hands down.
I love biography's. I have also read a lot on the lives of the saints. The words of Helen Keller touched the depths of my soul. Wow, how do I even begin this book review. I highlighted a lot of quotes and things that touched me in this book. I just finished this book to so this book is fresh in my mind. If you have not read this book yet, (I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't) please do so. You will carry this story with you for the rest of your life. I was even thinking about reading it to my young son.
This story was mostly what Ms. Keller accomplished in her life up to college age. It wasn't about feeling sorry for her because she was deaf and blind. It was about what she and her teacher Ms. Sullivan had to endure to fulfill Ms. Keller's dream and being and educated woman. And an educated woman she was! She was accepted into Radcliffe! Ms. Keller didn't want to be known as a dumb, deaf and blind girl. She admits that she was out of control when she was a young child because she said she felt frustrated because she was just in darkness and was very frustrating that she couldn't communicate to others. And her fits were the only thing she could do at the time. Ms. Sullivan taught Ms. Keller to communicate by writing words on the palm of her hand. Ms. Sullivan placed the doll into Helen's grasp and spelled out the word doll into the palm of her hand. That was the first word Helen Keller learned. And she understood the word and caught on easily. But the task was very overwhelming to Ms. Sullivan. My husband and I took turns writing words into each others palm and we couldn't understand what each of us were trying to write. In fact, we were way off. Try it. It's sounds easy, but it's not. Ms. Sullivan did her best to spell out whole lectures into Helen's palm in helping Helen into Radcliffe. The story was about Helen Keller obviously, but when you read about Ms. Sullivan, a few words came to mind. A hidden saint, behind Ms. Keller.
Half the book was letters Helen Keller had sent to her friends and family. You could see how much improved they become as time went on. Her letters were so pure and innocent like a child, even during her teenage and college years.
Helen Keller met a lot of distinguished people. Mark Twain being a friend of a friend.
I learned that Helen Keller was very educated. I also learned that her younger years was in the late 1800's. I didn't realize her life went back that far.
What I didn't like was that the book didn't get into to much detail about how she lived with being deaf and blind. Also this book did not talk about her whole life. It just went up to where she got into Radcliffe. At the end of the book, I did notice that Ms. Keller wrote another book about her later years. I would really like to read that one.
A few short excerpts;
Helen Keller stood outside after a snowstorm..."The rays of the sun fell upon the trees, so that the twigs sparkled like diamonds and dropped in showers when we touched them. So dazzling was the light, it penetrated even the darkness that veils my eyes."
..."We would get onto the tabagon, a boy would give us a shove, and off we went! Plunging through drifts, leaping hollows, swooping down upon the lake, we would shoot across it's gleaming surface to the opposite bank. What joy! What exhilarating madness! For one wild, glad moment we snapped the chain that binds us to earth, and joining hands with the winds we felt ourselves divine!"
Here Helen Keller talks about every ones struggles, not just hers..."But we keep on trying because we know that others have succeeded, and we are not willing to acknowledge defeat."
Here Helen Keller mentions how hard Radcliffe made it for her to take the pre exams to get into Radcliffe..."But if they unintentionally placed obstacles in my way, I have the consolation of knowing that I overcame them all."...I loved this! You go girl!
"Consequently, I did not do so well as I should have done, if Teacher had been allowed to read the Algebra and Geometry to me. But you must not think I blame any one. Of course they did not realize how difficult and perplexing they were making the examinations for me. How could they-they can see and hear, and I suppose they could not understand matters from my point of view".......
"For, after all, every one who wishes to gain true knowledge must climb the Hill Difficulty alone, and since there is no royal road to the summit, I must zigzag it in my own way."
"Knowledge is power."
"I loved 'Little Woman' because it gave me a sense of kinship with girls and boys who could see and hear."
"I use to say I did not like arithmetic very well, but now I have changed my mind. I see what a good and useful study it is, though I must confess my mind wanders from it sometimes! for, nice and useful as arithmetic is, it is not as interesting as a beautiful poem or a lovely story."
I'm taking this from a letter that she had written..."but dear Sir, a true soldier does not acknowledge defeat before the battle."
Look how beautiful Helen Keller's hand writing is. Her hand writing is better than mine!
As I mentioned, Helen Keller did get into Radcliffe। She and her Teacher, Ms. Sullivan went on many trips, seen many places and met a lot of people. Helen Keller mentions that once in New York, she visited Irving Washington's Sleepy Hollow. I read Sleepy Hollow this past summer. I wrote a post about how it's a real place in New York in my other blog. The link will take you there if your interested. http://peekaboostreet.blogspot.com/2009/08/country-tea-in-sleepy-hollow.html
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was inside a short story book that is shown in the previous post before this one।
This story was mostly what Ms. Keller accomplished in her life up to college age. It wasn't about feeling sorry for her because she was deaf and blind. It was about what she and her teacher Ms. Sullivan had to endure to fulfill Ms. Keller's dream and being and educated woman. And an educated woman she was! She was accepted into Radcliffe! Ms. Keller didn't want to be known as a dumb, deaf and blind girl. She admits that she was out of control when she was a young child because she said she felt frustrated because she was just in darkness and was very frustrating that she couldn't communicate to others. And her fits were the only thing she could do at the time. Ms. Sullivan taught Ms. Keller to communicate by writing words on the palm of her hand. Ms. Sullivan placed the doll into Helen's grasp and spelled out the word doll into the palm of her hand. That was the first word Helen Keller learned. And she understood the word and caught on easily. But the task was very overwhelming to Ms. Sullivan. My husband and I took turns writing words into each others palm and we couldn't understand what each of us were trying to write. In fact, we were way off. Try it. It's sounds easy, but it's not. Ms. Sullivan did her best to spell out whole lectures into Helen's palm in helping Helen into Radcliffe. The story was about Helen Keller obviously, but when you read about Ms. Sullivan, a few words came to mind. A hidden saint, behind Ms. Keller.
