Resources Recommended by APH Members

BUSINESS... BUSINESS HISTORY... HISTORY... HOW TO... HOW TO/BUSINESS HISTORIES... HOW TO/INTERGENERATIONAL... HOW TO/INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES... HOW TO/ORAL HISTORY... HOW TO/PRESERVATION... HOW TO/WRITING... HOW TO/SCRAPBOOKING... MEMOIRS... MEMOIRS/INTERGENERATIONAL... MEMOIRS/RECIPES... MEMOIRS/WOMEN... MEMORY TRIGGERS... METHODS/THEORY... ORAL HISTORY... PUBLISHING... THEORY AND TECHNIQUES... THEORY/MEMORY... THERAPEUTIC STORYTELLING

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BUSINESS

  • Beckwith, Harry. Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing
    It's about marketing for service businesses -- easy reading, one-page pointers, and full of excellent thought-provoking ideas.
    (Jim Guinness)

  • Brooks, Bill. High Impact Selling
    Brooks focuses on a system he calls Integrity Selling. He argues that sales systems are ineffective because the sales person feels that the system requires engaging in unethical behavior. Brooks walks readers through a system of making contact, establishing rapport, interviewing, and closing the sale. If you've done the first three steps well, the final step of closing the sales is less stressful and more likely to yield a "yes."
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Chase. Chase's Calendar of Events
    It lists special dates, months and a whole lot more that those of us who do personal history work and workshops can use.
    (Audrey Galex)

  • Covey, Stephen. First Things First
    I highly recommend Stephen Covey's book First Things First, as the one time management book that has guided me for years. The ability to "have more time for what's important" comes from delegating what is unimportant, anticipating potential time-grabbers before they become urgent. I used to work in an ad agency and spent 80% of my day "doing the fire drill" -- being reactive instead of proactive. I had not set my priorities clearly, nor did I delegate well. Covey's book was like a magical formula for getting me out of my rut.
    (Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj"))

  • Crawford, Tad. Business and Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers (Allworth Press, 10 East 23rd St, New York, NY 10010)
    I haven't read it (yet) but it seems to cover contracts and royalties of all sorts pretty thoroughly. It's written by Tad Crawford, an attorney, author, and publisher, and it provides advice on how to negotiate, as well as how to contact volunteer partners for the arts, and much, much more. It's indexed, has 190 pages.
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Gerber, Michael. The E-Myth
    (or The E-Myth Revisited - a later edition)
    Time Magazine named this one of the best eight business books of all. This is a particularly good book for people like us-those starting up their own businesses from scratch. Gerber points out that people who start businesses are not entrepreneurs-hence the E-Myth. Most people who start businesses are technicians. They are experts at whatever it is that the business does in creating its product or service. That's not enough to create a real business according to Gerber. If you focus only on the technical aspect of the business, the business captures you and makes you work long hours for little pay. A business, on the other hand, is a set of systems that handles not the technical production of the product or service but also handles marketing, administration and strategy (entrepreneurship). A successful business does all of these things well-even when the business is a single person.
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Girard, Joe. How to Sell Anything to Anyone
    Joe Girard holds the world's record (you could look it up) for selling the most new cars in one year-over 1,400. The average car sales person sells 200 to 300 a year. If you are not too turned off by the fact that sales book is written by a car salesman, it has a tremendous amount to teach. Girard make the point that that nothing CAN happen until you find prospects. You need hundreds of prospects in order to get dozens of sales presentations and you need several sales presentation to make a sale. Depending on the business you might need 500 prospects to get 5 interviews that will produce 1 sale. Girard does the BEST job of anyone now showing you how to generate prospects.
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Hawken, Paul. Growing a Business
    A great primer from an ethical point of view.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Heim, Pat and Goland, Susan K. Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business (Plume Penguin, 1992)
    Heim posits that little girls tend to play with one other girl at a time and little boys play more in groups as "teams." The girls tend to focus on how each one can be relatively happy; the boys learn how to be members of a team, working toward a common goal, with a game plan, clear strategy, etc. It's a fascinating book, and I think its points are valid. For me, it is HIGHLY useful.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Jeffers, Susan. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
    There's a good book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers which you might find helpful. Its Amazon.com sales rank is 1,111 (out of the millions of books that they sell), and all 23 customer reviews there gave it 5 stars, which is pretty unusual. I've found the book to be very helpful -- I'll bet you would too!
    (Jim Guinness)

  • Larkin, Geri. Woman to Woman: Street Smarts for Women Entrepreneurs (John Wiley & Sons NY)
    It's worth it's weight in gold - do not be put off by the title. The business and marketing plans are for everyone. In fact the whole book is for anyone going into business. It makes little parenthetical remarks geared toward women like "don't fall in with anyone in the business unless you want to throw-up all over yourself." The book is real-life stuff! I'm taking a class from her right now called Building Your Business the Zen Way." There are 25 people in the class - about half are men (there is also a waiting list). The class is excellent! probably will have to order the book at your local bookstore. I have no personal interest, nor will I receive monies or etc. for anything said here.
    (Pat Kuessner)

