StoryCorps: Everyone has a story to tell
Mark K May 7th, 2008
The original StoryCorps booth, pictured here, is in Grand Central Terminal in New York. The idea behind StoryCorps is that regular, everyday people have compelling stories to tell, that we will find wisdom, wonder and poetry in these stories, that our lives matter and won’t be forgotten, and that listening is an act of love.
During a recent visit to New York, I was able to make an appointment at the StoryCorps booth and tried to persuade one of my family members to be my interview subject. Finally my two sisters-in-law, Hilde and Francia, agreed to participate, but only if they could be the ones asking the questions.
At the end of the recording session, you are given a recorded copy and a second copy is preserved at the Library of Congress. To find out more about StoryCorps, and how you can participate, visit their website, or read the book Listening Is an Act of Love.
Here is an edited version of the interview. It’s kind of a companion piece to my six-word memoir: Left smalltown, saw brightlights. Still blinking.
- musings
- Comments(4)
That was fun. How much longer is the original tape? How did you feel being interviewed?
lp
The original tape is about 22 minutes long. I think that you’re allowed up to 40 minutes. I was the one being interviewed only because I couldn’t persuade anyone else to be the “storyteller” so I was kind of self-conscious about doing all of the talking. Once I started talking, it wasn’t too bad and I didn’t find it too difficult to keep the story moving forward. There was a bit of cringing involved when I listened to the CD with all of the um’s and voice cracking and missing details from the stories. As with most things, it was a matter of taking the plunge and trying something new and finding out that it really wasn’t that hard after all.
Good stuff Mark. Very cool to hear your memories of the trip you took to New York as a teen and comparing those to life in Orland. Wasn’t that the same trip where you saw some kids swimming in the Hudson River or something like that and mom was so horrified? Reminds me of when mom and dad took me to Philadelphia in 1976 when I was 12 and we went to I believe Betsy Ross’ house and there were a bunch of local city kids there on field trips. I remember they were climbing into this fountain and removing the coins and that there was another kid with a small open pocket knife tucked into his afro. Quite a shock for a small town boy like me.
I was also impressed by the list of all the books and movies you’ve discussed and the themes you’ve come up with for each of them. I’m curious what you ended up thinking of The Kite Runner movie. I never read the book, but I thought the movie was excellent—especially the way the father was portrayed. I watched it 2 times, which is unheard of for me.
Yes, we took a boat trip around Manhattan and there were kids jumping off the piers into the river. As I recall they were wearing their underwear as they bravely plunged into what seemed like very polluted water. Then somewhere up around the tip of the island there was a rock outcropping and it seems like they were jumping from quite a height in order to impress us tourists on the boat.
I love the story about the Philadelphia kids wading in the fountain for spare change and can just picture the kid with the knife in his hair!
I have not seen the Kite Runner movie yet. I loved the book, but have heard that some people objected to some of the content of the movie.