Monday, January 15, 2007

People love stories. When it comes sharing family history, it's easier to engage an audience through stories than facts alone. Stories engage the emotions and help people visualize their ancestors within a time and place, making the facts more interesting and relevant. But what if you are not among the fortunate few to have stories handed down in the form of a diary, journal, or chain of letters? Melissa Slate, in her article, "From Prose to Form: Making Your Family History Come Alive," offers ideas and suggestions for building a story from what you do know of your ancestor's lives.

Labels: family histories, historical context