  • Larkin, Geri. Building a Business the Buddhist Way (Bantam, 1992)
    My favorite Buddhist Priestess, business counselor, and workshop presenter for entrepreneurs just published a new book, Building a Business the Buddhist Way (Celestial Arts, $12.95) Geri Larkin is based on almost 20 years of working with growing companies. She used to work for Deloitte & Touche, accounting firm with offices here in Ann Arbor. The book has six chapters: "The Characteristics of Right Livelihood Businesses," "What is Your Path?," "Are an Entrepreneur?," "The Business Plan," "Marketing Basics," "Financial Considerations." I took her workshops last year - I found them relevant, worthwhile, interesting, fun, and up to the minute newsworthy. A little plus is that she has a great sense of humor and it shows in her books - as those of you who know her writings - Stumbling and Enlightenment and Woman to Woman: Street Smarts for Entrepreneurs.
    (Pat Kuessner)

  • Michels, Gloria. How to Make Yourself (or Anyone Else) Famous: Secrets of a Professional Publicist
    "Famous" may be a bit of a stretch, but she suggests great ideas for getting your name and business in the public eye, and all without being involved in a sex scandal!
    (Phyllis Rowland)

  • Mornell, Pierre. 45 Effective Ways For Hiring Smart! How to Predict Winners and Losers in the Incredibly Expensive People-Reading Game (Ten-Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. 1998)
    Indispensible for me. Although I rebel against any use of the words "winner" and "loser," this book merits an exception. It includes strategies before you interview a candidate, -interview strategies, reference checks, final strategies. It includes, by the way, legal guidelines for what you can and can't ask, how to get information legally.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Norman, Jan. What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Business (Dearborn Financial Press/Upstart)
    Jan is the Small Business Columnist for the Orange County register and the book is a product of numerous interviews with small business entrepreneurs.
    (Bob Joyce)

  • Roberts, Shelly. Make News! Make Noise! (Paradigm Publishing Company)
    If you do self-publishing you will have to promote the book yourself. An excellent little book (57 pages) to help you do that is by Shelly Roberts. It is available through Paradigm Publishing Company, P.O.Box 3877, San Diego, CA, USA, 92163 or (fax) 619-234-2607.
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Willingham, Ron. Best Seller! The New Psychology of Selling and Persuading People (Prentice Hall, NY, 1985)
    This book is a bit old, but its message is still appropriate. Willingham shows how to tailor sales messages for particular personality styes. Those familiar with Jungian psychology or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator will find his types familiar. He argues that we naturally sell well to people who have personalities similar to our own. You know how easily things go when you "click" with someone, and how difficult it can be when the other person seems to be coming out of left field. Well, this is the problem Willingham shows you how to solve. If you can figure out the person's type, you can provide them with the kind of information they need to make a decision.
    (Terry Mullins)

BUSINESS HISTORY

HISTORY

  • Time-Life Books. Time of Transition: The 70's
    Here is an excellent new series published by Time Life of various decades within this past century. Lots of beautiful photos, significant historical events, music, cultural happenings, and even products of the times. It's multi-cultural female inclusive as well.
    (Jodi Decker)

  • Sturdevant, Katherine S. Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History (2000)
    My book, Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History, might be especially useful for archivists and librarians who advise genealogists. The book's primary purpose is to teach family historians how to research, interpret, and write about the historical context of their families' lives for narrative family history. It has chapters on the field and elements of social history how to treat one's heirlooms as artifacts, in terms of interpretation and care oral history interviewing photograph interpretation historical correspondence researching scholarly social history writing historically.

    In this book, I also strive to inform and advise genealogists against the stereotypically bad behavior of "the dreaded genie" and how best to assist information providers in assisting yourself.

    I based the book on about 10 years of teaching courses on family history research and writing. It addresses the reader as someone who could access all of the resources and methods that historians do. I attempted to convey this with down-to-earth language and human interest examples.

HOW TO

  • Aftel, Mandy. Becoming the Author of Your Experience, The Story of Your Life (Simon and Schuster, New York. 1996)

  • Barrington, Judith. Writing the Memoir (The Eighth Mountain Press, Portland, Oregon)

  • Borg, Mary & Joyce Turley. Writing Your Life: Autobiographical Writing Activities for Young People (Cottonwood Press, 305 West Magnolia #398 Collins, Colorado 80521)
    APH Members. This spiral-bound workbook makes it easy for anyone to start to write an autobiography. The pages of questions, tips, suggestions and stories invites the reader to "get going." Used by thousands of people who have written their life stories.This is self-guided, glossy soft cover, 46 letter-size pages. 800-864-4297
    (Sharon Luster, Pat Kuessner, Janell Vasquez)

  • Digest, Writer's. You Can Write Your Life Story (Writer's Digest. 2000)
    Looks pretty good, costs $5.50. See www.writersdigest.com (excerpted below) for more details.
    Your memories come to life with You Can Write Your Life Story, a new special magazine from Writer's Digest dedicated to helping you get your life experiences down on paper. You Can Write Your Life Story helps you begin the process, answers your questions about memoir writing, advises you on handling skeletons in your closet and much more. Look for You Can Write Your Life Story on newsstands now.
    (Jim Guinness)

  • Gouldrup, Lawrence P. Writing the Family Narrative (Ancestry Publishing. 1987)
    (Elizabeth Wright)

  • Joyce, Robert D. Kitty: An Annotated Autobiography
    APH Member; Two books in one: A complete autobiography you can read and use as a guide for structure and organization. Each page also contains side margin notes that clarify the writing techniques used in the text. Hundreds of these professional notes clearly show you how to organize and write your own memoirs. Once you start writing, this book will always be there for ready reference. 182 pages, soft cover.

