#The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

[mypustakbookstore]

Discussing How Used Books Enhance the Experience of Reading Classic Literature

Classic literature is called classic for a reason; they do not age or lose relevance over time. Therefore, it does not matter if someone is reading the same from a used book or a brand new one. The stories and books this article will be discussing offer the same charm and glamour regardless of source. The pages can be torn and old, but the content in them can never go wrong for a classic. This elaborate piece will also discuss the top 5 advantages that can be enjoyed by reading the classics from old pages or a used book.

1. Historical Insights and Continuity

Reading a used copy of Paradise Lost, you are not merely absorbing Milton's epic poetry; you are also connecting with prior readers who have left their thoughts and interpretations in the margins. These annotations act as a dialogue across time, offering a layered reading experience where past perspectives shed light on universal themes. Each handwritten note or mark enriches your understanding, linking you to a continuum of readers who have pondered similar existential or theological questions.

2. Economic and Practical Benefits

Acquiring classics like Oliver Twist and Animal Farm in used condition can be significantly more cost-effective. For students and avid readers on a budget, used books provide an affordable way to access a broader range of literature. This accessibility not only democratizes knowledge but also stretches your literary budget, allowing for greater exploration within the same financial means.

3. Personal Discoveries

First-hand notes or dedication in books make them more interesting to read since it’s like the author is speaking to the reader directly. Thus, someone’s notes in a used copy of The Story of My Life, such as their thoughts about Keller’s accomplishments, may foster a more intimate connection with the book. Such personal feelings make the reading more touchy and personal.

4. Aesthetic and Sensory Experience

Used books have worn-out covers and soft pages, and the smell of old paper makes the reader perceive the book as a friend. Tending a book such as Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, now dog-eared and smudged with ages of fingerprints, can bring you nearer to the author’s epoch and make you feel more physically linked to the text.

5. Environmental Impact

Buying used books is environmentally friendly as well. It contributes to reducing the demand for new papers, saving energy, and reducing the quantity of books that are discarded. Thus, picking up a used copy of Animal Farm means that you support these sustainability initiatives, which is a solid foundation for your literary journey.

Conclusion

The act of reading literature through second-hand books is not simply a financial or environmental decision. It is a more profound approach to literature that allows for a more profound understanding of the work, a personal association, and a direct connection to the cultural memory. Every page of a used book has more than the written words on it, it has the history of its previous owners, their ideas and their era. For this reason, the factors mentioned above make used books to be an attractive option to the reader who wants to get a deeper understanding of the original work.

[veronicaleighauthor]

My Favorite Reads of 2024

I still can’t believe 2024 is over. When I was growing up my parents and grandparents used to say that time went by too fast. Boy, they were right. I did a huge amount of reading last year – I reread many of my old favorites and according to Goodreads I read new thirty books. Don’t worry, I’m not going to ramble about all thirty of the new books I read. I’m just going to ramble about the top three.

The first one I really fell in love with was “A Long Fatal Love Chase,” by Louisa May Alcott. Yes, the same Louisa May Alcott who wrote the beloved “Little Women.” Before she was writing “moral pap for the young” as she called it, Alcott wrote “blood and thunder” tales to earn money under a variety of pseudonyms. Encouraged by an editor to write a potboiler to serialize, Louisa wrote “A Long Fatal Love Chase.” Rosamond Vivan, eager to escape her life and have an adventure, elopes with the Byronic Phillip Tempest. He’s no saint, but she naively believes her love will save him. She soon learns he’s married to another, has a child, and that he is truly wicked. Rosamond escapes and spends evading his controlling, abusive clutches. Wherever she turns, there he is. The editor ended up rejecting the book and Alcott couldn’t find a market anywhere for it. “A Long Fatal Love Chase” was put away and forgotten about until the 1990s, when it was rediscovered, sold to Random House and striking a chord with modern readers, it hit the best seller lists. The whole book is ahead of its time. It’s my second favorite of Alcott’s canon, and was my favorite read of the whole year. I’m waiting for an adaptation – it needs to be adapted. ::hint, hint Masterpiece Theater::

The second book I fell in love with was “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller. A short read, we’re introduced to the author through a series of anecdotes that covers the events of “The Miracle Worker” and lesser-known events of Keller’s life. Though born later than Laura Ingalls Wilder, I got a lot of “Little House” feels from her writing style. First published in Ladies’ Home Journal, it was dedicated to Alexander Graham Bell, who happened to be one of her teachers. It’s a quick read and I was swept away when I read it. There was just so much that I didn’t know about Helen Keller and her life. Yet another book I didn’t want to end.

