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iamshadow's review
5.0
Highly recommended. It's a long haul at 800+ pages, but it's very interesting to find out about what happened to Helen and Anne Sullivan after those 'golden' childhood years that are often all that's talked about in lesser biographical accounts. For example, Helen's commitment as a suffragist, a socialist and a supporter of birth control were completely unknown to me, as were the years she, Annie and Polly Thompson (her interpreter following Annie's illness and death) spent on the vaudeville circuit during the thirties to make ends meet after the lecture circuits that had helped to support them previously dwindled and died with the economy.
Don't think that because of its length that it's dull or dry. It's not. Lash gives a very clear picture of Helen's life, from her early years through to her twilight years. He's thorough and sensitive, and his writing allows you to feel the growth of Helen, through her changing temperament and views, and her evolving mind. Anyone who wants to know about the other eighty or so years of Helen's life that are rarely mentioned should definitely track down this book. It's a keeper.
Don't think that because of its length that it's dull or dry. It's not. Lash gives a very clear picture of Helen's life, from her early years through to her twilight years. He's thorough and sensitive, and his writing allows you to feel the growth of Helen, through her changing temperament and views, and her evolving mind. Anyone who wants to know about the other eighty or so years of Helen's life that are rarely mentioned should definitely track down this book. It's a keeper.
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