June – Booklist
Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880. Her achievements and labor on behalf of the blind and deaf community are celebrated around the world. She was also a lecturer, writer, activist, and suffragette, who remained undeterred in her pursuits. Many in the blind community have followed in her footsteps, overcoming the odds to both achieve great feats, and experience success in their everyday lives. The books on this list celebrate the triumphs and explore the hardships of dealing with vision loss and blindness.
Nonfiction
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
Helen Keller’s account of her triumph over deafness and blindness. Published when she was only twenty-two, this book portrays a wise child who is locked in the dark and silent prison of her own body and her liberating breakthrough into the world of communication. This restored classic published in 2003 contains commentary by the editor.
You can also check out the next two volumes in the series. The World I Live In, and Midstream: My Later Life (available in audio, braille, and large print).
Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man’s Journey to Climb Farther that the Eye Can See by Erik Weihenmayer
In this adventure-packed memoir, the author recalls rebelling against becoming blind at age fifteen and relates acquiring a passion for mountaineering and developing the character traits that enabled him to succeed. Some strong language.
Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson
Michael Hingson, an executive who worked in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, recounts his escape after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Blind since birth he describes what he and his guide dog Roselle experienced as she led him down seventy-eight flights of stairs to safety.
Walk In My Shoes: An Anthology on Usher Syndrome by Charlotte J. DeWitt
Collection of twenty-seven personal accounts by people who became deafblind because of Usher syndrome–a rare genetic condition that leads to hearing loss combined with the eye disorder retinitis pigmentosa. The writers all meet the challenges of Usher syndrome with courage, persistence, and humor. Includes contributions from local authors.
Fiction
All the Light We Cannot See by
When Paris is invaded by the Nazis, Marie-Laure LeBlanc’s father evacuates her to St. Malo to stay with her great-uncle. Blind from the age of six, Marie-Laure must learn to navigate the town by the scale model her father has left. Then, the Germans arrive. Violence.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
A miracle drug may have given sixteen-year-old cancer patient Hazel a few more years, but she is still depressed. Then Hazel meets cute Augustus during a support-group meeting and her world shifts in unexpected and inspiring ways. Some strong language. Although this is written for young adults it is an inspiring read for all ages.
What is Visible by Kimberly Elkins
This fictionalized biography features events in 1837 as seven-year-old Laura Bridgman, who is blind and deaf, leaves her family in Vermont to live at the Perkins Institution for the Blind. Dr. Samuel Howe is eager to try to teach Laura to write and read through tactile means–something that had never been attempted before.
Love Remains by Sarah Eden
In this locally produced digital recording, when Tavish discovers that his newly blind brother needs more help than he can provide he reaches out to Cecily, a tutor that specialized in hope and has dedicated her life to helping others overcome the obstacles she herself has conquered.
This book is the third in the Hope Springs series. You can read this book on its own or enjoy the other seven titles in the series.
Image Description: A stylized illustration of Helen Keller drawn with lines and angles.