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Life Story Links: February 18, 2025
Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for February 18, 2025, includes a plethora of stories of interest to legacy keepers, plus some poignant and fun short takes.
“If writing seems too onerous…just making a voice memo on your phone every now and then, wherever you are, just saying some random memory, I guarantee that in two years you won’t regret having those recordings to listen to.”
—Anderson Cooper
Vintage Valentine’s postcard depicting an illustrated cherub, from the personal ephemera collection of Dawn Roode.
Preserving memories for posterity
GIFTS GALORE
I am a big proponent of anytime gifts—why should we wait for a birthday or holiday to show those we love just how much they are cherished? Last week I shared a carefully curated guide of my favorite sentimental gifts at every price point.
REVISIONIST HISTORY?
“In child-rearing, like in memoir writing, there’s something to be said for controlling the narrative. ‘You owe them the truth,’ he says of kids and readers, ‘but not all at once.’”
‘STORIES ARE MADE OF MOMENTS’
Wisconsin–based personal historian Sarah White shares how to turn simple memories into compelling stories by understanding “the difference between an always and a once.”
A SERIOUSLY LUCKY PEN PAL
I’m a sucker for a book preserving interesting correspondence, and when it’s fabulously illustrated correspondence by the likes of Edward Gorey, I’m all in. Discover unique graphic excerpts from the book From Ted to Tom: The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey:
BEYOND THE PERSONA
“Part of my job is to make connections between things [my subjects] have done…in their early life…and challenges they might have as adults.” Listen in as celebrity ghostwriter Nick Chiles discusses the process of writing in someone else’s voice (this episode isn’t new, but worth sharing):
LAST WORDS
“What is the last word of a dying person? It amounts to some final articulation of consciousness (and not just a word, by the way) that passes through a closing window of interaction.”
Extraordinary lives, extraordinary stories
A PROFILE IN SIX ACTS
Denzel Washington “breaks it all down, in his own words, to the moments that mattered and the experiences that made him.” This as-told-to magazine feature is a great example of letting a person’s voice shine through.
DIARIES OF A MONTY PYTHON VETERAN
“People ask me, ‘What do you want on your tombstone?’ I want one that says, ‘Gone to lunch.’ To be silly after I’m dead—that’s quite important, I think.”
REFLECTING HER GENERATION’S HISTORY
Listen in as New York Times bestselling writer Francine Prose talks about her first work of memoir, 1974: A Personal History:
‘GRIPPING STORY OF SURVIVAL’
A Child in Berlin shares the true story of a young girl and her mother during the fall of Nazi Germany. “Today at 88 years old, that young girl still recalls it all in vivid detail, including the final days of the war, and surviving on her own in a bombed-out apartment building.” Author Rhonda Lauritzen and subject Heidi Posnien on the five-year journey of capturing her story:
Short takes
The best sentimental gifts for any occasion—at any price
Dawn Roode has hand-picked 18 memory-keeping gifts to celebrate your loved ones on any occasion. Whether you splurge or save, give them something to treasure.
While milestone birthdays and anniversaries are popular times to gift personal history services and tribute books, I’m all about “just because” gifts for those we love. I see (far too often) folks who wait too long to gather stories from a family elder, so don’t wait until their next “big” occasion—consider presenting them with a gift you think they’ll love just because you love them.
Below I’ve gathered some of my favorite memory-keeping gifts. Yes, a few of them are available through my business, Modern Heirloom Books, but most are from makers and vendors I respect (and support myself). I just know you’ll find something to cherish.
(Side note: Consider gifting yourself one of these items the next time you get a generic gift card…you’re here for a reason 😉)
Here’s what’s on our gift list—click which you’re interested in to go right to it (there are options at varying price points for each!):
Heirloom keepsake trunk
A trunk designed specifically for storing keepsakes is a unique gift for anyone, but especially a new parent or newlywed couple. Opt for a small one for keeping items such as trinkets, baby jewelry, postcards, pressed flowers, tickets, and the like; or go grand with a full-size trunk that will allow for larger nostalgic items including bridal adornments, baby loveys, framed photographs, and memory books.
splurge:
Petite Keep’s heirloom-quality keepsake trunks are beautifully detailed and customized with embroidered fabric linings. The handcrafted items are both functional and sweet, making for a gift destined to be treasured for generations. Trunks currently range in price from $225 up to $760 for a three-trunk bundle.
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There are plenty of trunks available for between $50 to $300 that can be tailored to your needs: Add silk linings to these decorative nesting wood boxes, for instance, or include an engraved heart-shaped lock with these larger pastel-colored metal trunks that look like treasures already.
diy:
Whether you are an avid antique shopper, a decoupage doyen, or a woodworking whiz, there are things you can do to turn a regular old box into a special memory-keeping gift: Add a personalized touch with a hand-lettered dedication, a vintage heart-shaped lock, a handmade blanket to line the trunk’s interior, or some other truly personal detail. And make sure to share the intention behind your gift in your card or gift tag, letting them know it’s a place to keep memories safe!
