The Story of My Life

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller (1903)

The autobiography of the deaf-blind woman who learned to communicate, graduated from Radcliffe College, and became one of the most inspirational figures in American history. Written when Keller was just 22 years old.

Historical Significance:
Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months due to illness (likely scarlet fever or meningitis). Her breakthrough moment — when teacher Anne Sullivan spelled W-A-T-E-R into her hand while water flowed over the other — is one of the most famous scenes in American autobiography. Published in 1903 while Keller was still a student at Radcliffe, the book became an international sensation. Keller went on to become a political activist, suffragist, and advocate for disability rights. She met every U.S. president from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon Johnson. Mark Twain, who befriended her, called her "the most marvelous person of her sex that has existed on this earth since Joan of Arc."

This public domain classic was originally published in 1903. Free to read and share.