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Misremembering and morphed oral histories create fantastic tales that hold great importance to families. In those families, new generations learn, relearn, and retell these histories so that they become tales of what could have been even if they weren’t. Such … Continue reading
The poetry collection that changed my life is Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island Of The Mind. I read it cover to cover as a lost and naive undergrad. While the poems didn’t help with the confusion–in fact, they confused me … Continue reading
I have been to Coney Island three times. Now that I have a boyfriend who grew up in Brooklyn and lives ten minutes from it, I’m sure I’ll be there many more times. As the concept of nostalgia has arisen several … Continue reading
The media of 1883 is not much different from the media of today. The difference is the internet and rampant tabloids. The similarity is the ability to inflate and skew public perception, and to create a brighter picture of any … Continue reading
Ssmith asked, “have you experienced an altered or ‘constructed’ memory of a place that surprised you upon return after a long absence?” during last week’s discussion of David Thelen. Budd Shulberg is a storyteller; in the film, On The Waterfront, … Continue reading
Storytelling is a tradition in many if not all cultures. It develops customs, rituals, and a sense of belonging. Stories teach and entertain. Oral history also can change because in telling and retelling, facts fade, opinions enter, story tellers incorporate … Continue reading
During a reading in Denver, CO, poet Gary Snyder remarked, “You don’t have to understand architecture to walk into a building.” That struck me as fascinating and truthful. No one needs to completely understand engineering, carpentry, or craftsmanship to be … Continue reading