Blank writing journal
Whether your gift recipient is a longtime daily diarist or wants to carry a notebook as an idea receptacle for their memoir, you can never go wrong with a blank journal that suits their aesthetic.
splurge:
Okay, I admit: I covet one of these for myself! The craftsperson behind Iona Handcrafted Books, a small bookbinding studio in Seattle, uses centuries-old techniques, traditional Italian design, and the finest archival, acid-free papers to create gloriously exquisite journals “to fuel your heart with inspiration.” The unique hardware on many of the books is a hallmark. Prices currently range from $110 to $820. (I have a very similar, small leather book I purchased from an artisan in Florence, Italy, that I use as a commonplace book, and I must tell you: Writing in it feels like a sacred act.)
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Our own “Write Your Life” notebook is a dedicated space for your personal writing. Whether you use this notebook as an everyday journal or as a place to draft your memoir, you’ll love the compact design and sewn binding (it lays flat for easy writing!). The product features 80 lined, cream-colored pages, a built-in elastic closure, and a matching ribbon page marker. Plus, the expandable inner pocket is perfect for storing loose notes, so you’ll always have inspiration at your fingertips. If you prefer a notebook for jotting down ideas willy-nilly, check out our blue journal with a fun cover design, too.
DIY:
Prefer to hand-make something for your gift recipient and infuse it with your love? There are tons of how-to videos online, from the utterly simple to the more artistic; and you may be able to find classes at your local adult education spot or library. If you are in New York City, The Center for Book Arts often has bookbinding and even paper making among their class offerings.
Stories of their stuff
The heirloom trunk idea above allows for the physical gathering of heirlooms—but what about the stories behind those heirlooms? I would argue it’s the stories that will resonate with future generations even more than the stuff, so empowering your gift recipient to easily and intentionally preserve the meaning of their heirloom collections is about as thoughtful a gift as you can give!
splurge
What could be more splurge-worthy than a custom photograph commissioned from Shana Novak, aka The Heirloomist? I can vouch for her talent (she photographed an entire media library for an early client) as well as her dedication to personal storytelling. She’ll deliver white-glove service from start to finish, ensuring your loved one’s precious heirloom is handled with care. Check out her Instagram feed for some ideas of what types of heirlooms she photographs (everything from a single matchbook to a collection of basketball jerseys), or gift a copy of her recent book, The Heirloomist: 100 Treasures and the Stories They Tell, along with a promise of her services (starting at $750), for guaranteed inspiration!
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Even the most reluctant family historian won’t be able to resist recording the stories of their treasures with this stunning stationery kit from Hannah Bergen Heirlooms. The hinged case opens to reveal everything they’ll need to preserve their heirloom stories, including tags for labeling their artwork and heirlooms, archival-quality glassine pouches, a “book of provenance” with perforated pages, and a vellum cover page with helpful hints. At the time of this writing, kit costs $120.
DIY
Check out this guide that walks you through how to capture the stories behind your family heirlooms, from creating an inventory of items to recording their provenance, from photographing them to generating a catalog for easy reference. Not only will the article give you ideas for helping your loved one walk through a project, but it may also inspire you to do the same!
Family history storytelling
For the genealogy buff in your circle, consider supporting their hobby with one of these options to help them unearth ancestors, find their stories, and organize all that research!
Splurge
Get them a gift certificate to a professional genealogist to research their family tree; ask the genealogist to help “find the stories” and put an emphasis on going deep where they can through newspapers, land records, and other documents that add context and engaging narrative to the names and dates on the tree. Find a qualified pro at the Association of Professional Genealogists (some specialize in a certain geographic region, family line specialty, or complex research areas like adoption or military records, so choose wisely). You are probably looking at an investment of $500 and up.
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Family Tree Notebooks makes organizing family history a lot easier with handsomely designed digital worksheets to download, customize, and print—so if you want to help your gift recipient get their ancestry research organized and build family history books in an approachable way, this is a great option. Consider their starter pack (currently about $80), or select individual pages if you know your loved one’s needs. (There are even templates in Polish.)
diy
Maybe you’ve interviewed your parents or just know in your heart what a connecting endeavor that would be: If you’d like to encourage your gift recipient to interview one of THEIR loved ones (maybe even you?!), download and print one of our guides to present to them: There’s the reliable standby, 56 Essential Family History Questions (free), or The Kid Kit: All You Need to Interview Your Grandparents ($5). Wrap it up with some other nostalgic items such as a framed old photo or a handmade scrapbook, and you’re golden.