The third book I fell in love with was “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” by Suzanne Collins which is a prequel to “The Hunger Games.” I was introduced to it by my sister when we watched the movie based on it and I finally broke down and read the whole series last autumn. The main series is good, but I really liked reading Coriolanus Snow’s villain origin story. Most of the novels I read feature good, moral protagonists and how they do something extraordinary to make the world a better place. Coriolanus straddles the good/evil line until he just nose dives right into the dark side towards the end of the book. I hated when it ended, I wanted more. Fingers crossed that Suzanne Collins writes another book with Snow as the protagonist!

What were your favorite books of 2024? What are you looking forward to reading in 2025?

[bookwormchocaholic]

Fave books of the year?

Hello, thanks for sending this in. I had a lot of favorites this year, but I'm going to only ramble about three.

The first one I really fell in love with was “A Long Fatal Love Chase,” by Louisa May Alcott. Yes, the same Louisa May Alcott who wrote the beloved “Little Women.” Before she was writing “moral pap for the young” as she called it, Alcott wrote “blood and thunder” tales to earn money under a variety of pseudonyms. Encouraged by an editor to write a potboiler to serialize, Louisa wrote “A Long Fatal Love Chase.” Rosamond Vivan, eager to escape her life and have an adventure, elopes with the Byronic Phillip Tempest. He’s no saint, but she naively believes her love will save him. She soon learns he’s married to another, has a child, and that he is truly wicked. Rosamond escapes and spends evading his controlling, abusive clutches. Wherever she turns, there he is. The editor ended up rejecting the book and Alcott couldn’t find a market anywhere for it. “A Long Fatal Love Chase” was put away and forgotten about until the 1990s, when it was rediscovered, sold to Random House and striking a chord with modern readers, it hit the best seller lists. The whole book is ahead of its time. It’s my second favorite of Alcott’s canon, and was my favorite read of the whole year. I’m waiting for an adaptation – it needs to be adapted. ::hint, hint Masterpiece Theater::

The second book I fell in love with was “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller. A short read, we’re introduced to the author through a series of anecdotes that covers the events of “The Miracle Worker” and lesser-known events of Keller’s life. Though born later than Laura Ingalls Wilder, I got a lot of “Little House” feels from her writing style. First published in Ladies’ Home Journal, it was dedicated to Alexander Graham Bell, who happened to be one of her teachers. It’s a quick read and I was swept away when I read it. There was just so much that I didn’t know about Helen Keller and her life. Yet another book I didn’t want to end.

The third book I fell in love with was “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” by Suzanne Collins which is a prequel to “The Hunger Games.” I was introduced to it by my sister when we watched the movie based on it and I finally broke down and read the whole series last autumn. The main series is good, but I really liked reading Coriolanus Snow’s villain origin story. Most of the novels I read feature good, moral protagonists and how they do something extraordinary to make the world a better place. Coriolanus straddles the good/evil line until he just nose dives right into the dark side towards the end of the book. I hated when it ended, I wanted more. Fingers crossed that Suzanne Collins writes another book with Snow as the protagonist!

[the-joy-of-knowledge]

Becoming an Intelligent Woman

My Dears,

There is no greater goal than being a fine woman who is intelligent, kind, and elegant. As much as we all want to be described with these adjectives, it takes a great amount of discipline to get there. It is very doable only if you are ready to put in the work.

Here are steps you can add to your routine in the next 4 weeks that will make you 1% more intelligent than you were before. This is a process that should become a habit not a goal. It is long term, however, I want you to devote just 4 weeks into doing these steps first and recognize the changes that follow.

Watch documentaries: This is the easiest step, we all have access to Youtube. Youtube has a great number of content on art, history, technology, food, science etc that will increase your knowledge and pique your curiosity. I really did not know much about world history especially from the perspective of World war 1 & 2, the roaring 20s, Age of Enlightenment, Jazz era, monarchies etc but with several channels dedicated to breaking down history into easily digestible forms. I have in the last 4 weeks immersed myself into these documentaries. Here are a few I watched:

The fall of monarchies

The Entire History of United Kingdom

The Eight Ages of Greece

World War 1

World War 2

The Roaring '20s

The Cuisine of the Enlightenment

2. Read Classics: I recommend starting with short classics so that you do not get easily discouraged. Try to make reading easy and interesting especially if you struggle with finishing a book. Why classics? You see, if you never went to an exclusive private school in Europe or America with well crafted syllabus that emphasized philosophy, history, art, and literary classics, you might want to know what is felt like and for me this was a strong reason. Asides that, there is so much wisdom and knowledge available in these books. In these books, you gain insights to the authors mind, the historical context of the era, the ingenuity of the author, the hidden messages, and the cultural impact of these books. Most importantly, you develop your personal philosophy from the stories and lessons you have accumulated from the lives of the characters in the books you read. Here are classics to get you started:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

