polyhy_14 's review for:

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

4.0

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There would be few people who were unaware of Helen Keller and her remarkable teacher, Anne Sullivan. This book fills in quite a lot more detail, however, eg I hadn't realised that she was the first deaf-blind person to gain a degree. Living in a world of darkness until she was six, she beautifully describes how Anne Sullivan gradually introduced her to the world of language and books, often using the natural environment as her inspiration, and always allowing her methods to be guided by the child's curiosity. At the same time, we see Helen's increasing joy in life as her incredible mind is allowed to develop. This is further highlighted in the middle section of the book which is a collection of her letters to her mentors and supporters, including such luminaries as John Greenleaf Whittier, Oliver Wendall Holmes, Mark Twain and Mrs Grover Cleveland. Her determination to complete her tertiary education against considerable odds is inspiring, as is the final section of the book in which Anne Sullivan describes her methods. As a former educator, I found this book enlightening. As a reader, I found it luminous, infused with hope and joy.