Family cookbook & recipe preservation
Is food your gift recipient’s love language? Here are some delicious options to help them preserve and pass on their cherished food traditions.
Splurge
Consider giving them a custom cookbook from award-winning photographer Sarah Yeoman, founder of Savor Custom Cookbooks (she’s based in Portland, Washington, but travels for sessions): She’ll guide them on the path to preserving their cherished recipes and conduct a professional lifestyle shoot right in their home kitchen. Packages start at $3,500. (Want to make the gift even MORE special? Consider hiring a personal historian—inquire here—to add a storytelling component to your book; Sarah and I are happy to work together to create their dream cookbook!)
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A recipe journal is a great way to ensure all those handwritten recipes are kept in one place. I love the selection from Papier, which includes hardcover books with retro, modern, and personalized covers as well as more casual spiral-bound recipe books. Prices range from $32 to $40, so you can gift each member of your family with a soon-to-be-complete cookbook in whatever style suits them.
Diy
Print our free guide Preserving Your Food Memories (in addition to tips for how to get started gathering recipes and images for their food heritage project, it includes 38 food-themed family history questions to use as conversation starters or writing prompts), and box it up with some tasty treats for a gift they will savor. Find even more help in Sarah Yeoman’s free guide that’s also packed with tips on how to document your family food traditions.
Memoir help
Perhaps your gift recipient is famed within your family for regaling the group with story upon story at gatherings. Or maybe they’re the quiet type who you just know has a font of wisdom and experiences they’d be willing to share, if only asked. Either way, inviting someone’s stories is one of the best gifts you can give—I promise. No need for a milestone birthday or other special occasion: This is a gift worthy of giving “just because” ❤️
splurge
How about a professional personal historian to guide them on their storytelling or memoir journey? As my grandfather used to say, “If I had a nickel for every time” an interview subject told me that being given an opportunity to share their stories was the best gift they had ever received, “I would be rich.” When I am interviewing a personal history client, I am a curious and captivated audience. Our time is uninterrupted. They are the star. The space I hold for them is sacred. Wouldn’t you like to bestow THAT gift on your loved one? All projects are custom, but Modern Heirloom Books derived from one-on-one interviews start at $2,000; typical projects are closer to $20,000. Set up a free consultation to explore the possibilities.
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If a personal history project is out of reach, our Write Your Life annual subscription may be just the ticket. Recipients should be motivated writers (read this piece for who the gift is NOT right for!): Each week they will receive an email with a printable page of memory and writing prompts, supportive tips, and a dose of inspiration. At the end of the year, they’ll have a book’s worth of stories they have written themselves, plus guidance on how to edit and turn their narrative into something even more special. Priced at just $132, it’s a gift that says, “I appreciate you” ❤️
Diy
For those who may not have yet considered writing about their life—but who you know in your heart it would be perfect for—why not simply plant the seed? Beyond the idea that they should write their memoir, you can share links or print-outs of free guides such as How to Use Photos as Prompts for Writing Life Stories and Writing Prompts for Life Story Vignettes. Wrap them up with a journal, a nice pen, and a framed family photo for a distinct gift.
Custom wall art
The things we gather hold their share of stories, too. Here are three fun options for gifting wallhangings that turn the spotlight on your gift recipient’s collections or interests:
splurge
At Ideal Bookshelf, illustrator Jane Mount will design a fully custom art print of your (or your loved one’s) favorite books—and whose personal library doesn’t hold clues to their passions and life? Pictured is a print I bought and framed myself a number of years ago, but you can choose to order a matted and framed print as a gift, too. Prices currently range from $105 to $570.
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Help your gift recipient take a trip back to their favorite places and precious memories with a custom map-inspired wallhanging. A designer will collaborate with them and use vintage maps to help tell their story through places that represent their life’s journey. There are a variety of designs to choose from (my favorites are the Journey Map, pictured, and the Milestones Map). Prices currently range from $59 to $205.
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I rarely save (or honestly, even remember) the keepsakes given out at weddings, but one family member’s unique gift to their guests still sits on my living room bookshelf: hand-cut silhouette portraits of my husband and me. I do not know the name of the artist who created these mementos on that wedding day, but there are talented paper artists across the country. One whose work speaks to me is New York–based Elle Yi, who creates solo portraits and family silhouettes (pets, too!); prices currently range from $80 to $150.
Books
I cannot in good conscience run a company called Modern Heirloom Books and not include a few books on this gift guide! Here are two ideas worthy of wrapping up for those you love:
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Help anyone write about their life (or just enjoy a captivating read!) with Yours Truly by James R. Hagerty. In a review upon the book’s release, I wrote: “You may be surprised that a book with ‘obituary’ in the subtitle is infused with humor, but make no mistake, this is a book about honoring life in all its weird and wonderful glory—not only a great read, but a model to write your own.” (Citadel Press, 2022; list price $21.25.)