Candide by Voltaire

Paradise lost by John Milton

3. Study the lives of people who inspire you: I dedicate one month to each person that fascinates me. I read their biography (date of birth, background, death, influences, work, style, education, personal life) For this month, I decided to study Frank Lloyd Wright because I was fascinated by the Guggenheim Museum in New York. I began to read about his influence in American Architecture (Organic architecture, Prairie School, Usonian style), his tumultuous personal life, his difficult relationship with his mentor (Louis Sullivan), his most iconic works etc. By the end of the year I would have learned the ins and outs of people I am inspired by through books and documentaries. Here are other people I plan to learn more about:

Winston Churchill

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Ada Lovelace

Benjamin Franklin

Helen Keller

John Nash

Isabella Stewart Gardner

Caroline Herrera

Ernest Hemingway

Catherine the Great

Ann Lowe

My dears, I hope you enjoyed this read. I cannot wait to write more on my journey to becoming a fine woman. I urge you to do this for four weeks and see what changes you notice. Make sure to write as well, it is important to document your progress.

Cheers to a very prosperous 2024!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🖤 Black History Month ❤️

💛 Queer Books by Black Authors 💚

[ List Under the Cut ]

🖤 Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ❤️ Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 💛 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💚 I'm a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 🖤 Real Life by Brandon Taylor ❤️ Ruthless Pamela Jean by Carol Denise Mitchell 💛 The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 💚 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 🖤 Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney ❤️ The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 💛 That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole 💚Work for It by Talia Hibbert

🖤 All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson ❤️ The Deep by Rivers Solomon 💛 How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters 💚 Running With Lions by Julian Winters 🖤 Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters ❤️ This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender 💛 The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum 💚 This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow 🖤 Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa ❤️ Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 💛 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 💚 The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

🖤 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ❤️ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson 💛 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole 💚 Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 🖤 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann ❤️ A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney 💛 Power & Magic by Joamette Gil 💚 The Black Veins by Ashia Monet 🖤 Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon ❤️ The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow 💛 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 💚 Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

🖤 The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ❤️ Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee 💛 A Phoenix First Must Burn (edited) by Patrice Caldwell 💚 Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 🖤 Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles ❤️ Black Boy Out of Time by Hari Ziyad 💛 Darling by K. Ancrum 💚 The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode 🖤 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ❤️ Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 💛 Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 💚 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

🖤 How to Dispatch a Human by Stephanie Andrea Allen ❤️ Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans 💛 The Essential June Jordan (edited) by Jan Heller Levi and Christoph Keller 💚 A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 🖤 A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney ❤️ Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 💛 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 💚 Punch Me Up to the Gods by Brian Broome 🖤 Masquerade by Anne Shade ❤️ One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite 💛 Soulstar by C.L. Polk 💚 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

🖤 Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender ❤️ Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby 💛 Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair 💚 The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 🖤 If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann ❤️ Sweethand by N.G. Peltier 💛 This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 💚 Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon 🖤 Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett ❤️ Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez 💛 Memorial by Bryan Washington 💚 Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

🖤 Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon ❤️ How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole 💛 Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackosn 💚 Mouths of Rain (edited) by Briona Simone Jones 🖤 Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia ❤️ Love's Divine by Ava Freeman 💛 The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr 💚 Odd One Out by Nic Stone 🖤 Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden ❤️ Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons 💚 Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

🖤 Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert ❤️ My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson 💛 Pleasure and Spice by Fiona Zedde 💚 No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull 🖤 The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus ❤️ Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor 💛 The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 💚 Peaces by Helen Oyeyem 🖤 The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk ❤️ Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh 💛 Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, Joy San 💚 The Heart Does Not Bend by Makeda Silvera

🖤 King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender ❤️ By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery 💛 Busy Ain't the Half of It by Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar Cruz 💚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 🖤 Sin Against the Race by Gar McVey-Russell ❤️ Trumpet by Jackie Kay 💛 Remembrance by Rita Woods 💚 Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo 🖤 You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour ❤️ The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters 💛 Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi 💚 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyem

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

“Satan Overlooking Paradise” (1870) by Gustave Doré :: [Guillaume Gris]

* * * *

“Satan, on the contrary, is thin, ascetic and a fanatical devotee of logic. He reads Machiavelli, Ignatius of Loyola, Marx and Hegel; he is cold and unmerciful to mankind, out of a kind of mathematical mercifulness. He is damned always to do that which is most repugnant to him: to become a slaughterer, in order to abolish slaughtering, to sacrifice lambs so that no more lambs may be slaughtered, to whip people with knouts so that they may learn not to let themselves be whipped, to strip himself of every scruple in the name of a higher scrupulousness, and to challenge the hatred of mankind because of his love for it--an abstract and geometric love.” ― Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon

+

“It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.” ― Helen Keller, The Story of My Life

[psychologeek]

is your cass 3 years old? genuine question bc she has never sounded like that, she struggles with complex words and long sentences but she doesn't baby talk or get words wrong like that

I assume you mean in this post

First of all - thanks for asking! Feel free to ask any other questions here or a comment on fic.

