Wow! eBook
Our Story: A Guide to Recording and Sharing Your Family History
Author(s): Rachel Seidman (Author)
- Publisher: S&S/Simon Element
- Publication Date: May 5, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 256 pages
- ISBN-10: 1668217805
- ISBN-13: 9781668217801
Book Description
A parent celebrates a birthday. A best friend moves away. A grandchild is born. There are new events, new people, new locations—whole new chapters—in our lives, and every family has a story to tell. Perhaps you have a sense that preserving your family’s history is important, but you’re not sure where to start.
That’s where this book comes in.
Our Story is an actionable and inspirational guide to help you capture and preserve your loved ones’ unique history. An oral historian with decades of experience in the field, Rachel Seidman takes you through the process of compiling and sharing your story one easy-to-understand step at a time. Her book offers support at every turn, as you gather your materials, prepare for interviews, and consider any number of ways to present your findings. Perhaps most importantly, it will help get you talking to your loved ones now, creating new and lasting connections across generations.Inside this book, you’ll find:
– Fun prompts and activities to discover the stories hidden all around us, from the objects we collect to the keepsakes we put in albums to the recipes we cook.
– Expert tips on conducting meaningful interviews with family members and loved ones.
– Inventive approaches to presenting your family history, whether through a book, quilt, time capsule, recipe collection, or as part of family gatherings.
– Suggestions on how to connect your family’s story to the broader context of local and national history, and explore how the events of our time shape us.
– Moving essays drawn from Seidman’s own personal and professional experiences to encourage you along the way.
With
Our Story, Seidman offers you the confidence to take on this meaningful project, the tools to carry it out, and the inspiration to make it a story only you can tell.Editorial Reviews
Review
“‘When an elder dies, a library burns to the ground.’ We’ve all heard this adage, but what if we could guard against this kind of blaze? Rachel F. Seidman’s memory-capturing wisdom, shared with generous helpings of both know-how and inspiration, is the guidance we’ve all been waiting for. Please excuse me while I dash off to use what I’ve learned to interview my 90-year-old cousin!” —Megan Smolenyak, genealogist and author of
Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History“Rachel Seidman’s
Our Story is an invaluable guide for anyone interested in uncovering their family’s history. Chock full of practical advice and step by step instructions provided by one of America’s leading oral historians, Our Story is also a beautifully written and deeply inspiring argument for the importance of the past—and of finding our place within it.” —Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United States“This book is a tremendous gift to anyone with even a passing interest in family history. Drawing on her deep knowledge as a historian as well as her experience as a member of a loving family, Rachel Seidman explains how to ask the right questions, engage in meaningful conversations, and share what you learn. I challenge you to read this guide and walk away from the chance to record the stories that are the warp and woof of family life and, at the same time, invaluable to historians who are determined to write a story of America that includes us all.” —Jacquelyn Dowd Hall, Founding Director, Southern Oral History Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and recipient of the National Humanities Medal