DIY
Even the most avid memory-keeping DIY-ers appreciate some guidance, and these two affordable e-books are chock-full of tips, resources, and inspiration:
Sharing Our Stories: Good Questions and Resources for Every Project by video biographer Whitney Myers (list price $12.99, currently discounted to $7.99).
The Kid Kit: Everything You Need to Interview Your Grandparents by Dawn Roode ($5).
This gift guide was originally posted on February 10, 2025; all links and prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Life Story Links: February 4, 2025
This week’s curated roundup has plenty of recent stories of interest to family historians, personal biographers, memoirists, and memory-keepers of all kinds.
“True memoir emerges like a beast from the gut and the heart, and it’s the writer’s job to tame it, to get to know it, to dance with it—until it becomes a more palpable and ultimately beautiful creature that we feel prepared, if not totally ready, to share with the world.”
—Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.
Vintage postcard of a well-dressed couple in a row boat on a lakeshore, postmarked 1920, from the personal ephemera collection of Dawn Roode.
Out now…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
“I lived in their world through the written word, and I felt this piercing, restless, furious longing for other people’s lives.” Read an excerpt (I recommend doing so on your computer or tablet, not a phone) from This Beautiful, Ridiculous City: A Graphic Memoir by Kay Sohini.
VIETNAM: THE WAR THAT CHANGED AMERICA
“‘Sometime this year, you will go crazy, maybe more than once,’ a veteran remembers being told upon arriving in the distant land few had even heard of.” New six-part docuseries leans heavily on personal accounts to tell story of Vietnam War.
HISTORY, ANCESTRY, AND FOOD
Praisesong for The Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks “was a wonderful rabbit hole of digging into my own familial history through court records and family photographs as well as delving into the history of Appalachia and the history of foodways in the region.”
International Holocaust remembrance
‘WHY SHOULD THEY CARE?’
“One day we are going to be the ancestors that our grandchildren study, so what story do you want them to tell? Hopefully one where we protected our neighbors and not just ourselves. History is important, but only if we let it be a call to action today.”
THE HIDDEN HOLOCAUST PAPERS
Timothy Taylor pieces together his once-prominent German-Jewish family’s story, determined to honor their memory and give voice to those silenced. Through letters, diaries, and artifacts, The Hidden Holocaust Papers explores loss, survival, and the enduring impact of history on future generations. Listen to a preview below, and read how 10,000 pages of documents sent him on a journey through Germany’s dark past.
A TOOLBOX TO UPHOLD THE TRUTH
A new UNESCO report warns that generative AI could distort the historical record of the Holocaust and fuel antisemitism. Their new guide provides pedagogical principles and practical strategies to support teachers and journalists; what you need to know.
A CHOICE: DREAMS OR CONSCIENCE?
“I would ask my mother, ‘Where are they all going?’ She said, ‘They're taking them to the workhouses.’ All of our good friends and some of the children that I played with were disappearing.” An interview with the subject of A Child in Berlin, written by Utah–based personal biographer Rhonda Lauritzen.
The craft of life writing
BEGIN WITH A LIST
Lists as prompts have been in my arsenal for years, and I love this very short post from Beth Kephart with ideas and inspiration on the topic. “The words on your lists are tiny engines. The sentences you write will motor forward, or detour. No one is watching. Write as you wish. Write silly. Write loud. Write plaintive. There’s only one rule: Write you.”
‘THE COBBLER OF MEMORIES’
As AI gets better and more accessible, will there still be a need for in-person story sharing services offered by personal biographers and historians? My take? Yes, of course—and here’s why.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
“Don’t try to force your story into any particular shape. The point is just that you’re working deliberately and charting a path with intention. Some ‘arcs’ are not arcs at all but zig-zags, spirals, reverse arcs, etc.” Bonny Reichert on how to find your memoir’s narrative arc.
...and a few more links
Inspiration for making a junk journal (the next wave of memory-keeping?) from Artifact Uprising, and here, from Popsugar
How to restore and prepare an old family photo album or scrapbook for long-term preservation
“Fires destroyed your family photos. Here are some ways to restore those memories”
Robert Frank’s The Americans is “a historical document and a landmark in American culture.”
Short takes
“People still buy handmade shoes.”
As AI gets better and more accessible, will there still be a need for in-person story sharing services offered by personal biographers and historians? Yes!
Will there ever come a day when we are so reliant on artificial intelligence that our appreciation for and need for handmade goods and in-person services are gone?
In my professional circles, there is much talk about AI and the impact it will have on our work lives. Some of the talk is excited—how AI can help us streamline processes, for example. Some of the talk is panicked—how we’re being led down a path of no return, when artificial intelligence becomes smarter than people and AI takes over (conspiracy theory?).