Second - No, my Cass isn't 3 yo.

I'm talking about Cass from my fanfic (the first chapter has an extended version for clarification, as I understand pre-verbal communication is heard to understand).

Psychology, Language, and development

Cass was raised as a weapon, and wasn't allowed to speak as a child¹ - wich had a massive impact on the way her thinking and communication has developed².

She was also isolated, and only learned the concept of language at the age of ~8/9³ (with Jason). First by using signs⁴ (ASL, spesificly), and later starting speech - though she STILL struggles with pronunciations⁵.

According to canon, when she was about (17? 18?), a fight with a magical/alien made her "understand language".

But I take canon and think about the implications. I especially consider it as Cass is a very visual/kinetic thinker. She think in pictures and movements.

What adding words for this would do? And what "understanding language" even means?

My personal answer to that, was "sort of an auto-reader you can't turn off", and a LOT of overstimulation. Because it's too much.

This doesn't change much. It DOES mean Cass need to take time off, to understand what happened. It's also not a good thing.

(This isn't a magical fix-it, and I made sure to make it very clear it has serious issues, most importantly Cass didn't want/needed a "cure", as they aren't broken. There's nothing to fix.)

Cass still prefer using non-verbal communication, like AAC app, emojis, Jestas, ASL, body language, etc.

And the family is. Mostly okay with it.

Also, Cass is autistic. Like me. And some of this experience is based on my personal experience. For example, sometimes I struggle with speaking. I have sensory issues. My thinking is very visual. When I'm overwhelmed, I need small and simple sentences.

I hope that it helps 🤠

~

1. Can be seen in chapter 1 ("A weapon"). This part was inspired/research by comparing to articles and development of children who grew up in extreme abuse and neglect (for example, "Jenny").

2. For example, self-identifing as a weapon (not a person). Understanding few words (come, stay) but not being able to speak, or understand speech. Think about the way dogs may understand some commands/words, but not a fairytale. Let me be clear - this refers to any kind of organised language, including verbal, signed, other kind of visual, tactile, etc. The issue here isn't the "not learn to speak". Many CoDA grow up perfectly fine and healthy and well. The issue here is the lack of any way to make sense of her caos.

3. Not growing up with language means that her experience and personal narrative are. Not sorted that way. A series of incoherent photos and scents. This was partly inspired by (I study psychology, I focus on trauma, there's. A lot.) and Helen Keller's story. Even before Anne, she had home signs and was able to partly communicate with some people. But she was hearing until 19 months, and therefore had 19 months of language (including several spoken words).

4. This part in the fic was inspired, again, by Helen Keller. Especially her description of what it was like to understand there's such thing as language:

I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew then that w-a-t-e-r meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. The living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, set it free!

(from Keller's autobiography "The Story of My Life")

(Also Jason's "food is love language". Something about sharing when you have little. Something about kindness and trust.)

5. Speech is hard. Like, there's a REASON so many ppl need speech therapy. Speech patterns ("native language", grammar) are all getting set by the age of 7. Do you speak another language? How old were you when you learned it? How close it is to your first language? How well do you speak it?

[adrianodiprato]

+ “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” ~ Helen Keller

THE GIFT OF DIVERSITY

We are living in an age where division has become a currency, where difference is too often seen as something to be feared or flattened. The world, it seems, is in the grip of a crisis of indifference — to one another’s pain, to our shared humanity, to the gifts found in the unfamiliar.

And yet, when I reflect on the life I’ve lived — the people I love, the values I hold dear — I know this: we are together because of our difference, not despite it. And the courage of those who have walked before us, across oceans and borders and language, shows us the way back to each other.

I am the son of two migrants. Their stories shaped mine, but their impact stretches beyond the walls of our home. Their journey — like millions of others — is a testament to the gift of cultural diversity. It is a story not just of relocation, but of resilience, of vulnerability, and of hope.

My mother was born into the rubble of post-war Vienna, a city torn and bruised by the aftermath of conflict. Her childhood was marked by scarcity, by uncertainty, by the echoes of violence that lingered long after the guns had fallen silent. Yet from that chaos, she forged a life defined not by fear, but by fierce determination. She left behind her home — the familiarity of language, the scent of cobblestones after rain — to begin anew in a land that was foreign in every way.

