Writing Family Histories and Memoirs (Paperback)

by Kirk Polking (Author) "The book you write can take many forms and you will find numerous examples in this handbook to help you decide on your own focus..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, World War, Writer's Digest (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Whether you want to whip up a light and fluffy story of your family for the next holiday gathering, or craft the world's greatest novel by drawing upon your personal and family history, this is a very practical writing guide appropriate for experienced writers and complete novices alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books; 1st edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558703942
• ISBN-13: 978-1558703940
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #718,965 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Wish, May 2, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Indianola, Iowa) - See all my reviews

I wish I had written this book. It is balanced and complete. I discovered it only after I had self-published a much smaller and simpler guide to writing family stories. Where my brief encouragement to older family members is intended to give them the confidence to write, Kirk Polking's 250-page summary will help even a seasoned writer in putting the family histories and memoirs on paper. My only reservation in recommending the book is that it definitely is not for the beginning writer. The writing examples are excellent and demonstrate her points well. However, one must assume that the would-be writer is well-versed in the rules of English usage and familiar with the finer concepts such as voice and tone.

I had intended to write a second guide to help my new storywriters in fine-tuning their actual writing content and individual writing stye. That is already covered quite well in Chapter 15, Self Editing Your FInal Manusctript. I especially appreciate the Twenty Rules for Good Writing, which Polking attributes to the Writer's Digest School, which she once directed.

My third book would have been intended for the more sophisticated taste and style of a good writer; exactly what Kirk Polking's manual has done for us. That is why I envy her accomplishment.

I recommend the book as a fine reference at a fair price.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good approaches to writing interestingly about your family., December 15, 2003

By A Customer

I found this book extremely well-written, the American English, fluid and entertainly written, the contents structured for ease of use, the contents clear, succinct and in depth. It is filled with very helpful tips and outstanding quoted examples of family histories, biographical sketches and memoirs, showing how your genealogical research, your family stories and tales, and your raw family statistics can be assembled to showcase your family.
Kirk Polking, the former editor of Writer's Digest and former director of Writer's Digest School, demonstrates with her own skillful writing just how to write informatively and to be engaging at the same time.
I recommend the book highly. It can be easily obtained through the Amazon Marketplace at very reasonable prices.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of samples, but not much else, October 17, 2002

By A Customer

The author included lots of excerpts from different family histories - but didn't have much information about how to do the background research, how to organize your records or how to craft stories out of a pile of dates and other records. I didn't find the book particularly useful.