Christine Lakin delivers this audiobook about the politics of Helen Keller, an early-twentieth-century deafblind disability rights activist. The story of how she learned to communicate at the age of 7, dramatized in the 1959 play THE MIRACLE WORKER, captured the hearts of Americans, and she became an iconic figure. But many people didn't know she was a member of the Socialist Party. In particular, she campaigned against lynchings and child labor and for women's suffrage. Lakin echoes the author's doubt about claims that Keller eventually moderated her leftist views, claims intended to appease her public. When not detailing Keller's political activities, Lakin gives a bittersweet quality to a brief romance and warmly recounts her vaudeville tour with her childhood teacher, Annie Sullivan. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
After the Miracle: The Political Crusades of Helen Keller
Narrated by Christine Lakin
Max WallaceUnabridged — 12 hours, 48 minutes
After the Miracle: The Political Crusades of Helen Keller
Narrated by Christine Lakin
Max WallaceUnabridged — 12 hours, 48 minutes
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Overview
Raised in Alabama, she sent shockwaves through the South when she launched a public broadside against Jim Crow and donated to the NAACP. She used her fame to oppose American intervention in WWI. She spoke out against Hitler the month he took power in 1933 and embraced the anti-fascist cause during the Spanish Civil War. She was one of the first public figures to alert the world to the evils of Apartheid, raising money to defend Nelson Mandela when he faced the death penalty for High Treason, and she lambasted Joseph McCarthy at the height of the Cold War, even as her contemporaries shied away from his notorious witch hunt. But who was this revolutionary figure?
She was Helen Keller.
From books to movies to Barbie dolls, most mainstream portrayals of Keller focus heavily on her struggles as a deafblind child-portraying her Teacher, Annie Sullivan, as a miracle worker. This narrative-which has often made Keller a secondary character in her own story-has resulted in few people knowing that her greatest accomplishment was not learning to speak, but what she did with her voice when she found it.
After the Miracle is a much-needed corrective to this antiquated narrative. In this first major biography of Keller in decades, Max Wallace reveals that the lionization of Sullivan at the expense of her famous pupil was no accident, and calls attention to Keller's efforts as a card-carrying socialist, fierce anti-racist, and progressive disability advocate. Despite being raised in an era when eugenics and discrimination were commonplace, Keller consistently challenged the media for its ableist coverage and was one of the first activists to highlight the links between disability and capitalism, even as she struggled against the expectations and prejudices of those closest to her.
Peeling back the curtain that obscured Keller's political crusades in favor of her “inspirational” childhood, After the Miracle chronicles the complete legacy of one of the 20th century's most extraordinary figures.
Editorial Reviews
02/06/2023
In this revealing biography, journalist and filmmaker Wallace (In the Name of Humanity) shifts the focus from Helen Keller’s much-mythologized childhood to her lifelong engagement with radical politics and progressive causes. An avowed socialist, Keller argued that the most effective way to address disability was to combat the inequalities and injustices of the capitalist system. She also spoke out against both world wars and in favor of women’s suffrage and access to birth control, and condemned Jim Crow segregation and South African apartheid. Keller’s willingness to take controversial public stances—including, for a brief period, in support of eugenics—strained her relationships with the American Federation for the Blind and other disability rights groups, and Wallace uncovers numerous instances in which Keller was persuaded to issue statements that pacified donors and preserved her status as an appealing inspirational figure. Still, Keller’s prominence protected her from the consequences suffered by other radicals, and Wallace departs from other Keller biographers in suggesting that she was a “fellow traveler” with the Communist Party in the 1930s and ’40s and maintained her admiration for the Soviet experiment even into the 1950s. Meticulous research and the author’s nuanced perspective make this is an enlightening study of Keller’s fierce commitment to justice. Agent: John Pearce and Chris Casuccio, Westwood Creative Artists. (Apr.)
