Wednesday 31 March 2010

Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson

Well I am still in Alabama and whilst I have been sightseeing I thought I might check out a couple of it's past famous residents.

Pages - 95

Published by Scholastic.

The beginning was happy for Helen. She laughed and loved and grew like any other baby. First she crawled, then she walked, and she was learning to talk. Each day was full of adventures.

Then everything stopped. One day Helen laughed and played as usual. The next day she lay tossing and turning in bed. She was very, very sick. The doctor was called. But he could do little to help. A strange fever was burning.

Now I know I could have chosen a more adult version of Helen Keller's biography, but when I saw this one on Bookmooch I knew I had to have it. This was the book I remember my junior school teacher reading to us in class and I remember sitting at the end of the day, cross legged on the carpet, hoping my nan was waiting outside the school for me and listening intently to this story of an amazing little girl. I would say that this book dwells more on Helen's childhood than her adult years, but to me that was when she really discovered what she was capable of. Her childhood was the turning point in her life, with the help of her teacher.

For anyone who hasn't heard of Helen Keller, she is a remarkable woman, who overcame being blind, deaf and dumb to show the world that anything is possible. When she was a child, her parents struggled to cope with her and let her get away with murder. It wasn't until they contacted the Perkins Institute and a Miss Annie Sullivan was sent to teach Helen, that Helen started to experience the world around her. After a struggle, Annie taught Helen how to use braille in order to identify everything. Helen's education progressed by leaps and bounds and she went on to graduate from college.

This is a lovely quick book to read and gives you the bare essentials of Helen Keller's life. If your are looking for more details about her then I would suggest a more weightier biography. I noticed on Wikipedia that Helen Keller published a total of 12 books and even published her own autobiography at 22. Helen Keller also went on to be a renowned world famous speaker. I also didn't realise that she went on to be a suffragette, her political career spanned many of her adult years.

I think I would definitely like to read more about Helen Keller and hope to get hold of her own biography.

Has anyone read any of Helen Keller's books or can anyone recommend a more detailed biography of her life?

18 comments:

  1. I only remmeber the short text that was about her in and English text book

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  2. Sounds wonderful. I must admit that I haven't heard of her. Thanks for mentioning it!

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  3. When I was a kid, I was really into Annie Sullivan because it seems like she, as well as Hellen Keller, was just an amazing woman who did something no one thought possible.

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  4. I can't recommend a different book, but have you seen the movie with Patty Duke? It's wonderful.

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  5. Vivenne, it has been too many years since I read about Helen Keller's life to recommend any books in particular. As a child, I loved reading biographies of her life--and I may have even read her autobiography.

    Thanks for a wonderful review. I hope you don't mind--I mention your blog in today's post. :)

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  6. I only read about Helen Keller when I was really young, and read a children's book about her. And then later, I read a brief chapter in Lies My Teacher Told Me that she was always portrayed as only a blind and deaf person, but she was also a huge socialist! And people ignore that in history books.

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  7. I read the book and saw the movie, both were good.

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  8. I didn't know she'd been a suffragette either! I don't actually know very much about her other than the very essential, but I'd like to learn more.

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  9. Blodeuedd - there doesn't seem to be that much around about her.

    Andreea - I am beginning to think she is not as well known as I thought.

    Amanda - I think you have to take your hat off to Annie Sullivan, she really was amazing the way she taught Helen so much. Though she was lucky that Helen had such a thirst for knowledge.

    Kathy - No I haven't seen that film. I shall try and find it.

    Suko - you made me laugh with your post. I forget when the Essex girl in me comes out, that I need to curb her slang words.

    Aarti - I really feel she has not had the fame she deserves. I am going to search out more information on her.

    Tribute Books - glad to hear that. Will look out the movie.

    Nymeth - I definitely want to learn more. I am going to look for anothe book.

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  10. I think this one would be kinda hard for me to read (too heavy?), but Helen's story is an inspiration!

    I've got an award for you on my blog, make sure you claim it!

    http://cunnninghamfan.blogspot.com

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  11. She was always such a powerful woman in my mind, real inspiring as a child.

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  12. Hi Viv, thanks for the review on this book. Helen Keller inspired me in so many ways and I've read her bio and story in bits and pieces all over the Internet. When I saw your review on the book about her, more so on her childhood days, I got quite excited!

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  13. This is one of those instances where I am certain that I have read a biography of her, but I don't recall what the book was because it was years ago.

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  14. I think I read this when I was younger. I know I watched a movie on Helen. Now I want to read. Great review.

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  15. Her life story was always so inpsiring! I know i've read a book about her in grade school, but I cant remember the title.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  16. You know, I actually love reading middle grade and YA non-fiction. There are just soooooo many things that I want to learn about, but I don't have time to read 500 page books about everything. So a nice 100-200 page book as an introduction is so nice. And then if I'm still interested, I can always read more. :D

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  17. I downloaded ebooks that Helen Keller wrote (haven't gotten to them yet) but I'm not really familiar with her life at all. Apart from the obvious!

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  18. please some one knows where i can get the book free
    i really need it

    thank you

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