  • Joyce, Robert D. Memory Bank Notebook
    APH Member; A comprehensive yet user-friendly fill-in-the-blanks notebook for recording life experiences. Easy to follow question and answer format makes book fun to use. Excellent, inexpensive gift. 88 pages, soft cover.

  • Kempthorne, Charley and June. For All Time, a Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History
    APH Member
    (Judy Wright)

  • Koch, Kenneth. I Never Told Anybody: Teaching Poetry Writing in a Nursing Home (Random House, New York. 1977)

  • Krauch, Velma. This is Your Life Story

  • Larkin, Geri. Stumbling Toward Enlightenment
    I love the book Stumbling Toward Enlightenment by Geri Larkin so much. I went to buy two copies for friends - two major bookstores were out it.
    (Pat Kuessner)

  • Ledoux, Denis. Turning Memories into Memoirs: A Handbook for Writing Lifestories (Soleil Press)
    APH Member

  • Ledoux, Denis. The Photo Scribe: A Writing Guide, How to Write the Stories behind Your Photographs
    APH Member. A writing guide for family historians and lifewriters who approach their projects with family photograph albums as the starting point. 120 pages.

  • Ledoux, Denis. Writing Great Cameo Memory Lists in Five Easy Steps (Soleil Press, Lisbon Falls, Maine)
    APH Member

  • Ledoux, Denis. Writing Great Cameo Narratives in Five Easy Steps (Soleil Press, Lisbon Falls, Maine)
    APH Member

  • Lomask, Milton. The Biographer's Craft (Harper and Row, New York. 1986)

  • McDonnell, Jane Taylor. Living to Tell the Tale: A Guide to Memoir Writing (Penguin, New York. 1998)

  • Mitchell, Mary. Life is Like a Patchwork Quilt: The Art of Recording Life Stories
    APH Member. A how to workbook with practical suggestions for writing or recording Life Stories to leave as a lasting legacy for future generations. Includes interviewing tips and suggestions for encouraging reminiscence.

  • Rainer, Tristine. Your Life as Story: Discovering the "New Autobiography" and Writing Memoir as Literature (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, a member of Penguin Putnam, Inc., New York, NY)
    I just finished reading "Story" and I found it to have all the information I need to give my workshops next week. Since I have been an English teacher since 1972, I have read many works on how to write, writing made easy - interesting etc. However, Rainer pulls together (all the bits and pieces that I know I have read in other books and in other places), and makes her informative piece one cohesive whole. In fall and then again in the winter I taught my first classes on how to get started writing your memoir. This time I decided I wanted to do workshops (instead of classes). I wanted to have my students put the pen to the paper during the session on Monday, then have them go into the memory and write it during the week, and then on Thursday I plan to teach them how shape that memory. This book gives me very clear instructions on how to do that.... of course - I have no monetary interest or etc. for recommending this book - most highly!
    (Pat Kuessner, Elizabeth Wright)

  • Riemer, Rabbi Jack. So That Your Values Will Live On
    I really like Rabbi Jack Riemer's book. It has a great how-to section in the back.
    (Audrey Galex)

  • Rosenbluth, Vera. Keeping Family Stories Alive: Discovering and Recording the Stories and Reflections of Lifetime (Hartley & Marks, Point Roberts. WA. 1990, 1997)
    (Judy Wright, Elizabeth Wright)

  • Rowland, Phyllis. How to Write Time of Your Life Stories in Ten Easy Steps (Smith and Daniel Marking and Publish Relations, Jacksonville, Fla.)
    APH Member; Topics and tools provide continuing motivation, encouragement, and inspiration. Stories of universal experiences by ordinary people provide concrete examples, inspiring an overflowing supply of ideas. 256 pages.

  • Spense, Linda. Legacy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Personal History (Swallow Press/Ohio University Press, Athens, OH.)
    A wonderful book, one of my favorites, full of very specific and pertinent questions, psychological insights in the chapter introductions, and quotes from published books to illustrate some of the questions.
    (Jim Guinness, Elizabeth Wright)

  • St. Louis, Melinda. Put It In Writing: Guide For Populore Narratives
    APH Member. This illustrated 220-page perfect bound book is designed to motivate, encourage, and help readers write representational personal narratives (from a few paragraphs to several pages in length).

  • Ueland, Brenda. If you Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit (Greywolf Press, St. Paul. 1987)

  • Ukeret, Dr Robert. Family Ties, Family Wisdom: How to Gather the Stories of a Lifetime and Share Them with Your Family (William Morrow, NY. 1995)
    There's a great book I've used many times for reference and teaching techniques called "Family Ties, Family Wisdom" by Dr. Robert Ukeret. He shows how to set up an Elder Tales program by using photographs. Unfortunately, when I tried to order copies for my class, the publisher said book was out of print. (William Morrow and Company, NY). I consider it the best resource for using photos to cite memories. The author is a therapist who specializes in photoanalysis. He's used the same techniques, and modified it to work with elders. For example, the 10 categories, or stories, that can be told thru pictures are: Snapshots from your youth, Snapshots from your adult years, A day in your life Turning points, High points and low points, Epiphanies and Lessons, That's the story of my life, Telegrams and Epitaphs, Sentimental journey, Questions you never asked, and Stories I never told you.
    (Rosann Kent, Mary Mannix, Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Verson, Karol. Time Dance: Looking Backward/Moving Forward: The "Art" of Reminiscence
    APH Member; Theoretical overview of reminiscence followed by how-to for individuals and groups, information on memoir writing, and samples.