My father was just 14 when he left the mountainous heart of Abruzzo, Italy. Alone. A boy barely out of childhood, driven by a yearning for possibility. He followed his heart to Australia, carrying the weight of sacrifice and the hope of a better future. He worked tirelessly — not for glory, but for family, for love, for the dignity of creating something lasting.

Neither sought recognition. They did not wear their vulnerability as a badge. But it was there — in every uncertain step, in every small act of faith, in every moment they chose hope over despair.

This is the migrant story — a quiet heroism that holds a mirror to our own hearts and asks: What are we willing to risk for love, for belonging, for a better world?

In their lives, I saw how difference could be a bridge, not a barrier. Two people from distant worlds — Austria and Italy — with different languages, traditions, and wounds, found unity in shared purpose. They created a life together that honoured both past and possibility. And in doing so, they taught me that diversity is not just something to be tolerated — it is something to be cherished, protected, and celebrated.

As we mark Cultural Diversity Week, I am reminded that the richness of our multicultural community is not an accident — it is a gift born of courage. It is the courage to leave, the courage to begin again, the courage to imagine a future together, shaped by the contributions of many, not the dominance of a few.

In times like these, when fear and apathy often drown out compassion, the migrant story calls us back to what matters — the sacredness of human connection, the power of difference, and the hope that lives in all of us when we dare to truly see one another.

Diversity is not a threat to unity — it is the reason unity is possible.

And may we always remember: our strength lies not in the quiet comfort of sameness, but in the extraordinary bravery of those who came with nothing but hope in their hearts and the will to build something new.

Because of two people who dared to believe in life beyond war and poverty, who crossed continents and let love guide them through the unknown — I am here.

I am here because of their difference.

Their story is not rare — it is one of millions. But for me, it is everything. And it is why I will never stop believing that diversity is not just a word. It is a life. It is a legacy. It is love.

Let us honour it, with every step forward.

Adriano Di Prato is an influential Australian educator, best-selling author, former co-host of the leading educational podcast Game Changers, and the Campus Director at LCI Melbourne, a progressive art, design + entrepreneurship private institute of higher education.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Doyle

Published: Mar 8, 2024

Today is the fifth anniversary of the publication of Titania McGrath’s acclaimed book Woke: A Guide to Social Justice. I created this intersectional activist and slam poet in order to satirise this new intolerant and authoritarian identity-obsessed religion and its stranglehold on society. Having seen so many posh and entitled activists berating working-class straight white people for their privilege, I could think of no more appropriate reaction than mockery. Even Harry Windsor was at it. And he’s an actual prince. 

Five years on, and I cannot decide whether I find it funny or depressing that so many of Titania’s ideas in that book ended up becoming reality. Nothing that Titania was ever able to suggest has not eventually been outdone by real-life activists. It is as though they were reading her book for inspiration. 

For instance, in a chapter from Woke entitled “Towards an Intersectional Socialist Utopia”, Titania makes the following observation:

“Capitalism, after all, is a singularly male phenomenon. The ultimate symbol of capitalism, the skyscraper, is nothing more than a giant cock on the horizon, fucking the heavens.”

Sixteen months after the book was published, this article appeared in the Guardian:

Or what about this passage from a chapter in Woke called “White Death”? Here, Titania calls out Hellen Keller for her white privilege:

“Consider, if you will, the example of white American author Helen Keller (1880–1968). Even though she was left deaf and blind following an illness as a baby, she still managed to study for a degree, write twelve books and travel the world to give lectures. This kind of privilege is staggering.”

Compare this with an article that appeared in Time magazine over a year later, in which the author writes:

“However, to some Black disability rights activists, like Anita Cameron, Helen Keller is not radical at all, ‘just another, despite disabilities, privileged white person,’ and yet another example of history telling the story of privileged white Americans.”

And how about this tweet from October 2019, in which Titania had some advice for dog owners:

The subsequent outrage ensured that the tweet went viral. And just a couple of months ago, a leading pet talent agency in the UK called Urban Paws was asking owners whether their cats or dogs identified as “gender neutral” or “non-binary”. 

After the backlash, the company claimed that it was a mistake. But the specific addition of a “gender identity” category on an application is hardly the equivalent of a typo. 

And what about this article on the website of Vet Help Direct?

And then of course we have PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the world’s leading animal rights organisation, which posted the following call to arms on Twitter to “end speciesism”:

“Evolve your language. Unlearn how we’ve been taught to think of other animals. They’re NOT an ‘it’ and should never be talked about like objects.”

It’s about time that somebody took a stand for non-binary pigeons.

This is by no means the only example of Titania’s ideas being enacted by woke activists. Here are my top ten examples of when her absurd demands became reality…

On 22 December 2018, Titania called for biological sex to be removed from birth certificates.  

