Category: Recording a Life Story
Recording a Family’s Experience of War
War shapes families in ways that take generations to fully understand. Whether a family member served in a conflict, was displaced by one, survived civilian life under occupation,…
Interviewing Beyond the Family: Outside Witnesses in Life Story Work
A life story project often begins with family — parents, grandparents, siblings. But some of the richest life history material sits in the wider community: neighbours who knew…
How to Involve Other Family Members in a Life Story Project
A family history project often begins with one person’s determination to preserve what they know before it is lost. But it rarely stays a solo endeavour for long.…
Capturing Stories in Unplanned Conversations
Some of the most valuable moments in a life story project happen not in a planned interview but in an unguarded conversation — at the dinner table, during…
Recovering Women’s Stories in Family History
Many families discover, when they begin to explore their history, that they know very little about the lives of the women in it. Grandmothers, great-aunts, and women further…
How to Transcribe an Oral History Recording
Transcribing an oral history recording is slow, careful work. For every hour of recorded audio, expect to spend three to five hours producing a clean transcript. Many people…
Recording the Relationships That Shaped a Life
Most life story projects focus on the person whose story is being recorded. But a life is never lived in isolation. Behind every individual account is a web…
How to Use a Family Gathering to Record Oral Histories
School reunions, milestone anniversaries, significant birthdays — there are moments in life when people naturally reflect on the distance they have travelled. These occasions can also be powerful…