  • Willis, Meredith Sue. Personal Fiction Writing

HOW TO/BUSINESS HISTORIES

  • Sawyer, Richard. How to Write Biographies and Company Histories (Mountain Press Publishing Co, Missoula, MT, 1989)
    This book really does take you through the process step by step. But I only have applied parts of it to my activity, which is at a much more anecdotal and "warm" family level... (This is) really about serious business history.
    (Joella Werlin, Elizabeth Wright)

HOW TO/INTERGENERATIONAL

HOW TO/INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES

HOW TO/ORAL HISTORY

HOW TO/PRESERVATION

  • Robin. Personal Papers & Private Archives: Sixteen Almost Free & Easy Steps to Putting Small Collections in Almost Perfect Order (Archiva, Point Roberts, WA, 1999)
    The book explains how to process private papers in the way that the archives and manuscripts repositories process the ones they collect.

HOW TO/WRITING

  • Browne, Renni and King, Dave. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers (1987)
    I'm not a fiction writer, but my favorite and most helpful how-to book is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Rennie Brown and Dave King. This book taught me how to use the techniques of fiction --description, narration, suspense, dialogue, voice, setting, etc. -- to make the story more alive to our descendants. Just like in a good piece of fiction, I expect to put the reader in the heart of the story. When I ask, "As you read the story, who were you 'being'?" I want the answer to be whoever the main character in the story is. Mama, Grandpa, You, etc.
    (Phyllis Rowland)

  • Burnham, Sophy. For Writers Only
    (Thelly L. Reahm)

  • Cameron, Julia. The Right to Write
    My personal reading right now includes the book, The Right to Write, by Julia Cameron (Author of The Artist's Way.) Her chapter on "The Time Lie" addresses the issue of finding time to write.
    (Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj"))

  • Case, Patricia Ann. How to Write Your Autobiography: Preserving Your Family Heritage (Woodbridge Press Publishing Company, Santa Barbara, CA. 1983)
    (Elizabeth Wright)

  • Cheney, Theordore A. Rees. Writing Creative Nonfiction (1987)
    I had forgotten what a splendid book is Theodore A. Rees Cheney's Writing Narrative Nonfiction. In a chapter on "Ethical Considerations," Cheney writes "You have an unspoken, unwritten, implicit contract with your reader, a contract to tell truth -- whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction. In fiction, you must stay "true to the story," which is different from nonfiction, where you must be true to THE FACTS AS YOU KNOW THEM [emphasis mine] ..." A chapter also contains a short discussion of the Janet Cooke affair. Janet Cooke was the "Washington Post" reporter whose 1980 story (allegedly about an 8-year-old heroin addict) won a Pulitzer Prize, which the Post gave back after the story was proved to be a complete fabrication.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Franklin, Jon. Writing for Story
    It explains how to go about finding the story in non-fiction (or life story, in this case) and then how to structure the piece so that it reads like fiction. Franklin has won two Pulitzers for his features but has also written novels. Nowadays, the technique of crafting a story from non-fiction is called creative non-fiction and it's very much in vogue. A wagon well worth jumping on! I've read dozens and dozens of how-to books on writing. Everything from life stories to features, to literary fiction... you name it. This one paperback book is worth more to me that the others put together. In fact I just used its techniques to write a profile of a woman who ran a nursing home during the Depression years. The story came together very quickly and the literary themes stood out in sharp relief once I knew what to look for.
    (Karen Millard)

  • Friedman, Bonnie. Writing Past Dark: Envy, Fear, Distraction and Other Dilemmas in the Writer's Life (HarperCollins Publishers, New York. 1993)
    (Elizabeth Wright)

  • Hemley, Robin. Turning Life Into Fiction
    The back cover blurb indicates that it gives "instruction on observing the details of life, filtering them through your imagination, [and] reshaping them into your fictional world." That goes WAY beyond composite characters, a technique which is sometimes necessary in autobiography or memoir.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Kuriloff, Pershe C. Rethinking Writing (St. Martin's Press, New York. 1989)
    (Elizabeth Wright)

  • Roddick, Hawley Your Memoirs: Saving the Stories of Your Life and Work
    (Lettice Stuart)

HOW TO/SCRAPBOOKING

MEMOIRS

  • Adler, Lynn Peters. Centenarians: The Bonus Years

  • Allende, Isabel. Paula (Harper Collins, New York. 1996)

  • Baxter, Freddie Mae. The Seventh Child: A Lucky Life (Knopf. 1999)
    A memoir by 75 year old "elderly, unschooled domestic worker" who is a wonderful raconteur. She told her story to an interviewer/writer over the course of a year or two. The writer transcribed the interviews on an old typewriter, and managed to get the book published after many, many rejections. It is getting great press in my neck the woods (NYC) and sounds like a very inspiring read. Enjoy!
    (Teri Friedman)

  • Bragg, Rick. All Over But the Shoutin'
    A great piece of memoir art.
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Capote, Truman. A Christmas Memory
    A charming first person short story (published in book form) for December reading.
    (Phyllis C Rowland)

  • Checkoway, Julie. Little Sister
    Little Sister starts out to be nonfiction about life in modern-day China. It is ultimately a memoir of that time in the author's life. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Conway, Jill Ker, ed. Written by Herself: Autobiographies of American Women: An Anthology (Vintage Books, New York. 1992)