On 17 December 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine concurred.

On 1 October 2019, Titania suggested that young women should be encouraged to travel alone in rural Pakistan.

On 12 October 2019, Forbes Magazine concurred.

On 15 October 2018, Titania argued that Winston Churchill was worse than the Nazis.

On 11 February 2021, Churchill College at Cambridge University concurred.

On 19 September 2018, Titania criticised Julie Andrews (aka Mary Poppins) for chimney soot blackface.

On 28 January 2019, the New York Times concurred.

On 29 April 2019, Titania pointed out that scientists have yet to discover the difference between men and women.

On 24 March 2022, USA Today concurred.

On 22 January 2019, Titania called for the Oscars to prioritise diversity.

On 12 June 2020, the Academy concurred.

On 30 January 2019, Titania accused Laurence Olivier of a hate crime for his performance as Othello.

On 9 October 2021, the University of Michigan concurred.

On 2 May 2020, Titania criticised the NHS for appropriating the LGBTQ rainbow flag.

On 6 May 2020, Forbes Magazine concurred.

On 6 June 2019, Titania demanded an option on social media to mute white males.

On 14 July 2020, Instagram concurred.

On 12 September 2019, Titania argued that scientists cannot possibly know whether ancient skeletons are male or female.

On 18 July 2022, gender activists concurred.

Titania McGrath’s Woke: A Guide to Social Justice is available to buy here. It’s also available on audio book and Kindle.

==

This ideology has become so deranged that it's not possible not parody it anymore. Anything you propose in jest today, they'll take up in sincerity tomorrow. Which shows how performative, directionless and unserious they are.

The Civil Rights and Gay Rights movements had specific aims: eliminate segregation, ensure all laws are race-neutral, that opportunities and resources are available regardless of race, decriminalization of homosexuality, recognition of same-sex partnerships the same as opposite-sex partnerships, including marriage. They were specific, measurable and could be ticked off as they fell.

Woke idiots have no damn clue what they're after. And all they can show us is the stupidest, most petty, most insane non-issues that telegraph to the world they have no real problems to complain about. Elimination of all skyscrapers? A lawsuit over who owns the rainbow? (Fundamentalist Xians would like to get in on that.)

They're just making this crap up as they go along, fighting for who can be the most offended and screaming about their imaginary hurt feelings to garner attention and control.

Why did we ever pay attention to this lunatics?

[lionofchaeronea]

The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett - I quite like it, it kinda goes into the (poor) english aristocracy marrying wealthy american girls and the differences in expectation of treatment and such.

A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori - a manga series, don't know if your into that, but carefully researched, beautiful art (especially the textiles) of the time period and place, in areas around the silk road/russian steppes - Kazakhstan is one place I know the author visited.

The Ghost Bride - Yangsze Choo

Black Water Sister - Cho Zen

The Midwife's Apprentice - Karen Cushman

The House of the Scorpion - Nancy Farmer

Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George

Blackbird House - Alice Hoffman

Geisha of Gion - Mineko Iwasaki - one of the main people Arthur Golden interviewed for his book. She wrote this to counteract his "white guyification" of what she told him.

Literary Studies for Rhetoric Classes - Bernard L. Jefferson - found this one at a thrift store I just really enjoyed a lot of the pieces in it.

The Story of My Life - Helen Keller

Sirena - Donna Jo Napoli

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness

Binti - Nnedi Okorafor

What Happened to Lani Garver - Carol Plum-Ucci

The Color of Magic - Terry Pratchett

The Boxer Rebellion: The Dramatic Story of China's War on Foreigners that Shook the World in the Summer of 1900 - Diana Preston

Trudy's Promise - Marcia Preston - a very close look at one mother separated from her son when the Berlin Wall goes up.

Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice - a very sad novel as it was written in response to when Anne Rice lost her child. A good close look at grief and loss and apathy.

Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff - the show missed the point... the author wrote this inspired by when he and a black friend had been talking and he realized that because of skin color that while they occupied the same space, they lived in "different countries"

The Marvels - Brian Selznick

Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepeteys

Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet - Kashmira Sheth

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky (or anything by him really)

The Ramsay Scallop - Frances Temple

Doomsday Book - Connie Willis - time-traveler finds herself back during the start of one of the sweeps of the black plague - it's pretty sad

Fifth Chinese Daughter - Jade Snow Wong

*some of these are middlegrade but I feel middlegrade is sometimes not appreciated enough as literature. ^_^'

*also sorry for the very long list....

No apologies needed. I really appreciate the recommendations.

[mk-wizard]

Transformers Prime Exceprts: Obsoletion is a part of life Part 2

This is part 2 of this story...

Cyclonus comes in while followed by Nightshade and Perceptor...

