36 Books to Help with Ideas About Interview Questions

  
 Project: Oral History has many helps in the guide that can help anyone prepare for an interview. The following 36 books have ideas on how to interview as well as many questions to ask. Any memoir question can be turned into an interview question. Click here to go to the Project: Oral History Guide.

1. Alessi, Jean, and Jan Miller. Once Upon A Memory Your Family Tales and Treasures. White Hall: Betterway Publications, Inc., 1987.
   
2.  Barnickel, Linda. Oral History for the Family Historian A Basic Guide. United States of America: Oral History Association, 2006.  
3.   Baum, Willa K. Transcribing and Editing Oral History. Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, 1977.
4. Biagi, Shirley. Interviews That Work, 2nd ed. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1992.
5. Brady, John. The Craft of Interviewing. New York: Random House Inc., 1976. 
6. Burley-Allen, Madelyn. Listening The Forgotten Skill, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995.
7. Case, Patricia Ann. How to Write Your Autobiography. Santa Barbara: Woodbridge Press Publishing Company, 1977. 
8. Cecilia, Minden, and Kate Roth. How to Write an Interview. Ann Arbor: Cherry Lake Publishing, 2011. 
9. Chapin, Alice. Reaching Back A workbook for recording your life's most meaningful moments to share with future generations. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 1997. 
10. Daniel, Lois. How to Write Your Own Life Story The Classic Guide for the Nonprofessional Writer, 4th ed. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, Inc., 1997. 
11. Davis, Donald. Telling Your Own Stories for Family and Classroom Storytelling, Public Speaking, and Personal Journaling. Little Rock: August House Publishers, Inc., 1993. 
12. DeBlasio, Donna M., Charles F. Ganzert, David H. Mould, Stephen H. Paschen, and Howard L. Sacks. Catching Stories A Practical Guide to Oral History. Athens: Ohio University Press, 2009.
13. Flekke, Mary M. Telling Our Stories Oral and Family History A Bilbiography, 5th ed. Westminster: Heritage Books, 2011. 
14. Fletcher, William. Recording Your Family History. Berkley: Ten Speed Press, 1989. 
15. Gawthorpe, Ann. How To Write Your Life Story. USA: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2009. 
16. Gorden, Raymond L. Interviewing strategy, techniques, and tactics. Homewood: The Dorsey Press, 1969. 
17. Greene, Bob, and D.G. Fulford. To Our Children's Children Journal of Family Memories. New York: Doubleday, 1998.
18.  —To Our Children's Children Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come. New York: Doubleday, 1993. 
19. Hart, Cynthia, and Lisa Samson. The Oral History Workshop. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 2009. 
20. LoVerde, Mary. Touching Tomorrow How to Interview Your Loved Ones to Capture a Lifetime of Memories on Video or Audio. New York: Fireside, 2000.
21. Metzler, Ken. Creative Interviewing The Writer's Guide to Gathering Information by Asking Questions. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1977. 
22.  — Creative Interviewing The Writer's Guide to Gathering Information by Asking Questions, 3rd ed. USA: Allyn and Bacon, 1997.
23.  Mungo, Ray. Your Autobiography More Than 300 Questions to Help You Write Your Personal History. New York: Collier Books, 1994. 
24.  Neuenschwander, John A. A Guide to Oral History and the Law. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 
25. Pavuk, Pamela, and Stephen Pavuk. The Story of a Lifetime A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs. USA: TriAngel Publishers, Inc., 1997. 
26. Pengra, Nancy. Family Histories An easy, step-by-step guide to capturing your family's precious memories NOW . . . before they're lost! St. Paul: Family Histories, 1995. 
27. Ritchie, Donald A. Doing Oral History A Practical Guide, 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. 
28. Rosenbluth, Vera. Keeping Family Stories Alive Discovering & Recording The Stories & Reflections of a Lifetime, 2nd ed. United States of America: Hartley & Marks Publishers, Inc., 1997. 
29. Shumway, Gary L., and William G. Hartley. An Oral History Primer. Salt Lake City: Primer Publications, 1973.
30. Spence, Linda. Legacy A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Personal History. Athens: Swallow Press, 1997. 
31. St. Denis, Louise. Ask Lots of Questions, Get Lots of Answers. Canada: Heritage Productions, 2002. 
32. Thurston, Dawn, and Morris Thurston. Breathe Life Into Your Life Story. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2007. 
33. Williams, Patricia A. Once Upon a Lifetime . . . Take time to record the stories of your life. Canada: The Time Broker, Inc., 1996. 
34. Wood, Linda P. Oral History Projects in Your Classroom. United States of America: Oral History Association, 2001. 
35. Zimmerman, Bill. A Book of Questions A Playful Journal to Keep Thoughts & Feelings. Naperville: Sourcebooks, 1997. 
36. — How to Tape Instant Oral Biographies Capture Your Family's Living History for Future Generations. Cinncinati: Betterway Books, 1999.
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Is there another book that has helped you with interview questions? 