Of course, the reality is somewhere in the middle. And with the technology evolving so quickly, how should I, as a professional personal historian, incorporate it into my work for YOU?
This is a question I think about often—and undoubtedly, my answer to this will shift as the technology does.
Despite typically being a tech early adopter, I have currently dipped my toes into the AI waters with caution: I have readily integrated some things such as AI transcription into my workflow (a godsend!!) but have remained more of an educated lurker. I have concerns—privacy chief among them—yet at the same time know that there is a revolution at hand. So, I test the evolving AI interfaces, listen to friends and colleagues who have embraced AI more readily, and learn from them and from experts I trust.
Listening to a recent Tim Ferriss podcast in which he speaks briefly about how we may adopt AI in the long run, I took note of one seemingly offhand remark he made: “I mean, people still buy handmade shoes, right?”
I was driving while listening to this podcast, and I kept turning this phrase over in my mind even after I had reached my destination; it struck a chord. “People still buy handmade shoes.” Sure, the majority of shoes sold around the world are likely made in factories—but there is a market for bespoke shoes, even now.
This led me to think about all the things that make my service as a personal historian unique, and in particular, different from any app- or AI-driven storytelling services out there (they abound, and are proliferating more and more). Because I DO believe that there will always be a place for one-on-one personal history services…even if the day comes when every single individual records aspects of their life story using AI.
What makes in-person storytelling special?
It’s not just about the end-product—it’s about the journey.
All of my experience to date with AI models has shown me one thing: They can be used effectively as tools with me guiding—very carefully—our trajectory. But compelling conversation (a back-and-forth with another being)…well, not so much.
I do believe that story sharing apps and online memory-keeping services are strong tools that make story sharing accessible to the masses—but they are by no means my favorite option. I would much prefer a family member interview their loved ones and hit “record” on their phone than for an email prompt to be sent weekly from a random cache of questions, to be answered in isolation. Because having someone to receive your story, having a person to connect with and reflect pieces of your narrative back to you, is so valuable.
As a personal historian, I am a generous listener who gives my undivided attention to my interview subjects. How rare is it these days to have someone’s full attention? To be listened to and heard? How rare an opportunity is it to give ourselves time to reflect so intentionally?! It’s all of these things combined that have inspired many of my clients to tell me, each in their own words, how the story sharing itself was even more valuable to them than the book that resulted. Would they have felt this way if I weren’t there to receive their stories? I know they would not have.
It’s about community.
I always, always tell my clients that my greatest hope is that the book they hold in their hands at the end of our time together—the book that holds their stories—will become a vehicle for even MORE story sharing with their friends and loved ones. I hope their readers will ask questions, will learn and feel and grow even more curious about the book’s author. I hope that the authors will pull their book out with their grandchildren, and allow the photos within to spark more memories that they share in person. I hope the next generation will pull the book out with THEIR children and recount stories they heard, and add in their own experiences, too. A book that originates as part of an in-person story sharing experience has this sense of community written in its DNA.
It’s about finding meaning through follow-ups.
Follow-up questions are at the heart of any good personal history interview. We may start with a small script of questions, but I generally prefer to identify a theme for the interview and proceed from there. One story leads to another. Details that are not initially shared by the interview subject may be drawn out by the interviewer. How did you feel? How did it smell? WHY do you think you did that? One day AI will inevitably get better at the art of the follow-up question, but for now I believe in my heart that the connection between an interviewer and their subject yields one-of-a-kind stories and meaning-making—and that connection leads to intuitive, sensitive follow-ups; the rapport that develops leads to a sense of trust that allows a subject to go deep; and the back-and-forth nature of in-person conversation leads to revelations and humor and surprises that can only happen with a fellow human.
It’s about making art.
“That sense of interplay, or the ability to react in the moment, is something that artificial intelligence can’t reproduce,” musician Yosvany Terry says in this piece from The Harvard Gazette that asks the question, “If it wasn’t created by a human artist, is it still art?”
I have a feeling this philosophical conundrum will persist forever, even as AI advances to create art that reliably evokes emotions and is deemed ‘original.’ But I tend to agree with this line of thought: “AI currently requires a level of supervision and feedback that means a human touch and eye still very much have their place in the art world.”
As a human writer and editor, I am creating an original piece of art from my clients’ stories. My decisions—about tone, about structure, about design aesthetic, about what to highlight and what to leave out—are informed by years of experience, and by my human interactions with those clients. There is a dialogue infused with values spoken and inferred; there is a sensitivity to family relationships and other intangibles that may impact how a story is received; and there is a real collaboration towards turning stories into art.
Like those who still buy handmade shoes, there will always be people who prefer in-person story sharing to AI-led preservation—and as a personal historian, I am proud and honored to be the cobbler of your memories.
Conversation starters
I wonder if I read this post in just a few years time whether my thoughts will have changed much?
