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This Week in Personal History... August 21
A post-eclipse roundup of blogs, tweets & videos about preserving your family history, life story and memoir writing, making—and saving—good memories, & more.
“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.”
—George Bernard Shaw
Where did you watch the eclipse from yesterday? My 8-year-old son and I spied the sky through our handmade cereal box viewer while we alternately had a backyard baseball catch and talked about the meaning of the world and the possibility of time travel—heady stuff, indeed. If we’re not making memories, what would we have to preserve?!
Roundup of Personal History Links - August 21, 2017
On the Blogs
EXCUSES, EXCUSES
In her post “Recording Family History: The 5 Biggest Mistakes,” Orange County, CA video biographer Jane Shafron doesn’t offer tips on recording equipment or technique; rather, she hones in on the faulty reasoning for not preserving one’s story (such as believing your story must be filled with high drama) and other “reasons” for not moving forward.
HANDMADE GIFTS WITH LASTING MEANING
“What I know is that in the giving, in the making of this present, I’ve been given yet another gift as well, of thankfulness for what has been passed down to me, and what has been passed on,” writes Massachusetts-based personal historian Marjorie Turner Hollman of the baby blankets she learned to make from her mom—and continues to gift to friends and loved ones in a now time-honored tradition.
THE QUEST FOR TRUTH
In Tell the Truth. Make It Matter, Beth Kephart offers up a wonderfully original series of memoir-writing prompts that encourage self-reflection and striving toward the universal. I review her workbook, which is a wonderful companion for anyone on a journey to find—and write—their truth.
HEALING THOUGHTS
Personal historian Beth LaMie, of Write on Track in Central Illinois, shares her very personal journey as she battles Stage 4 Ovarian cancer: “I decided to blog about my experiences to help other people understand how my life has changed.” Beth, we send you strength and best wishes, and thank you for your courage in writing so openly—may others who are impacted by cancer find comfort in your words.
Worth Checking Out
BURNING GENEALOGY QUESTION?
For any aspiring genealogists in our midst, D. Joshua Taylor and Susan R. Miller of New York Genealogical & Biographical Society hosted an informative YouTube Q&A, answering participant questions with very specific advice. Read tips from that session here; or register and submit your own questions for the next YouTube Live Q&A, scheduled for this Wednesday, August 23 at 1:00 pm ET.
Quick Takes
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir #OralHistory #FamilyHistory
This Week in Personal History... August 15
Our life story links for Aug. 15, 2017 include a sweeping wartime oral history project & a most personal endeavor to preserve the memories of one man.
“Sharing tales of those we’ve lost is how we keep from really losing them.”
—Mitch Albom
This week’s links look at life story from a wide range of perspectives, including a sweeping wartime oral history project and a most personal endeavor to preserve the idiosyncrasies of voice and memories of one man.
Roundup of Personal History Links - August 15, 2017
In the News
A SON’S QUEST TO GIVE HIS FATHER ETERNAL LIFE
“If even a hint of a digital afterlife is possible, then of course the person I want to make immortal is my father.” Using hours of interviews with his dying father to create a Dadbot, writer James Vlahos creates a means for conversing with a “low-resolution representation” of his dad. Will it be a balm to those who knew the man dearly, or will it be best received by the younger generation who have fewer memories of him?
“WOMEN’S STORIES ARE DIFFERENT”
“There are no heroes and incredible feats, there are simply people who are busy doing inhumanly human things.” The Atlantic calls Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich “a witness to witnesses who usually go unheard,” and her collected testimonies of women under Soviet rule are examples of how—and why—such oral histories have staying power.
On the Blogs
WORD BY WORD
Samantha Shubert of NYC’s Remarkable Life Memoirs is a cheerleader for a hitherto little-known lexicographer who works for Merriam-Webster: Kory Stamper, known for her witty Twitter presence and video series “Ask the Editor,” and, most recently, her book Word by Word.
WRITING & INTERVIEW PROMPTS
Three unexpected resources for thought-provoking conversation starters: Often provocative, occasionally off the wall, and always open-ended, these are questions that you can ask relatives or yourself on your journey of documenting your life stories. (The best questions yield the best answers.)
TIME, MEMORY, LOVE
“Is memory produced by us, or is it us?” Superb, eclectic musings on the nature of memory and personal identity from poet and philosopher Etel Adnan, via Brain Pickings.
AUSTRALIA’S LIFE STORY ASSOCIATION
Life story writers, personal historians, memoir writers, ghost writers, biographers, film makers—what’s in a name? While professionals who are involved in producing a permanent record of a person’s life are called many things, their mission is shared, and their industry evolving.
Worth Checking Out
“Start talking to people—just don’t be shy to learn about it,” advises a young filmmaker who explored her own parents’ personal history during a family camping trip that turned into a 15-minute documentary.