Ratchet: I told you that I don't want your pity, Bucky! * taping his parts that have shedded off back on* Cyclonus: I'm not here to give you pity. I called upon some of our friends to help support and encourage you since you're taking obsoletion so hard. Perceptor: You're not alone, old friend. Not even when it comes to how you're feeling. Obsoletion lifespan crisis also known as "Snap" is a very common psychological response. It is nothing to be ashamed of and there are many, many ways to get help the right way *puts the tablets down titled "Dealing With Snap", "What do do when you Snap" and "I'll never change and that's ok"* Nightshade: Yes and because you're not used to doing without your subfeatures, here are some books about other people here on Earth who faced similar challenges *they put down the autobiography of Terry Fox, Beethoven and Helen Keller* Also, if you want to talk, we're right here. You don't need to be ashamed, dear Ratchet *takes his hand stroking it* Perceptor: Even if you can't transform anymore, you're still a bot of science and obsoletion will never change that *pats his back* Ratchet: *looks at the tablets, the books and them before his eyes twitches*... GET OUT BEFORE I REALLY SNAP!!

They all scramble out of his workshop and Ratchet throws the books and tablets out hitting the wall before looking out while shaking his fist....

Ratchet: RECHARGE WITH ONE EYE OPEN, BUCKY!! *notices the kids holding stuff*... Sigh, younglings, I really, really don't want pity right now... Jack: No, we're not here for that. We'll not that way. Raf: We want to show you that growing old can be nice. Beautiful even! Lots of wonderful things in this world get better with age. Ratchet: Kids... Jack: Hear us out. Please? *Ratchet reluctantly lets them in* You see this picture of the tree? This is the famous tree Old Red. It's the oldest living redwood tree in the redwood forest and it also the tallest, strongest and most resilient. Even during the hurricane, the most it suffered was a few snapped twigs. This tree is strong and unbreakable BECAUSE of its age and experience like you. Raf: And you know what else gets better with age? Cheese! And wine! And even stones! Specifically, gems. Diamonds especially are pieces of coal that are very aged and put under pressure. *shows him everything including some of his mother's jewelry that he borrowed* Miko: And back in Japan, we got this! *shows him the cracked ornate bowl* Cracked pottery. It's one of the most popular and trending forms of pottery art that lasted for eons. And get this, the MORE cracked and old it becomes, the more it's worth and we're talking MILLIONS of dollars more! Ratchet: *groans* Kids, I appreciate all this, I really do, but being compared to stinky cheese and a cracked bowl doesn't make me feel any better. I am not a thing. I'm a person. Thanks for trying, but can I please be alone? Jack:... Ok. *they leave looking sad*

Lifeline watches the kids leave and she rolls her eyes before going up to Ratchet and knocking him in the head...

Ratchet: OW!! What was that for?! Lifeline: For being an old grump who is aging as gracefully as a celebrity bimbot who cannot stop clinging onto her glory days! Ratchet: Lifeline, I REALLY am at my breaking- Lifeline: You're undergoing obsoletion! Not dying! And nobody is treating you any different for it! Not the Primes, not your friends, not your family, NOBODY! The only person who is treating this as something that matters is you! Ratchet: It IS something that matters! I'm a DOCTOR!! How are people supposed to turn to me for help when I myself am an invalid?! Nobody wants assistace from someone who REQUIRES assistance! Lifeline: *she looks extremely hurt because she is a Cybertronian white mage healer and she has underwent obsoletion a few years ago since fembots undergo it earlier* Ratchet... Is that how you see ME? Ratchet: N-No, I didn't mean it like that! I didn't mean you! I meant bots who- Lifeline: It doesn't matter what you meant! *pushes him away* What you said was horrible! YOU are horrible! *she leaves choking a little* Ratchet: Lifeline! Lifeline, I'm sor.... ARRRRRRRRGH!! *punches himself repeatedly in the head until his bumper cover falls off*.... sigh...

Part 3 (Final)...

[circumlocutive]

Goddamn its sad that Helen Keller has been minimized with jokes my whole life, I'm reading her autobiography right now and I never knew how eloquent she was or any details about her incredible story

She's so much more than a punchline

[veronicaleighauthor]

Can't get over this description about writing. It's from "The Story of My Life," by Helen Keller. Excellent book, by the way.

[mediaevalmusereads]

Sitting Pretty: the View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body. By Rebekah Taussig. Harper Collins, 2020.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Genre: memoir

Series: N/A

Summary: A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most.

Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling.

Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn’t fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.