I wonder what you think about the value of human interplay in story preservation?
I wonder what concrete ways you have found to incorporate AI use into your own work or family history preservation?
I wonder what ways you so far resist using AI, and why?
I wonder if you are interested in collaborating on a personal history project? Let’s talk.
Life Story Links: January 21, 2025
From upcoming memoirs of note to guidance on the craft of personal history, this week’s curated roundup is filled with reads of interest to family historians.
“To share our stories is not only a worthwhile endeavor for the storyteller, but for those who hear our stories and feel less alone because of it.”
—Joyce Maynard
Vintage postcard with illustration of the “little church round the way” in New York , circa 1907, from the personal ephemera collection of Dawn Roode.
Lessons from notable chroniclers
TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF MEMOIR
“When the writing was flagging and I wasn’t sure how to forge ahead, I would return to photographs, diaries and letters, as a way of keeping the past alive, and also reminding me of things forgotten.” Lily Dunn on the messy and rewarding dance between memory and meaning in memoir.
WRITING CRAFT LESSON
“Structure is a container, of sorts, a container that teaches our readers how to read our books, and also, perhaps, how to read us.” Beth Kephart ruminates on the structuring of essays, memoirs, and stories.
PROMPTS AT THE READY
So you finally find a stretch of uninterrupted time to write…and when you sit down, you draw a blank. Has that ever happened to you? This simple idea—keeping a notebook of self-generated writing prompts—will keep your ideas flowing.
Beyond legacy
FILM BIOGRAPHERS IN CONVERSATION
“Family stories are more than history; they’re the heartbeat of connection across generations,” Jamie Yuenger says in this interview about the power of resilience narratives, the importance of documenting family histories, and the role of vulnerability in creating meaningful connections. Listen in:
TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF LEGACY WRITING
“Writing coach Rebecka Vigus talks about how legacy writing became a crucial part of her life, the profound discoveries she’s made along the way, and why she believes it can play a vital role in preventing cognitive decline.”
ARCHIVE FROM A REMARKABLE LIFE
“There’s a lot to go through. Plus, it’s just weird to be throwing away someone’s life, you know?” Ruth Westheimer’s son talks about going through his famous mother’s belongings after her death, sorting what will be saved as personal effects and what will be archived towards her professional legacy.
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN GENERATIONS
“If photo albums serve as heavily curated, or simplified narratives of our lives, how can we make them feel more true to our experiences? How can their contents be reworked or evolved over time, to reflect our changing memories?”
TANGIBLE ARTIFACTS
Curbed asked a dozen people who fled their homes in the wildfires about the objects they lost and what they saved.
Your next TBR memoirs?
HISTORIC PAPAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Originally intended to be published after his death, Pope Francis has made history as the first living pontiff to release a memoir. “He is one of the most influential leaders of our time, but still seems rooted in ordinariness,” reads this review.
INHERITED HEALING
“I wanted to know, in our DNA, was my code written for me to experience depression,” journalist James Longman says in this revealing interview about his forthcoming memoir, The Inherited Mind:
Miscellaneous
THE SCENT OF MEMORIES
“Smells can only bring to life the personal experiences, those that have a clear sense of personal presence and emotional charge.” Jonas Olofsson on on the science behind the hidden olfactory keys to times long past.
FEELING IN FARSI, WRITING IN ENGLISH
“As we begin to tell our stories, committing them to paper, we realize that in our adopted language, we cannot simply be storytellers—we must also be translators, interpreters.” Sahar Delijani on translating her life from one language to another.
THE POLITICS OF PLACE
“What roles do place and memory play in the construction of a narrative? In this conversation, memoirist Shze-Hui Tjoa and novelist Farah Ali talk about how these forces affect the storytelling in their respective books.”
...and a few more links
Adrien Brody shares connection between 'Brutalist' role and family history.
Memories In Writing Foundation announces free do-it-yourself memoir workbooks.
Digital echoes: preserving memories with AI conversations after life
Sentimental thrift store find saddens woman who discovers it.
LyfeIndex is a digital service helping to preserve memories for a global audience.
New study finds a higher lifetime risk of dementia than previously thought.
The history and tradition of presidents leaving personal notes for their successors
Short takes
Do you keep a writing ideas notebook?
Writer’s block can happen to the best of us. This simple idea—keeping a notebook of self-generated writing prompts—will keep your memoir ideas flowing.
So you finally find a stretch of uninterrupted time to write…and when you sit down, you draw a blank. Has that ever happened to you? This simple idea—keeping a notebook of self-generated writing prompts—will keep your ideas flowing.
I share a lot of writing prompts on the blog and in my annual course, and I’ve even written about how you can generate your own writing prompts. But I understand how—somehow!!—it never seems like a writing prompt is at the ready when you need it, right?