  • Coulton, Larry. Goat Brothers
    Goat Brothers is the chronicle of a mid-life guy's efforts to catch up some of his fraternity brothers. An off-putting premise, it would seem , but the material is well-rendered, free of whining, fiercely honest, ultimately moving. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Danticat, Edwidge. Breath, Eyes, Memory (Random House, New York. 1995)

  • Dubner, Stephen J. Turbulent Souls: A Catholic Son's Return to His Jewish Family
    Last week I attended a presentation by Stephen J. Dubner at a local synagogue. He is the author of Turbulent Souls: A Catholic Son's Return to Jewish Family, which recounts the story of his parents' separate conversions from Judaism to Catholicism, their Catholic marriage and his upbringing as the youngest of their eight children, and his decision to reclaim his Jewish heritage. The book is a good read for any memoirist.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Edelman, Bernard, Ed. Centenarians: The Story of the 20th Century by the Americans Who Lived It (Farrar Straus and Giroux)
    He...interviewed several centenarians and each chapter follows the century time line with their stories for that particular era. About 8 of the people went on to write their own personal histories, one lady wrote 2! It's a wonderful book.
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Erdrich, Louise. The Blue Jay's Dance: A Birth Year (HarperPerennial. 1996)
    A memoir about being a writer with a baby, living in the country.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Gornick, Vivian. Approaching Eye Level (Beacon Press. 1996)

  • Halpern, Daniel. Our Private Lives
    Also contains essays of a few women diarists (Anne Dillard, Gretel Erlich, Mavis Gallant, etc).
    (Frederica Daly)

  • Hearth, Amy Hill. Having Our Say
    The story of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two Afro-American sisters. It is their personal histories as told to New York Times reporter Amy Hill Hearth. They are two well-educated, humorous ladies who offer their unique viewpoints and descriptions of lifetimes that have spanned more than a century.
    (Paula Yost)

  • Heynen, Jim. One Hundred over 100, Moments with One Hundred North American Centenarians (1990)
    It contains photos and life histories of 100 people over 100 years of age. It's a neat book, well worth taking a look at.

  • Horowitz, Joy. Tessie & Pearlie
    I just finished Tessie & Pearlie, by Joy Horowitz. T & P are her 93 year old grandmas. This is a book that grows on you. I started it just after finishing Miriam's kitchen, a lyrical book, and I thought Ms. Horowitz was not a good a writer as Elizabeth Ehrlich. But, the further I went, the more I was drawn in, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's about growing Very Old, and love.
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Kincaid, Jamaica. My Brother
    She gives herself permission to have very mixed feelings about her dying, then dead brother.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Komaiko, Leah. Am I old yet?
    44 year old Leah volunteers to visit an old lady in a retirement place and becomes her friend in reality, as she spends time with her and realizes that "there is only on one age--alive."
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Mairs, Nancy. Remembering the Bone House
    A trip through all the houses she ever lived in, from the original "bone house" (her mother's body) to newlywed apartments to her own problematic body as it adjusts to living MS. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother (Riverhead Books. 1996)
    I just finished reading The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride. Not only was his mother white, but she came from an Orthodox Jewish parents. Her father was a Rabbi, the family spoke Yiddish. It's a very interesting and moving memoir. Aside from that, I think it is stylistically interesting. He writes a chapter in own voice and then alternates with a chapter in his Mother's voice. I've always liked this technique - the same story seen from two points of view with the reasons inherent in the telling...the reader pieces the puzzle together to find a bit of truth, i.e., universality. Our bookgroup read this book this month and we had the highest turnout for discussion in ages. (P. Kuessner)
    African-American man pierces the secrecy of his mom's childhood --she's white and Jewish -- in a loving, appreciative way. (K. Axelson-Berry)
    Particular interest in the book was the use of a technique where one chapter was written from / by him, interspersed with chapters collected from interviews with his mother. Perhaps some of us are not tackling the writing of books, but I felt that the technique would be of interest to some. Very well done. (J. Decker)
    (Pat Kuessner, Kitty Axelson-Berry, Jodi Decker)

  • Moffat, Mary Jane. The Times of Our Lives

  • Mori, Kyoko. The Dream of Water
    A memoir or fiction about a girl whose mother suicided.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Olmstead, Robert. Stay Here With Me
    Stay Here With Me is sometimes billed as fiction. Olmstead is primarily a fiction writer (he was my fiction tutor -- name-dropping here). He probably doesn't like to hear me call him a "language writer," but the language is magical. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Richards, David Adams. Hockey Dreams: Memories of a Man Who Couldn't Play (Doubleday, Canada. 1996)
    David Adams Richards is a New Brunswick writer honoured earlier this year by a Governor General's Award for non-fiction for Lines on the Water - A Fisherman's Life on the Miramichi (Doubleday Canada)-- statement to nature and humanity, revealed through the delicate art of fishing and one man's abiding love for a river and its people.
    (Burns Foley-MacMillan)

  • Rowland, Phyllis. 1996 Treasury: Time of our Lives (Morris Publishing, Kearney, Nebraska)
    APH Member; An anthology of stories by over seventy writers of all ages. Here are 120 personal experience stories and poems that will surely tweak your memory, perhaps even give you the courage to write your own "Time of Your Life" stories. 300 pages.

  • Shulman, Alix Kate. Drinking the Rain
    A memoir about the joys of solitude on a Maine island, alternating with Manhattan, after turning 50.
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • Sielen, Rae Jean and Stevenson, Amy, eds. Mountain State Stories of the People
    APH Member; This illustrated 186-page perfect bound collection of stories and memories is a fascinating collage of true experiences and observations written by people from all walks of life.