"Wallace strips away the sentimental image of Helen Keller and reveals an astonishing woman who lectured, traveled, wrote books, and loved movies. A friend of Charlie Chaplin and of Martin Luther King, she was a radical and passionate political activist taking stands against war, racism, and inequality that brought her to the attention of Hoover and his FBI. Following Keller’s life, Wallace offers a bonus: a stunning overview of the brutal politics of the 20th century. I enjoyed the book very much."—Rosemary Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation
“A penetrating vision into the life and times of Helen Keller . . . adds the needed dimensions, insights, and details to elevate this famous woman to the true historic pivot she created; and [Wallace] does so with exceptional clarity, immense grasp of subject, and compelling detail.”—Edwin Black, New York Times bestselling author of IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America’s Most Powerful Corporation
"A fresh look at an international icon, offering new perspectives on her life and work . . . compelling."—Kirkus, Starred Review
"Wallace rebalances the portrait with this deeply researched book. He repeatedly shows how ableist prejudices as well as political distaste suppressed Keller’s voice."—Wall Street Journal
“A riveting series of adventures with Helen Keller, from befriending Charlie Chaplin in Hollywood to calling out apartheid in South Africa. Helen’s delightful wit and fierce dedication to advocating for underrepresented people makes her a timeless role model.”—Haben Girma, disability justice advocate and author of Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law
“Max Wallace’s impeccably researched book lays out a fascinating epilogue to the familiar story of a blind-deaf girl at a water pump. After the Miracle paints a compelling portrait of a complicated, revolutionary woman who spent a lifetime advocating for peace and equal rights despite powerful forces pressuring her to adhere to the simplistic persona they had created.”—Liz Heinecke, author of Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and a Friendship Forged in Light
“Meticulous research and the author’s nuanced perspective make this is an enlightening study of Keller’s fierce commitment to justice.”—Publishers Weekly
"[A] fascinating biography."—Christian Science Monitor
"Deeply researched and gracefully written, Wallace's After the Miracle offers a compelling, nuanced portrait of Helen Keller as a passionate political activist and socialist crusader whose radical convictions were often at odds with her angelic public image. The lively pace and original approach make for an enjoyable read."—Elisabeth Gitter, author of The Imprisoned Guest: Samuel Howe and Laura Bridgman, the Original Deaf-Blind Girl
"There is much more to the life stories of Keller and Sullivan than the limited, if inspirational narrative of the movie, as Wallace’s superb biographical chronicle makes clear . . . [After the Miracle] paint[s] a more complete picture of the imperfect humanity behind the inspirational narrative. [Wallace] shows that just because saints have feet of clay, that doesn’t make them less saintly."—Booklist
"In this highly readable, deeply researched, and illuminating work, Max Wallace brings the full range of Helen Keller’s lifetime accomplishments to a new and contemporary level of clarity. After the Miracle dispels myths, carefully investigates and untangles erroneous narratives, and adds immeasurably to our knowledge of the multi-dimensional woman who became a fearless political activist, anti-racist, and radical socialist in her day."—Elizabeth Emerson, author of Letters From Red Farm: The Untold Story of the Friendship between Helen Keller and Journalist Joseph Edgar Chamberlin
“An amazing insight into the life and mission of a genius.”—Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas Gandhi
"Illuminating . . . highlights Keller’s abiding devotion to radical leftist causes, which included speaking out against Jim Crow, Nazism, McCarthyism, and more . . . compelling."—Christian Science Monitor
"Reclaims the life of the international icon through the lens of her pioneering political activism, including speaking out against racism, poverty and disability . . . With whiplash narrative drive this meticulously researched account of Keller’s legacy clarifies the lifelong commitment of a progressive radical whose social justice advocacy remains timeless. It’s an essential read that shifts the well-worn tale of one of the 20th century’s most intrepid figures."—Toronto Star
"The passing of time can offer new perspectives on the lives and the legacy of famous people. That’s the case with Helen Keller, who is generally remembered as a wild, deafblind child, tamed and educated by a determined teacher, Annie Sullivan, a narrative concretized by the 1962 Hollywood film The Miracle Worker . . . In his extensively researched and clearly written account, Wallace delineates how Keller was pressured to fudge or hide her views . . . enlightening."—Winnipeg Free Press
"To say that After the Miracle is enlightening would be an understatement . . . The author’s prolific research has enabled him to document in great detail the political awakening of Helen Keller."—BookTrib
"Engrossing . . . Wallace's writing is nuanced, neither diminishing her accomplishments nor overlooking her missteps, but instead returning Keller to the center of her own life story. After the Miracle is a portrait not of a saint or a miracle, but a woman with strong convictions living in a complicated world."—BookBrowse
Praise for Max Wallace's In the Name of Humanity: “A riveting tale of the previously unknown and fascinating story of the unsung angels who strove to foil the Final Solution.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A wonderfully engrossing example of hidden history."—Montreal Times
"Dramatic and formidably researched."—Anna Porter, author of Kasztner’s Train and Ghosts of Europe
A riveting series of adventures with Helen Keller, from befriending Charlie Chaplin in Hollywood to calling out apartheid in South Africa. Helen’s delightful wit and fierce dedication to advocating for underrepresented people makes her a timeless role model.