There’s an incredibly simple solution: Keep an ideas notebook. Don’t be fussy! Jot down a note the moment an idea bubbles to the surface on whatever you have handy—a napkin, a Post-it, the back of a receipt—then tape or staple these into your notebook. (Pick up a cheap lined notebook kids use for school so it doesn’t feel too precious to approach in this haphazard way!)
What kind of ideas am I talking about, you’re wondering? Anything that may jumpstart your memories or get your pen moving. Here are some real-world examples from my own life:
As I run errands, I hear a song from my childhood on the car radio. I am flooded with memories and emotions. At a stop light, I snap a picture of the song name on the dashboard with my phone. That alone will be prompt enough to get me writing when I’m in the mood.
Watching a movie with my family, a character’s reaction or words give me a strong sense of deja vu. Why? With no time to consider it, I text myself a short phrase to remind me of this feeling. Maybe one day it will be worth writing about (maybe I’ll even rewatch the movie to bring me back emotionally).
I wake up from a dream and in that half-awake state I reach for the notebook I leave on my night stand to scribble a few words so I don’t forget. (Never—not once, and I’ve tried many, many times—have I merely told myself in that moment to remember the dream….and then actually remembered it later.) Dreams can provoke some surprising writing!
Here’s a common scenario for me: Listening to a podcast, I hear something that resonates and feels like it was drawn from my own life. I grab a piece of paper and jot down the time stamp and episode name. Nothing else is needed, but a word or two about the theme of the conversation may be helpful. When I’m staring down a blank page, I can listen in to that select part of the conversation to get my creative juices stirring again.
Other things you might find yourself taping into that ideas notebook? Fortune cookie slips. Magazine articles. Quotes from friends. Random handwritten memories. People you want to call (trust me, sometimes the best way into a story of your own is to ask someone else for their version). A letter from a friend. A page from a datebook.
You get the idea, yes?
For me, the messier this ideas notebook is, the more inviting I find it! So what if pieces of paper stick out the sides, or if the notebook bulges unevenly?! That just means there are treasures awaiting—self-made prompts you know will move you, because you felt the stirrings already.
How about this one?
If your kid’s half-used, spiral-bound notebook isn’t up to par (it’s what I used all last year, haha!), check out this one I’ve designed just for you.
Life Story Links: January 7, 2025
Kick off 2025 with three weeks’ worth of goodies about family history, memoir, legacy preservation, and journaling curated by personal historian Dawn Roode.
“Getting emotionally prepared to mine your life takes time. Give yourself grace.”
—Vanessa Mártir
Vintage postcard, circa 1908, from the personal ephemera collection of Dawn Roode.
Through the lens of history
HISTORY’S INNER LIFE
Studs Terkel understood how, in addition to the historic events in one’s life, it was the daily rituals “that made people who they were: the cleaning, the counting, the welding, the typing, the talking, the praying, the singing, the watching, the laughing, the weeping.” A look back at his oral history Working as it turns 50.
FROM THE VAULT
Former president Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old. In this 13-minute listen, a biographer reexamines the former president’s extraordinary life, and Carter himself talks about his memoir, A Full Life:
Pictures and stories
JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER
“So, how does a jacket for a memoir that carries as much literary and cultural significance as Knife—which details the author’s 2022 stabbing and recovery—actually come together?” Arsh Raziuddin and Greg Mollica on designing the jacket for Salman Rushdie’s memoir.
HISTORIC PHOTOS NOW AVAILABLE
An online version of the National Archives’ major exhibition “Picturing the Century: One Hundred Years of Photography from the National Archives” can now be viewed online.
Safeguarding our legacies
CASE STUDY IN DOCUMENTATION
“When The New York Times covers a $50 billion family fight for control, it’s more than just a headline—it’s a wake-up call for families navigating legacy, values, and continuity.” StoryKeep’s Jamie Yuenger on 7-Eleven’s legacy and why wealthy families should prioritize storytelling.
THOUGHTS FROM AN OBIT WRITER
“Too many fascinating stories are lost because they were never written down and are only vaguely remembered by friends and family,” says James Robert Hagerty, who says that writing more than 1,000 obituaries has given him a mission to persuade people to record their own stories “while they still can.”
DEAR DIARY
January is National Journal Writing Month (NaJoWriMo) and this year’s first theme is “Journaling for Personal Growth and Achieving Goals.” Reflect on your 2024 journals and find resources, prompts, and more here.
LEGACY PROJECTS
Philadelphia–based personal historian Clémence Scouten was a guest on the Honestly Aging video podcast, offering up lots of DIY advice on writing, preserving, and sharing one’s life story:
The soul of a thing
A (VIRTUAL) WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
When you think of preserving memories, scrapbooks or photo albums likely come to mind. But what about Google Maps?
