Helen Keller was a social activist and author who became the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelors degree. A serious illness left Keller deaf and blind as an infant but that did not stop her from becoming one of the greatest and most inspirational people in American history. The Story of My Life, published in 1903, is an autobiography which details Keller's early life. The book is notable as it describes Keller's experiences with Anne Sullivan, her instructor and lifelong companion. The World I Live In, published in 1908, is a book which provides excellent insight into Keller's mind. Optimism is an essay Keller wrote in 1903 on how people need to focus more on the positives in life.