Disability affects all of us, directly or indirectly, at one point or another. By exploring this truth in poignant and lyrical essays, Taussig illustrates the need for more stories and more voices to understand the diversity of humanity. Sitting Pretty challenges us as a society to be patient and vigilant, practical and imaginative, kind and relentless, as we set to work to write an entirely different story.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: ableism

While I have some grasp on the basics of disability advocacy, I thought it would be beneficial to learn more during disability pride month. This book was available at the library, so I figured it would be a good place to start.

Taussig's memoir is a very good introduction to the basics of understanding broad disability studies concepts while also narrating vulnerable moments of the author's life. I really liked how the focus wasn't so much on Taussig's body (though it was a huge part of the story), but on how society is organized around ableism. We don't so much get scene after scene of Taussig struggling, but we do get very clear and evocative memories of Taussig watching films, dreaming of jobs, and navigating health insurance which are all designed to exclude disabled people. It's also a good critique of a number of related things such as American work culture, beauty and advertising, the concept of womanhood, etc. In that, this book is an excellent example about how to talk about disability and ableism without exclusively focusing on the body.

That's not to say the body is unimportant. Taussig has plenty of stories about managing pain, rolling down stairs or grassy hills, etc. But Taussig is also very careful to demonstrate that it's not the body that needs fixing - it's our imagination about how the world should work. Because after all, most (if not all) of us will become disabled at some point - that's just a consequence of having a body, and society benefits if we can care for everyone.

There are some limitations to this book, however, which Taussig (to her credit) points out. Taussig is disabled, but she is also cis, straight, middle class, and white, which means she has access to certain types of privilege and her stories will likely resonate with a specific audience. But I think I'd rather have an author be honest about their privilege and tell their own story (as opposed to trying to represent all disabled people) than try to have them position themselves on an intersectional identity that isn't theirs.

There's also a lot of humor in here that will read ad Millenial, but fortunately, it's not overwhelming. Toussig is very sincere, and even if the humor isn't to your taste, it doesn't take over the book.

TL;DR: Sitting Pretty is a brilliant memoir and introduction to the concepts behind disabled studies, placing focus on how society is structured around ableism while also advocating for change that will benefit all.

[criticalthinkingsociety]

"I cursed the fact that I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet."

By Saadi

The quote is not a proverb in Persian and in fact is a part of an important book called Golestan written by Saadi Shirazi. He was a poet who lived between 1210-1291in central Iran.Famous for the deep meaning of his writings, both social and moral.

I have come across several websites that cited the quote: “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet” and its variants.

Sadly, the claims of the origin of this quote vary. Some cite it as Chinese, Indian, Jewish, Irish, etc. Usually, it is quoted as anonymous with source unknown.

In Goodreads, we find two instances of the quote. One says Helen Keller said it and another says it was said by Wally Lamb.

In her book “EFFECTIVE LIVING,” Lois Smith Murray says on page 154:

Tolstoy wrote, “I cried because I had no shoes until I met  a man who had no feet.”

In his book “A FOR ARTEMIS,” Sutton Woodfield says on page 44:

Over Goldie’s bed, tacked on the wall, was one of those mottoes you can buy at Woolworths for a bob. This one said, “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

However, the most common claim points to the Persian poet Abū-Muhammad Muslih al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī (Persian: ابومحمد الدین بن عبدالله شیرازی‎), better known by his pen-name Saʿdī (Persian: سعدی‎) or Saadi Shirazi or simply Saadi. Born in Shiraz, Iran, c. 1210, he was one of the major Persian poets and prose writers of the medieval period.

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His best-known works are Bustan (The Orchard) completed in 1257 and Gulistan (The Rose Garden) in 1258.

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Saʿdī composed his didactic work Gulistan in both prose and verse. It contains many moralizing stories like the fables of the French writer Jean de La Fontaine (1621-95) and personal anecdotes. The text interspersed with a variety of short poems contains aphorisms, advice, and humorous reflections. It demonstrates Saʿdī ‘s profound awareness of the absurdity of human existence.

In Persian lands, his maxims were highly valued and manuscripts of his work were widely copied and illustrated. Saʿdī wrote that he composed Gulistan to teach the rules of conduct in life to both kings and dervishes.

In Chapter III – On the Excellence of Contentment, story 19, Saʿdī  wrote:

I never lamented about the vicissitudes of time or complained of the turns of fortune except on the occasion when I was barefooted and unable to procure slippers. But when I entered the great mosque of Kufah with a sore heart and beheld a man without feet I offered thanks to the bounty of God, consoled myself for my want of shoes and recited:

‘A roast fowl is to the sight of a satiated man Less valuable than a blade of fresh grass on the table And to him who has no means nor power A burnt turnip is a roasted fowl.‘

In the case of Helen Keller the quote “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet” derived from Saʿdī ‘s story had been her credo. It helped her overcome self-pity and to be of service to others.

By T. V. Antony Raj