  • Suberman, Stella. The Jew Store
    It is the story of a Jewish family that migrated to Tennessee in the 1920s, a decidedly unwelcoming time and place for Jews.
    (Paula Yost)

  • Thomas, Dylan. A Child's Christmas in Wales
    A Child's Christmas . . sets the standard. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

  • Wolff, Tobias. This Boy's Life
    This Boy's Life was made into a movie starring Robert DeNiro and a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Skip the movie, read the book, and then read everything Tobias Wolff ever wrote. From the "I Couldn't Put It Down" file.
    (Margaret DeAngelis)

MEMOIRS/INTERGENERATIONAL

  • Fox, Mem. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge (Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Brooklyn, NY and La Jolla, CA, 1995)
    APH members who were fortunate enough to attend the 2nd annual APH conference in 1996 in Amherst will remember Hank Berry's wonderful presentation on "amnesis," memory loss due to the loss of context in our lives. This wonderful "children's" book speaks to this type of story (and story) loss. The story is about a little boy who lives next door to "an old people's home" and what happens when he hears his parents saying that his best friend there, a 96-year-old woman, has lost memory, "poor old thing." I read this book to my lifewriting workshop yesterday, and it was a warmly received and perfect lead-in to a discussion on things we can do to recapture and recreate memories. Anne and I gave this book to our son, Ben, five years ago on his 5th birthday, but I think the adults in my workshop were far more touched by it than any child could be! We paid $7.95 for it. It only takes about 5 or 6 minutes to read aloud. Worth checking out! I have no financial interest in the above book, etc.! (B. Washburn)

    I frequently use children's books in my writing workshops...wonderful for memoir writers. (P. Rowland)

    (Bruce Washburn; Phyllis C Rowland)

  • Shannon, George. This is the Bird
    I frequently use children's books in my writing workshops: This is the Bird by George Shannon and Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox are both wonderful for memoir writers.
    (Phyllis C Rowland)

MEMOIRS/RECIPES

  • Avakian, Arlene, ed. Through the Kitchen Window
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Beard, James. Delights & Prejudices
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Chamberlain, Samuel. Clementine in the Kitchen
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Colwin, Laurie. Home Cooking
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Colwin, Laurie. More Home Cooking
    (Anne Washburn)

  • David, Elizabeth. An Omelette and a Glass of Wine
    Anything by her is good but especially this one.
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Davidson, Alan. A Kipper with My Tea
    (Anne Washburn)

  • De Silva, Cara, Ed. In Memory's Kitchen: A Legacy From the Women of Terezin (Jason Aronson. 1996)
    The very powerful In Memory's Kitchen: A Legacy From the Women of Terezin was published in 1996. Apparently a group of women in the WWII concentration camp collected and wrote down--from memory--recipes that they remembered from happier days. The book also includes an extended introductory analysis, poems written by one of the women (Mina Pachter) in the camp, and a biographical essay about Pachter. (J. McCullough).
    My daughter sent me this book and it's superb. Many of the recipes can't be done since they are as complete as memory allowed when the women were weak dying. It is a book that I'm proud to own and will always cherish. (E. Altshool)
    (Julie McCullough, Elsa Altshool)

  • Fisher, M. F. K.
    [anything by her, I have several, including autographed]
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Gray, Patience. Honey From a Weed
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Loftus, Simon. A Pike in the Basement
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Lynch, Kermit. Adventures on the Wine Route
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Reichl, Ruth. Tender at the Bone
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Ring, Nancy. Walking on Walnuts (Columbine Books. 1996)
    For all of you interested in autobiography and family history via recipes, I just received a charming book entitled Walking on Walnuts by Nancy Ring. Recipes included. You'll love it. (E. Wright)
    Wonderful for memoir writers. (P. Rowland)
    (Elizabeth A. Wright, Phyllis Rowland, Anne Washburn)

  • Rubin, Laurie. Food Tales
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Schiavelli, Vincent. Bruculinu, America
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Steingarten, Jeffrey. The Man Who Ate Everything
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Sterling, Richard, ed. Traveler's Tales: Food: A Taste of the Road
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Trillen, Calvin. Alice, Let's Eat
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Winegardner, Mark, ed. We Are What We Ate
    (Anne Washburn)

  • Wisler, Alice J. Slices of Sunlight (Daniel's House Publications)
    Recently I compiled a cookbook of memories, Slices Of Sunlight (Daniel's House Publications) featuring favorite dishes of children who have died. Each recipe is a short food-related story told by a loved one. The cookbook also has a few quotes poems about food. Proceeds go to the National Childhood Cancer Foundation to support life-saving research. (Alice J. Wisler, author).
    (Anne Washburn)

MEMOIRS/WOMEN

MEMORY TRIGGERS

  • Greene, Bob and Fulford, D. G. To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generation to Come (Doubleday, 1993)
    There is a lovely little book called To Our Children's Children by Bob Greene and D.G. Fulford. It has nearly a thousand questions intended to trigger memories. Try amazon.com or your local library for a copy. ("Taj")

    The book To our Children's Children by Bob Greene is a book made up entirely of questions. It will be a great resource for you. (N. Van Iseghem)

    The entire book is a list of possible questions to ask -- just don't use them as the interview. It is to help generate ideas, not to use every question. (J. McCullough)

