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Homemade Biography: How to Collect, Record, and Tell the Life Story of Someone You Love

by Tom Zoellner

A practical guide to preserving a loved one’s life story

Regular price $17.69 USD
Regular price $29.49 USD Sale price $17.69 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A practical guide to preserving a loved one’s life story

Family history becomes a hands-on writing project in this guide to interviewing, organizing, and shaping a relative’s memories into a lasting biography. Tom Zoellner draws on his own experience writing about his grandmother and presents more than 300 interview questions alongside case studies of family biographies. The book addresses the work after the conversation, too: locating a connecting thread among scattered recollections, approaching sensitive subjects, and editing for accuracy. It also considers ways to place a personal account within a broader historical record, making it useful for anyone turning family memories into a coherent written document.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • People planning to interview an older relative or preserve family memories
  • Beginning biographers seeking interview questions and editing guidance
  • Family-history writers working with personal archives and recollections

Themes

Oral historyFamily biographyInterviewingMemoir and life writingEditing and preservation

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

How well do you really know the older people in your family? And how will you make sure their stories will be preserved for generations to come? Homemade Biography is a fun and practical guide to recording a relative's story so it will never be forgotten. New York Times bestselling author Tom Zoellner, who wrote his own grandmother's biography, draws on years of interviewing and writing experience to provide:
- More than 300 questions designed to provke vivid responses
- Case studies of successful family biographies
- A revolutionary technique for writing with grace and energy
- Ways of finding a connective theme buried in a jumble of facts
- Strategies for dealing with sensitive topics
- Professional methods of editing for quality and accuracy
- Tips for making your relative's story a part of the permanent historical record

Most of us think about bringing a tape recorder or a notebook to a visit with an older relative, but few actually do it. This clear-eyed manual gives you all the expertise you'll need to finish what could be one of the most fulfilling conversations you'll ever have.

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