Quick Takes
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir #OralHistory #FamilyHistory
This Week in Personal History... August 8
How the stories we tell about ourselves shape our lives, how to handle family photographs after a loved one dies, & more #lifestories links you’ll love.
“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”
—Orson Welles
From “sharenting” to editing, from how the stories we tell about ourselves shape our lives to how to handle family photographs after a loved one dies, this week’s links run the storytelling gamut. Which is your favorite—and why? Share your thoughts with our generous contributors, if you will.
And, of course, let us know if you swing by Times Square to pick up the telephone!
Roundup of Personal History Links - August 8, 2017
In the News
OVERSHARING?
Many of us have the urge to document our lives, but for one segment of the American population this has become an almost obsessive compulsion: parents. I count myself among this group and understand both the draw and drawbacks of digital sharing. Check out two varying perspectives in “I’m Giving Up the ‘Sharenting’–for the Sake of My Children” and “X Marks the Mylestone.”
NARRATIVE IDENTITY
“When we want people to understand us, we share our story or parts of it with them; when we want to know who another person is, we ask them to share part of their story.” How subtly reframing your narrative can help you to live more purposefully.
On the Blogs
GIVE GRANDMA A CALL
This one’s an oldie but a goodie, rediscovered when a colleague shared it on social media: Genealogies tend to focus on names and dates, but oral traditions add flesh to the skeleton. Are you listening to your grandmothers?
AFTER A DEATH
When cleaning out your parent’s home after a death, don’t let all those boxes of family photos, and the stories they hold, be a burden; instead, allow them to help you heal.
THE WRITE CONVERSATION
Have you written your life story? If you’re ready to take the next step, Shreveport, LA–based Sarah Hamer discusses the value—and different types—of editing.
AN ARCHIVE OF INFORMATIVE LINKS
Longtime editor and writer Pat McNees, who is based in Maryland, provides a wealth of information on her site about memoir and life story writing. Warning: Don’t click unless you’re willing to get lost in a web of links—one good story leads to another here!
Worth Checking Out
At the intersection of pop culture and oral history, this brilliant interactive art installation in NYC's Times Square creates a platform for immigrant voices. Visitors are invited to open the door of one of three repurposed telephone booths, pick up the receiver, and listen to oral histories of immigration from the newest New Yorkers.
Visitors can also open the phone book inside each booth to read more about the storytellers' communities both here in New York and the countries they have traveled from, and to leave behind a part of their own story if they wish. The installation includes 70 different stories that will last anywhere between 2 and 15 minutes. Through September 5.
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir #OralHistory
This Week in Personal History... August 1
This week’s collection of personal history links includes meaningful first-person storytelling, tips for family historians, & a fun Finding Your Roots TV teaser.
“Be the silence that listens.”
—Tara Broch
This week’s collection of links includes some meaningful first-person storytelling, tips for family historians, and a fun TV teaser—enjoy, memory-keepers!
Roundup of Personal History Links - August 1, 2017
In the News
A LIFE IN THEATER
“I was compelled by the idea of a grieving daughter going through her father’s boxed up treasures in the theater that made his name,” writes Michael Paulson in the NYT. What James Houghton left behind: keepsakes from a life in theater.
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Interested in family history? Then, like me, you're probably a fan of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s Finding Your Roots. The series returns on October 3, and here’s a sneak peek at some of the guests.
On the Blogs
VIETNAM-ERA ACCOUNT
“I would soon realize arriving in the middle of the night in a strange place was the Air Force’s first step in ripping us away from the civilian life we had left,” writes Doug Elwell in “Falling Through the Rabbit Hole.”
Personal historian Sarah White, who conducts life-writing workshops through her Madison, Wisconsin–based First Person Productions, is always looking for creative nonfiction contributions like this one.
THE PHOTO LEGACY YOU LEAVE YOUR KIDS
Prepare your family photos so they provide comfort—not a burden—to your children when you're gone. It’s one of the most meaningful legacies you can leave your kids.
CHEERS!
The story of how wine glasses made Katelyn Burns, a trans woman, feel more connected to three generations of women in her family than ever before. A powerful true story of identity, belonging, and names.
Worth Checking Out
For newbies to the world of personal history, this thorough and easy-to-follow toolkit is a step-by-step guide to doing a successful oral history project. It's a great resource for anyone wanting to preserve an individual’s unique memories & life stories. Thanks to @FionaCosson for sharing!
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir
This Week in Personal History... July 25
Our collection of links for the week of July 25, 2017, runs the gamut from frivolous (Meryl Streep’s hair) to significant (the value of storytelling to bridge divides).
“Your legacy is every life you’ve touched.”
—Oprah WInfrey
This week’s collection of links runs the gamut from frivolous (think Meryl Streep’s hair) to the significant (the value of personal storytelling to bridge divides). Which story lingers with you after reading? Please comment and share with other memory-keepers and storytellers!