    (Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj"), Nancy Van Iseghem, Bruce Washburn, Julie McCullough, Elizabeth Wright)

  • Wendlinger, Bob. The Memory Triggering Book
    I've used some of the exercises such as imagining you are on way to school, as you think about it, draw a map of your route - Imagine what you can see hear and smell, what are you wearing, who do you to, etc. and make rough notes on the side. I then get participants to develop that as a story during the next week and share it with the rest of the group. This invariably sets of triggers with them, and I tell them to jot that down as well... Bob Wendlinger's book also has memory triggers as what do you remember when you hear the sound of chalk on a chalkboard, the smell of grass and so on.
    (Rae Luckie)

METHODS/THEORY

ORAL HISTORY

PUBLISHING

  • Blake, Kathy. Handmade Books: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Own Books (Bullfinch Press/Little, Brown & Co. 1997)
    It covers not only cover-making but also single-signature and multisignature binding.
    (Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj"))

  • Burgett, Gordon. The Writer's Guide To Query Letters & Cover Letter
    To find out what a good query letter needs to say, buy "The Writer's Guide To Query Letters & Cover Letters" by Don Burgett. As Mr. Burgett says, "You only have 30 seconds to grab attention of a magazine editor......" If you can't find the book at Amazon or elsewhere, call Mr. Burgett's publishing company directly: Rocklin, CA, 916-786-0426.
    (Lettice Stuart)

  • Card, Orson Scott. Speaker for the Dead
    I was drawn to the idea of creating personal histories by this work of science fiction. In the society depicted in this book, the end of life is commemorated by a ceremony in which a Speaker tells the full truth about the deceased person's life. The speaker's job is to research the person's life and to tell the truth about that life in a public forum, sparing neither the deceased nor anyone else.
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Cohen, Sandee and Williams, Robin. The Non-Designers Print Book: All You Need to Know About Production and Prepress to Get Great Looking Pages (Peachpit Press, Berkeley. 1999)
    (Elizabeth Wright)

  • Herman, Jeff. Insider's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents
    (Barbara Rohrer)
  • Herman, Jeff and Adams, Deborah. Write the Perfect Book Proposal (John Wiley & Sons NY)
    (Barbara Rohrer)

  • Holt, Robert. How to Publish, Promote, and Sell Your Own Book
    (Kitty Axelson-Berry)

  • International, Paper. Pocket Pal: A Graphic Arts Production Handbook
    International Paper puts out a paperback that's excellent and the price is right: Pocket Pal: A Graphic Arts Production Handbook. It has great info on books and printing. It's a promo giveaway. I picked one up at a fair a few years . Call a local IP rep and see if they'll give you one.
    (Rae Jean Sielen)

  • Poynter, Dan. The Self-Publishing Manual (Para Publishing, P.O.Box 8206-890, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, 93118-8206)
    Have you looked into self-publishing? A book that I am reading on self-publishing by Dan Poynter is an excellent start on learning how that is done. It can be found in most book stores, I imagine, or ordered direct: 800-PARAPUB, If you can't use an 800 number, then they can also be reached at 805-968-7277.
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Schachter-Shalomi, Rabbi Zalman. From Age-ing to Sage-ing; A Profound New Vision of Growing Older (Warner Books, New York. 1997)
    Some exercises meant to be used in journaling or meditation .... are in the Spiritual Eldering Workbook, and in the back of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's From Age-ing to Sage-ing book. I think these could easily be adapted for a life writing class to use, as they deal with re-contextualizing difficult past experiences. One is called Healing a Painful Memory," and it helps one experience painful past feelings in the context of the stronger, more experienced self of the present.
    (Lolly Gold)

  • Schachter-Shalomi, Rabbi Zalman. Spiritual Eldering Workbook
    I highly recommend the book and workbook as sources of both wisdom and creative and practical thinking about the personal and spiritual development of elders.
    (Lolly Gold)

  • Shelton, Connie. Publish Your Own Novel (Columbine Books. 1996)
    (Thomas Ainlay Jr. ("Taj"))

  • Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Type Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice (Peachpit Press, Berkeley, CA. 1994)
    An *excellent* book on type design is The Non-Designer's Type Book by Robin Williams. It is easy to read and FULL of examples of what to do and what not to do to make your publications look more professional. After reading it, I redesigned two newsletters that I publish. They are more readable, and I think they look more elegant. I immediately got comments back from readers complimenting both of them, so I must have done something right. I am feeling more and more confident about my page-layout abilities. William's book is chiefly responsible for this confidence. Robin Williams (not the comedian!) has written other design books that are worth checking out. Another one is, The Non-Designer's Scan and Print Book. (C. Fulton)
    I got it from my library and within 3 pages knew it belongs permanently on my shelves. It was wonderful to discover how much I (jus' a li'l ol' writer) had learned through osmosis by working with some great art directors. It was even more exciting to discover really neat stuff I didn't know. If you haven't read it yet, do! Author Robin Williams isn't *that* Robin Williams, but her wit and style make this an excellent read and reference. (P. Stahel)
    (Cathy Fulton, Paula Stahel, Elizabeth Wright)

  • Winston, Linda. Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms (Heinemann, Portsmouth, NY. 1997)
    This book has been a resource for me when I have worked with kids and teachers in school residencies. (D. Ledoux)
    EXCELLENT book, softcover, 138 pages, at bookstores and libraries (S. Luster)
    Not only is the text, itself, terrific, but so are all the references in the back, both to organizations and resources. (A. Galex)
    (Denis Ledoux, Sharon Luster, Audrey Galex)

