COMPLETE [SOLO] The Story of My Life, by Helen Keller - Leni

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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msfry
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Post by msfry »

11 is PL OK. I love this phrase: "I lived myself into all things". But that train story was too scary! And I wish she would tell us how she knew about vines stretching from tree to tree and such details, when she can't see them.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

I agree, that train part was intense. And yes! I've been wondering about that too, why she described things she couldn't see. Was it because she felt it was the proper thing to do (as in, this is how you write a book for people who can see), or because she was doing her best to please Miss Sullivan and others? I have to assume those details came from Miss Sullivan and maybe friends and family. I feel bad sometimes wondering how much of the story is Helen Keller herself and how much of it is her trying to conform to other people's expectations, whether real or imagined.
msfry
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Post by msfry »

I was a Montessori school teacher for 27 years. I taught experientially wherever possible, largely through field trips, cooking, working with clay, pressing leaves and flowers, painting, singing, clapping, dancing. One exercise was to put 3-10 common objects on a desk. Blindfold the child and ask them to find the pen, the doll, the spoon, etc. Later they would just pick up an object and name it. My son asks why I don't do pottery anymore since I love it so much. "Because I don't have anyone to teach it to." It would not surprise me if Miss Sullivan was behind the writing of this book, calling to Helen's attention things that delighted her, like the festooned vines, maybe putting long vines in Helen's hands and having her "drape them" about. Draping is a concept, and how to teach how tall trees are? How deep a canyon? Challenging to be sure. Did Miss Sullivan write a book revealing her teaching secrets?
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

Using hands-on experiences as much as possible sounds like an enriching way to learn. I'm not finding references to anything Miss Sullivan wrote herself, which is a shame, because I'd love to read about her teaching methods and how she felt about her role in Helen's life. She must have had extraordinary patience, creativity, and love for what she was doing.
msfry
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Post by msfry »

Indeed, the vast majority of us die without leaving our autobiographies behind, nor any essays, nor even a few problem solving tips we learned along the way.

Here's one of mine: Got fruit flies, horse flies, moths, spiders or roaches in your kitchen? Keep a spray bottle of Windex next to the sink, and when you see a critter, spray it. It croaks within seconds, and it doesn't harm anything else. If the problem is larger than a few, spray it down your sink drain and in your kitchen trashcan. Within a few days, the problem is over. Kills larvae and caterpillars too.

We could all probably write a booklet at least, but we don't and all that learning is lost. Check out my recently completed project Sir Titus Salt, who didn't leave a single memoir. But his pastor took it upon himself to gather together all his material so we could remember this great philanthropist. An amazing story I was proud to bring to audio. And I'm looking for more. :D
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

I'll have to remember that the next time I have a roach problem :D

Congratulations on completing the Sir Titus Salt project! It sounds like he accomplished great things, and fortunately he had someone in his life who made sure his story would be remembered.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

Chapter 12 ready, fun with snow: https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/storyofmylife_12_keller_128kb.mp3

Duration: 4:25
msfry
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Post by msfry »

12 is PL OK. Good job!

I am really beginning to question how a blind and deaf person could write in such great detail about the winter snows. I am going to watch some version of the movie The Miracle Worker in the next few days. Maybe it will explain this better.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

Chapter 13 ready: https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/storyofmylife_13_keller_128kb.mp3

Duration: 8:32

Did The Miracle Worker explain more of how Helen was able to describe so much? I have vague memories of seeing the water pump scene from what must have been the 1979 version of The Miracle Worker. I just watched both the 1962 and 1979 versions of that scene on YouTube, and the first version is especially powerful. I really should watch the whole thing.
msfry
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Post by msfry »

Chapter 13 is PL OK.

I checked and there are two movie versions available on AmazonPrime for $3.99 1962 and 2000 versions. Both have the party feature available. Maybe we could watch it together sometime! That would be fun.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

I'll probably be slower with things this month because of work and other craziness lately, sorry :( But for now chapter 14 is ready: https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/storyofmylife_14_keller_128kb.mp3

Duration: 15:57
msfry
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Post by msfry »

Chapter 14, The Frost King, is PL OK. Well done! :thumbs:

She spells out the plagiarism dilemma quite clearly. I have hundreds of what I believe are "original thoughts" or "unique solutions", i.e., not from another, which give me a certain amount of esteem for my own cleverness. But are they?

I'll be looking forward to your next installment, whenever that is.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

Thank you! :) And yes, it's often hard to know just how "original" your thoughts are. Sometimes I'll mention this thought or idea I had, and then my husband or co-worker or whoever will say, yeah, actually I told you that last week.Oops.
Teabender
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Post by Teabender »

Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things now! Here is chapter 15: https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/storyofmylife_15_keller_128kb.mp3

Duration: 8:00
msfry
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Post by msfry »

Teabender wrote: July 13th, 2021, 8:23 pm Thank you! :) And yes, it's often hard to know just how "original" your thoughts are. Sometimes I'll mention this thought or idea I had, and then my husband or co-worker or whoever will say, yeah, actually I told you that last week.Oops.
Ha, ha. My BFF for 30 years (RIP), with whom I used to have regular long visits, would come back later (sometimes in the same conversation) and tell me things I had told her as though they originated with her. It's like her brain swallowed it, chewed it up, digested it, and it became hers. I would say "I told you that", but I eventually accepted it as a compliment of sorts, because what was I trying to prove? It does throw a big monkey wrench in the patent/copyright/plagiarism world of who gets credit. I want to know more about Sullivan.
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