Roundup of Personal History Blogs - July 25, 2017
In the News
“The dead help the living face what lies ahead. In exchange, the living must translate the lives of the dead into history. They can find myriad ways to do so, from visiting gravesites to writing someone’s biography.” An interesting look back at the phenomenon of postmortem photographs in The Atlantic.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STORYTELLING IS BRIDGING DIVIDES:
Storytelling evenings aim to engage Muslim & Jewish communities in conversation at a time when the climate is strained. “The ability to have conversations across difference has never been more difficult and never been more important.”
In Beirut, where the tradition of public storytelling has faded in recent decades, a new phenomenon is drawing crowds: autobiographical storytelling events where participants share their experiences on a theme such as love, transition, or roots.
On the Blogs
ANNUAL TIME CAPSULE
Birthday letters are an easy way to keep a consistent & meaningful record of your life, writes Olive Lowe of Phoenix-based Life Stories by Liv.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Family names can reveal more than just family history—they can be indicative of social & cultural influences, and sometimes plain old taste. Australia-based personal historian Rose Osborne takes a light look at the women in her family.
MEMORIES IN CONTEXT
For Richmond, Virginia–based Carol McLaren, July 20, 1969, is a date with both personal & historical significance. Read about her memorable childhood experience that just happened to coincide with “a giant leap for mankind.”
Worth Checking Out
Spotted: Meryl Streep donning a teased-up mouse-brown wig to better resemble Katharine “Kay” Graham, who she’s portraying in a Spielberg-led biopic. It’s based on The Washington Post publisher’s Pulitzer Prize winning 1998 memoir, Personal History, which I highly recommend you read (whether you plan to see the film or not)! Get a taste of the book in Nora Ephron’s original New York Times review from 1997.
“Your legacy is every life you’ve touched,” said Oprah Winfrey in her 2017 commencement speech at Agnes Scott College. View highlights in this brief video.
Quick Takes
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir
This Week in Personal History... July 18
Unexpected stories, digital photo storage, & pop culture offerings that tap into the value of oral history make the cut in this blog roundup for July 18, 2017.
“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.”
―Antonio Porchia (Italian poet)
This week's posts examine how everyday conversations with folks we already know can yield unexpected and rich stories; outline the best options for saving your precious family photos in the cloud; and highlight a few pop culture offerings that tap into the genuine value of oral history and memory-keeping.
Roundup of Personal History Blogs - July 18, 2017
In the News
“I wanted to show the quiet, normal moments of this family of African-American women: our everyday life, our happy moments, our down moments. ‘Mitochondria’ is a family album, a visual diary of our intimate lives.” Check out this rich gallery of family photographs, telling stories from the life of artist Nona Faustine.
On the Blogs
WHAT PROMPTS STORY SHARING?
There are many techniques to get people started sharing their stories. Yet sometimes, life presents an opportunity to listen that is “out of the box.” Read Just a Whistle by Marjorie Turner Hollman for a glimpse of just such an opportunity.
“SO, I ASKED A QUESTION...”
Even if you have known someone for years, you never really know their whole story. Timing is everything for learning more about the people you love and admire, as Lori Gillespie discovered.
VIRTUAL PHOTO STORAGE
Photographs play an important role in preserving family stories. Where are you keeping yours? So many cloud-based photo storage options are available today that picking one can be a daunting task—here's guidance from the experts at Nevada-based Legacy Tale.
Worth Checking Out
“This is the first time that the two of us have ever spoken about her as a mother,” Prince Harry said of Princess Diana as he flipped through a family photo album. “She was our mum. She still is our mum.” While they are royals whose stories captivate people all over the world, these two sons privately cherish their personal history & memories, as revealed in a documentary premiering July 24 on HBO.
Please leave comments about any of the topics featured here (they’re nothing if not conversation starters, I hope!) and share with other like-minded memory-keepers. And if you're a blogger with content you'd like to see featured here, of course click the link and share what you’ve got!
What Are You Reading?
Let me know what you've read that the rest of us might enjoy—memoirs, how-to or business books, even articles.
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir
This Week in Personal History... July 11
The weekly roundup of blogs for July 11, 2017 includes posts on family reunions, legacy letters, & stories of mom, curated by Dawn Roode for all memory-keepers.
“Every man's memory is his private literature.”
― Aldous Huxley
Welcome back, memory-keepers! I hope you had a festive and safe Fourth of July week, and that (if you must) you're easing back into the work week with a smile on your face ; )
This week we take a dive into family reunions, legacy letters, and stories of mom.
Please leave comments about any of the topics featured here (they’re nothing if not conversation starters, I hope!) and share with other like-minded memory-keepers. And if you're a blogger with content you'd like to see featured here, of course click the link and share what you’ve got!