An amazing insight into the life and mission of a genius.
In this highly readable, deeply researched, and illuminating work, Max Wallace brings the full range of Helen Keller’s lifetime accomplishments to a new and contemporary level of clarity. After the Miracle dispels myths, carefully investigates and untangles erroneous narratives, and adds immeasurably to our knowledge of the multi-dimensional woman who became a fearless political activist, anti-racist, and radical socialist in her day.
Deeply researched and gracefully written, Wallace's After the Miracle offers a compelling, nuanced portrait of Helen Keller as a passionate political activist and socialist crusader whose radical convictions were often at odds with her angelic public image. The lively pace and original approach make for an enjoyable read.
Wallace strips away the sentimental image of Helen Keller and reveals an astonishing woman who lectured, traveled, wrote books, and loved movies. A friend of Charlie Chaplin and of Martin Luther King, she was a radical and passionate political activist taking stands against war, racism, and inequality that brought her to the attention of Hoover and his FBI. Following Keller’s life, Wallace offers a bonus: a stunning overview of the brutal politics of the 20th century. I enjoyed the book very much.
Christine Lakin delivers this audiobook about the politics of Helen Keller, an early-twentieth-century deafblind disability rights activist. The story of how she learned to communicate at the age of 7, dramatized in the 1959 play THE MIRACLE WORKER, captured the hearts of Americans, and she became an iconic figure. But many people didn't know she was a member of the Socialist Party. In particular, she campaigned against lynchings and child labor and for women's suffrage. Lakin echoes the author's doubt about claims that Keller eventually moderated her leftist views, claims intended to appease her public. When not detailing Keller's political activities, Lakin gives a bittersweet quality to a brief romance and warmly recounts her vaudeville tour with her childhood teacher, Annie Sullivan. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
★ 2023-01-19
A fresh look at an international icon, offering new perspectives on her life and work.
Helen Keller (1880-1968) is remembered today as a deaf and blind child who learned to read, write, and speak, graduated college, and lived a productive life devoted to helping others. This was only part of her story, writes Canadian journalist and filmmaker Wallace in this compelling biography, which aims to quash the traditional maudlin portrayal as well as the misleading Oscar-winning 1963 movie whose hero is not Helen but her teacher, Annie Sullivan, the “Miracle Worker.” Though the author praises Sullivan as a brilliant teacher, he adds that Keller’s greatness was not merely her ability to learn, but what she accomplished with it. She was fluent in six languages, read vastly in all, and wrote numerous books, essays, and lectures, many highly opinionated. When she published her bestselling autobiography, The Story of My Life, in 1903, she was already hailed as an inspirational figure. This remains the popular image, although even during her life, the media worked hard to discount activities that would have offended admirers. Keller joined the Socialist Party of America in 1909 but left after several years because she believed it was too moderate. Like many reformers, she welcomed the Russian Revolution, and she never lost her “admiration” for the Soviet Union, even after it became unfashionable. She denounced racism both in the American South and South Africa long before it became fashionable, spoke out against poverty and child labor, supported unions and women’s suffrage, and served as a founding board member for the ACLU. This created difficulties for historians as well as journalists, and Wallace delivers an amusing review of Keller biographies. Early writers simply fawned, while later biographers dropped hints of radicalism. More recent works, especially Joseph Lash’s Helen and Teacher (1980), produced widespread outrage. Even Lash waffles by assuring readers that Keller was likely “duped” by communists, but Wallace expresses convincing doubt.
A revealing life of an important historical figure that does not diminish her.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940175201032 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Hachette Audio |
| Publication date: | 04/11/2023 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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