  • Courier-Westford (Westford, MA 01886-2399)
    We have used Courier in Massachusetts since 1992 when a midwestern printer did not admit its mistake in a preparation stage of a book that was right on deadline. What a hassle! We pulled out of the contract and went looking for someone in driving distance so we could avoid the delay of having the books shipped. That's how tight our schedule was. (Never set a publication party/ book launch before you get the final 'go' from the printer!)
    We were very fortunate to find Courier. They print all the Gideon Bibles. They do textbooks for all the major companies and they have several plants. They have an entire Docu-Tech operation as well as offset and web presses. On Friday Denis and I picked up our latest publication, a 400+ page biography ( 6x9, perfect bound with a four- color 10 pt cover), edited, designed and produced for our client, and had a tour of the Westford plant. We got to meet people who worked on our book at each stage they handled for us and our customer rep took us out to lunch! She is very reliable, easy to talk with, very experienced--and patient!
    I can't recommend this firm highly enough. Of course they may not be in driving distance for you, but their quality, attention to detail, ease of communication and high level of friendly, on-top-of-it customer service is well worth your requesting a quote for your next project.
    Call Fran Janosco at tel: 978-251-6453, fax: 978-692-7292, e-mail: janosco@courier.com
    Courier-Westford, 22 Town Farm Rd, Westford, MA 01886-2399
    (Martha Blowen/Soleil Press)

  • Press, Abbey. North American Permanent Papers, a booklet (Abbey Press, ph. 512-929-3992)
    This booklet points out that paper sold as acid-free may not always be as advertised. This can be for a number of reasons, deliberate deception not often among them in the writer's opinion.
    Abbey Publications does sell a pH pen for $5.60 that can be used to determine whether a given batch, or piece, of paper is acid-free. While not as authoritative as lab tests (which, according to NAPP, cost $300-350), they do provide a helpful indication.
    (Jim Guinness)

THEORY AND TECHNIQUES

  • Coleman, P.G. Aging and Reminiscence Processes: Social and Clinical Implications (John Wiley and Sons, New York. 1986)

  • Conway, Jill Ker. Memory Speaks: Reflections on Autobiographies (L Ny)
    The above referenced book is written by Jill Ker Conway, former President of Smith College. I have not read the book but just saw an hour-long interview of her on C-SPAN. She analyzes various biographies for style and content. Think this might be very interesting for all of you writing memoirs. She is an historian who has focused on the history of American women and history of higher education. Fascinating interview.
    (Elizabeth A. Wright)

  • Daniel, Lois. How to Write Your Own Life Story (Chicago Review Press 1980, Chicago)
    I have found this book very worthwhile because it is comprehensive in its approach.
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Erikson, Erik. Vital Involvement in Old Age (W.W. Norton and Co., New York. 1985)

  • Floyd, Elaine. Creating Family Newsletters
    (Pat Kuessner)

  • Kaufman, Sharon B. The Ageless Self: Sources on Meaning in Late Life (U. of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin. 1986)

  • Mungo, Raymond. Your Autobiography
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Pipher, Mary. Another Country: The Emotional Terrain of Our Elders (1987)
    It is an absolutely wonderful book, very well written and researched. And it brings out the necessity of bridging the gap between generations, with some excellent anecdotes. I've passed the book on to my in-laws, who are also really enjoying it. I can imagine saying to potential clients, "Have you read the book? It emphasizes the importance of family members caring for one another, preserving ties, etc. How better to do that than with a family history?" I hesitate to buy hard cover books, and will usually just go to the library to save the money. But in this case, it was worth the cover price to keep it my collection.
    (Mary R. Garcia; Audrex Galex)

  • Pogredbin, Letty Cottin. Getting Over Getting Older: An Intimate Journey (Little, Brown and Co., New York. 1996)

  • Polking, Kirk. Writing Family Histories and Memoirs (Betterway Books, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1995)
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Reahm, Thelly L. About Life Story Writing
    (P.O. Box 387, Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007-0387 lly@juno.com & http://www.lifestorywriting.net/aboutbok.htm)

  • Roorbach, Bill. Writing Life Stories (L)
    It is full of exercises that can be easily adapted to memoir classes. He uses the creative nonfiction approach to memoir writing and sees it as sub-genre of the personal essay. The book seems to be pitched more at the experienced writer who wants to do a memoir and less at the ordinary one who wants to tell personal stories to family and friends. Anyway, I think it's worth a look.
    (Terry Mullins)

  • Thomas, Frank P. How to Write the Story of Your Life
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Ulrich, Laurel Thatcher. A Midwife's Tale (L Ny)
    Increasingly in historical writing, including biographical works, authors are including more of themselves in the work--without using the fictional style of the so-called "New Journalism." An excellent work that does most effectively is "A Midwife's Tale" by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Ulrich won all sorts of awards for her book, which relates both process she used in doing her research and the story of a Midwife who lived in the late 18th/early 19th century in what is now Maine.
    (Julie Mccullough)

  • Walker, Glen. Create Your Life's Story
    (Bruce Washburn)

  • Zinsser, William. Inventing the Truth: the Art and Craft of Memoir (Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Co., New York. 1998)
    (Bruce Washburn, Elizabeth Wright)

THEORY/MEMORY

THERAPEUTIC STORYTELLING

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