Roundup of Personal History Blogs - July 11, 2017
In the News
“Aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, children and grandchildren—everyone who grieves my Opa has different memories, different recollections of him. Standing by that photo album, I realized we were putting our memories & knowledge & stories together like a puzzle to see a larger picture of the man we’d lost.” Read more in Love by the Puzzle Pieces.
“People almost always tend to gravitate to very personal, impactful stories in their lives. So if you say, ‘Tell us something that's really important to you,’ most people tell something that makes them tear up at a certain point.” Read about an interesting community oral history endeavor in Southern Colorado.
On the Blogs
LEGACY LETTERS
Legacy writing can be both healing and historical, and can make a lasting difference to your family & friends. Here are 5 tips on how to write a ‘love’ letter to your family from Sarah Hamer.
FAMILY REUNION FUN
“On the eve of the reunion a few of the cousins gathered at my parents’ house to celebrate my father’s 85th birthday and started sharing stories,” writes Bruce Summers of Summoose Tales, whose post focuses on how he integrated “adult Show & Tell” at his latest family reunion.
Check out the inspiration behind Bruce's story-sharing device and find a Show & Tales event near you (from personal experience, I can attest you won't be disappointed!).
IN SEARCH OF...
Meghan Vigeant of Stories to Tell is seeking women to interview about their experiences gathering their own mother’s stories. Have you interviewed or recorded your mother telling her stories, delved through her journals, or interviewed other family members about your mom? If so, reach out to Meghan—who knows where the conversation will lead?!
Worth Checking Out
One of the best ways to get to the heart of someone's story is to ask them great questions.
Even oral historians who have conducted countless interviews still hone their craft. A new (rather meta) podcast, The Turnaround with Jesse Thorn, turns the tables on interviewers, making them the interviewees. The first episode with Ira Glass was a delight.
Radio Rookies, produced by WNYC, has compiled resources to help students conduct better interviews—but I would say these links (which include advice on how to record interviews, how to choose a topic, and a handy question generator) are great tools for anyone wanting to interview their own family members to capture stories for posterity.
What Are You Reading?
Let me know what you've read that the rest of us might enjoy—memoirs, how-to or business books, even articles.
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories #Memoir
This Week in Personal History... June 27, 2017
Weekly roundup of blogs & news stories of interest to personal historians, memory keepers, and life storytellers curated by Dawn Roode. Comment, share, contribute!
“Live, love, laugh, leave a legacy.” –Stephen R. Covey
If you’re visiting this site, it means you’re a memory-keeper, a storyteller, the family archivist. However you identify yourself, I am fairly certain you’d agree that preserving our most meaningful stories for the next generation is paramount.
Welcome to the first in what promises to be a weekly roundup of stories geared just for you!
Personal history is a vital industry that includes oral historian bookmakers like myself, videographers, ghostwriters, genealogists, biographers…and many more; we are united by a shared mission of preservation & story gathering. This site has plenty of advice and book ideas & inspiration, and we’d love to work with you to create a coffee table book bringing your stories to life. But we can also refer you to personal historians with services more closely geared to what you’re looking for, or who are closer to your home—many of them whose blogs are featured in this roundup.
Please leave comments about any of the topics featured here (they’re nothing if not conversation starters, I hope!) and share with other like-minded memory-keepers. And if you're a blogger with content you'd like to see featured here, of course click the link and share what you’ve got!
Roundup of Personal History Blogs - June 27, 2017
In the News
Explore 22k immigration photos & read the accompanying personal stories from the @naagovau's collection on the revamped “Destination: Australia” site
Did you know your home movies may be unwatchable soon?
“Why You Need to Stop Procrastinating and Transfer Your VHS Tapes to Digital ASAP”
“Videotapes Are Becoming Unwatchable As Archivists Work To Save Them”
Some insightful writing & glorious photos documenting lesbians from all walks of life, from perhaps a surprising source: “American Women: Pride”
On the Blogs
“Turn, Turn, Turn” by Verissima Productions' Pam Pacelli Cooper on the nature of change, and her company's next big documentary endeavor (can't wait to learn more!).
“Stories Are Everything” by Dawn Roode of Modern Heirloom Books: Why Soledad O'Brien and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. value stories so much.
“In the Beginning, or How We Created Something from Nothing,” a conversation between personal historians and partners Samantha Shubert and Susan Hood on the occasion of the first anniversary of their business, Remarkable Life Memoirs: “There’s such a market for preserving people's stories that I feel really positive about how it’s going to go for us.” So do we, so do we! Happy first anniversary, ladies ; )
What Are You Reading?
Let me know what you've read that the rest of us might enjoy—memoirs, how-to or business books, even articles.
#MemoriesMatter #Legacy #LifeStories