Please comment on the book and how it helped you.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative Nonfiction is actually a type of genre that uses the same principles as fiction. The books pictured delve into the specific techniques involved. Writing is a learned art, and in my opinion, anyone can do it. Writer's Digest is an excellent place to start. They offer all sorts of online workshops including grammar courses. They also published a series of books called "Write Great Fiction." The titles seen above are Plot & Structure; Description & Setting; Dialogue; Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint; and Revision & Self-Editing.

What wonderful resources for learning how to write interesting, captivating histories. In addition to this great series is another instructing about techniques for compelling story writing called Elements of Fiction Writing. It is also published by Writer's Digest.

Highland Daughters of Utah Pioneers Cabin

Highland DUP Cabin

by Donna Kitchen

Located at 10400 N. in Heritage Park, Highland, Utah

            This one-room log cabin was built sometime between 1890 and 1896 by Harry Saville, who also constructed an adobe addition to the cabin.  It was located at 10380 N. 6800 W. in Highland (across the street from what is now Freedom Elementary School.)  In 1912, Rufus J. and Alice May Stice purchased the property, where they lived with their family.  When their son, Boyd, was married in 1927, he and his wife, Louise, took possession of the cabin and raised their three girls there.  In 1953 they moved into a new home that they had built next door. 

            After Boyd died, Louise decided to sell the property and to demolish their old home.  It was at that time that it became apparent that they had been living in a log cabin.  The Utah State Historical Society verified that it is the oldest known home still surviving in Highland.  The Stices donated the cabin to the Highland DUP Camp, who had the cabin moved to its current location in May 1991.  The DUP raised donations for the restoration of the cabin. 

            The Cabin is open on Highland Fling Day and National Museum Day, as well as by appointment.  Families, scout and church groups, and school groups are encouraged to call for an appointment, as well as anyone else interested in viewing the inside of the cabin.  Please call Donna Kitchen at 801-756-6579 for an appointment.

Announcing Project: Oral History

Click here to go to Project: Oral History Guide

Did you know that one of Utah’s greatest historical records is right in your neighborhood? And did you know that this record is at risk of being lost? This record is the oral histories of our family and neighbors. Project: Oral History seeks to preserve the vast experiences of Alpine and Highland residents, both current and prior and their families, as well as businesses before they are lost. Everyone has a story to tell, a perspective to share, and a unique history to explore.

            The Daughters of Utah Pioneers Utah North Company is the facilitating entity for Project: Oral History. Our goal with this project is to preserve the oral history of our community, before it is too late. We present this project with the backing of the Boy Scouts of America Utah National Parks Council, Brigham Young University Special Collections as the Repository, and International Daughters of Utah Pioneers. We are encouraging all churches, residents, businesses, schools—basically the entire community to join in Project: Oral History. 

Young men can interview neighbors, employees, or even their own relatives as Eagle Scout Projects or service hours. Some sample ideas for projects are found in the guide. Young women can use the program the same as an Eagle Scout would and have it count as Young Women Personal Progress Projects. Primary children, school age children K-12, and adults can also learn how to interview, conduct interviews, and transcribe for their own personal history projects or intergenerational projects. 

Open to all ages.