A CENTURY OF STEWARDSHIP
“A family’s set of dishes has passed through five generations of women, but will the teacups, plates and bowls make it to a sixth?” Will their precious plates continue to hold stories?
10 SENTIMENTAL STORIES
Among wedding keepsakes saved by couples, “occasionally, one item can take center stage and, like a relationship, endures the test of time and grows in sentimental value.”
BROKEN GLASS
“It was time, I felt, to let the precious of the past mingle with the precious of the present.” Rachael Cerrotti on her generations-deep tendency to attach memory to object—in this case, two sets of gifted stemware.
How stories are told
‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH A WRITING COLLABORATOR?’
“Want to Earn Six Figures as a Writer? Try Ghostwriting,” reads a recent headline in The Wall Street Journal. “Shifts in the book industry have been a boon to writers who work quietly behind the scenes.”
KEY BOOK PUBLISHING PATHS
“One of the biggest questions I hear from authors today: What is the best way to publish my work?” Longtime publishing pro Jane Friedman updates this thorough post every year—and, since she says it “is an increasingly complicated question to answer,” she has greatly expanded its content for 2025.
ON FICTIONALIZING PERSONAL HISTORY
Sometimes, our own family history makes for a perfect story—“but what do you do if the history itself works best in a totally different era, or a dog makes more sense to be a cat, or winter works better than summer when it really happens? This is where personal history and historical fiction collide.”
WILD CARDS
Forget about an interview script—podcast host Rachel Martin has guests pull a card from a questions deck in the hopes they’ll go deep. This month, she brought that deck to Washington Square Park in New York City and asked the questions of people face-to-face. Listen in:
...and a few more links
Short takes
Life Story Links: December 17, 2024
Just in time for your holiday break, a roundup overflowing with good reads—there’s family history, memoir, and writing (both guidance and recommendations).
“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become old.”
—Tom Stoppard
Vintage postcard of New York City’s Woolworth Building and City Hall at night, circa early 1900s; from the personal ephemera collection of Dawn Roode.
Reenvisioning the past
‘MY GRANDMOTHER AS ESSENCE’
“The outlines of Margaret Finley D’Imperio’s life were revealed to me by way of a long-lost box and a misplaced letter written by the woman I called my aunt,” Beth Kephart writes in this announcement for her first novel for adults, which, she says, “yields the grandmother I remember and imagine.”
A FAMILY HISTORY RECONFIGURED
Sasha Chavchavadze uses her family history as source material for her multimedia art, creating works from shards of stories and objects discovered among her grandparents’ things (there’s plenty of intrigue and notable Russian connections, too).
A GENERATIONAL LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP
“Who might have climbed in their branches, sheltered beneath their canopies, carved a lover’s name into their living flesh? And how many lives depended on them over the years?” One family tree, among the trees of Scotland.
HOW OLD IS MY (BRITISH) HOUSE?
“In the popular BBC Two series A House Through Time, historian David Olusoga researches the history of an ordinary house, revealing the fascinating, shocking, and touching stories of its inhabitants. The program has inspired many people to find out more about the previous residents of their home.”
FACING HERSELF
“I now know it’s a common question asked of ethnically ambiguous young people: What are you? Back then, it scared me. What was I? A face was a map, and mine was unreadable.” Memoirist Melissa Febos on seeing her past and future selves.
A KID FROM MARLBORO ROAD
When his mom was stuck in Florida during Covid, Edward Burns called her daily to cheer her up—and eventually he began inviting stories from the past. Unexpectedly, those stories found their way into his first novel. Here, he talks about how he towed the line between memoir and fiction, and how his mom passed on a love of storytelling:
Writing our lives
WRITER/HUMAN
“Where does the writer stop and the man begin?” Nathan Deuel muses on writers he has met—“Or, On Learning That Cormac McCarthy Was a Creep,” as he titles the piece.
SENTIMENTAL GIFT…OR UNWANTED BURDEN?
Modern Heirloom Books’ Write Your Life—which sends weekly memory and writing prompts to annual subscribers—may be just the thing to gift your parent or loved one…or, it may not be right at all. Here’s how to know.
THE YEAR IN MEMOIR
It’s time for year-end wrap-ups, and there are plenty of lists of the best memoirs of 2024. Here are a few (will you add anything to your TBR pile, I wonder?):
SUPPORT FOR YOUR BOOK
“Deciding which type of editing support you need is a deeply personal choice.” Mali Bain, a custom publisher based in British Columbia, Canada, helps you determine which type of editing is best suited for your memoir, life story, or family history.
WHERE MEMORIES RESIDE(D)
“The story begins in 1968, when I was 13 and we left Long Island to vacation with a family of lime green lizards in a bare-bones motel next to a windy beach on the east end of St. Thomas.” Joan Bregstein on how one family’s vacation home’s significance shifted through generations.
Short takes