Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

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Title: The Story of My Life
Author: Helen Keller
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Length: 400 pages
Published: 1902 (original); 2004 (version I read)
Publisher: Modern Library
Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The Story of My Life, a remarkable account of overcoming the debilitating challenges of being both deaf and blind, has become an international classic, making Helen Keller one of the most well-known, inspirational figures in history. Originally published in 1903, Keller’s fascinating memoir narrates the events of her life up to her third year at Radcliffe College.

Helen Keller’s story of struggle and achievement is one of unquenchable hope. From tales of her difficult early days, to details of her relationship with her beloved teacher Anne Sullivan, to her impressions of academic life, Keller’s honest, straightforward writing lends insight into an amazing mind. Like the original, this centenary edition of The Story of My Life includes letters Keller wrote to friends throughout her childhood and adolescence that chronicle her intellectual and sensory progression, as well as assistant John Macy’s commentary on her interpretations of her surroundings.

In addition to reprinting Keller’s long-lost original work, this edition contains excerpts from her little-known, deeply personal memoir The World We Live In, which give readers a detailed look into an otherwise unimaginable existence, as well as an excerpt from Out of the Dark, a political commentary Keller wrote during her years as a socialist.

Deftly edited and prefaced by scholar James Berger, this comprehensive anniversary edition celebrates a century of readers’ enthrallment with one of the most powerful figures in history.

My Review:
I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was definitely a very interesting read. It's set out in three parts: Part 1 was Helen Keller telling her life story, Part 2 was a series of letters that she sent to friends and acquaintances, and Part 3 was a lot of supplemental information using letters from her teacher telling about how she taught Helen language, writing, history, and to speak. It was quite fascinating to learn about how Helen learned to do the things that come naturally to so many people. She was truly a very inspiring woman and very determined to be like everyone else and not be viewed differently.

You can purchase The Story of My Life through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Story of My Life? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

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