Half the book was letters Helen Keller had sent to her friends and family. You could see how much improved they become as time went on. Her letters were so pure and innocent like a child, even during her teenage and college years.
Helen Keller met a lot of distinguished people. Mark Twain being a friend of a friend.
I learned that Helen Keller was very educated. I also learned that her younger years was in the late 1800's. I didn't realize her life went back that far.
What I didn't like was that the book didn't get into to much detail about how she lived with being deaf and blind. Also this book did not talk about her whole life. It just went up to where she got into Radcliffe. At the end of the book, I did notice that Ms. Keller wrote another book about her later years. I would really like to read that one.
A few short excerpts;
Helen Keller stood outside after a snowstorm..."The rays of the sun fell upon the trees, so that the twigs sparkled like diamonds and dropped in showers when we touched them. So dazzling was the light, it penetrated even the darkness that veils my eyes."
..."We would get onto the tabagon, a boy would give us a shove, and off we went! Plunging through drifts, leaping hollows, swooping down upon the lake, we would shoot across it's gleaming surface to the opposite bank. What joy! What exhilarating madness! For one wild, glad moment we snapped the chain that binds us to earth, and joining hands with the winds we felt ourselves divine!"
Here Helen Keller talks about every ones struggles, not just hers..."But we keep on trying because we know that others have succeeded, and we are not willing to acknowledge defeat."
Here Helen Keller mentions how hard Radcliffe made it for her to take the pre exams to get into Radcliffe..."But if they unintentionally placed obstacles in my way, I have the consolation of knowing that I overcame them all."...I loved this! You go girl!
"Consequently, I did not do so well as I should have done, if Teacher had been allowed to read the Algebra and Geometry to me. But you must not think I blame any one. Of course they did not realize how difficult and perplexing they were making the examinations for me. How could they-they can see and hear, and I suppose they could not understand matters from my point of view".......
"For, after all, every one who wishes to gain true knowledge must climb the Hill Difficulty alone, and since there is no royal road to the summit, I must zigzag it in my own way."
"Knowledge is power."
"I loved 'Little Woman' because it gave me a sense of kinship with girls and boys who could see and hear."
"I use to say I did not like arithmetic very well, but now I have changed my mind. I see what a good and useful study it is, though I must confess my mind wanders from it sometimes! for, nice and useful as arithmetic is, it is not as interesting as a beautiful poem or a lovely story."
I'm taking this from a letter that she had written..."but dear Sir, a true soldier does not acknowledge defeat before the battle."
Look how beautiful Helen Keller's hand writing is. Her hand writing is better than mine!
As I mentioned, Helen Keller did get into Radcliffe। She and her Teacher, Ms. Sullivan went on many trips, seen many places and met a lot of people. Helen Keller mentions that once in New York, she visited Irving Washington's Sleepy Hollow. I read Sleepy Hollow this past summer. I wrote a post about how it's a real place in New York in my other blog. The link will take you there if your interested. http://peekaboostreet.blogspot.com/2009/08/country-tea-in-sleepy-hollow.html
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was inside a short story book that is shown in the previous post before this one।
I'm so happy that I came across this book at this time during the beginning of my reading on classic literature. Because I'm reading classic literature for more knowledge. So this book came at the perfect time for me.
Helen Keller was deaf and blind and was and is and will probably always be, way more intelligent than I am. What an inspiration she is to me.
I will end this post with another quote from Helen Keller.
"I am content that others should be wiser than I."
Happy reading and have a great day! Anne
Helen Keller was deaf and blind and was and is and will probably always be, way more intelligent than I am. What an inspiration she is to me.
I will end this post with another quote from Helen Keller.
"I am content that others should be wiser than I."
Happy reading and have a great day! Anne
3 comments:
I LOVE your new blog! :) What a great post too. I really like Helen Keller. <3
What is this? another blog? How cool is that. I loved this book when I read it too. She had an amazing life didn't she? We tend to take for granted all of the things we are blessed with and then come across a book like this. It is a true inspiration to all of us. I'm so proud of you Anne ♥
Thank you Jessica & Mom! I just found out today that you both left a comment on my new blog. It didn't post on my e-mail that you both left a comment. I'll have to go into the setting and fix that. I love you both!
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