Matthew ConroyI recently read two biographies. One was Peter Webb's biography of Hans Bellmer. The other was Beyond the Miracle Worker: The Remarkable Life of Anne Sullivan Macy and Her Extraordinary Friendship with Helen Keller, by Kim Nielsen. Both were quite good.
I really like Hans Bellmer's drawing style, with its combination of precision and fluidity; while the biography recounts many interesting events in his life, I was surprised to find that there doesn't seem to have been more to his art than the surreal/erotic thing he is known for. This biography is extremely detailed and very carefully researched.
I learned that I grew up about 10 kilometers from the Tewksbury Almshouse where Anne Sullivan lived, in appalling conditions, for several years as a child. She viewed life as an experiment, a philosophy I very much appreciate even if I rarely practice it (e.g., I've eaten exactly the same breakfast every day for years). Much of this biography is based on letters (between Anne and others, and between other regarding Anne), and so there are many things missing and unanswered questions about how she actually lived her life. I was surprised to learn that she and Helen were on the vaudeville circuit more than once, in order to support themselves. I learned that Anne's vision problems were caused by trachoma, a bacteria that infects the eyes, and she had multiple surgeries throughout her life to try to offset the damage; she was quite nearly blind at many points in her life. I admire Anne very much; it was very nice to learn so much more about her.
Arnold Schiller
Dr. Dani Sanchez
Wm.son
