Update: Who is writing a memoir?

ByWayne Willis

Update: With the impending Class Colloquium talk by Art Klebanoff, I thought I’d 1) put out a “second call” for those people interested in writing up their personal stories (see below), and 2) see if we might be able to huddle as a group on a zoom call the day before — July 10th.

Harry Forsdick, David Coit, Bruce Bolnick, JP Jordan and two others indicated an interest.  Some others told me orally, but I didn’t write everything down.  So — second call!

I’m offering three possible times on Monday, July 10th — noon, 4:30p and 8p Eastern time.  Please click on this Doodle poll and indicate which hours you are available.  I’ll find the best time and confirm.

If you want to join us, just add your name to the Doodle poll or let me know otherwise.

Wayne Willis, JE ’69
Editor, Yale1969.org

Original Post: 2/13/23:

A few of my contemporaries have written reflections in forms broadly called memoirs or autobiographies.  I suspect some opted for a shorter form of reminiscence — perhaps similar to what our UU Church assigned my youngest for Confirmation: an essay entitled “This I Believe.”

Key question: Should I try to write reflections on my life?

A friend who just finished his memoir after almost three years of work, cautions that the time-cost is significant.  And since none of my kids or grandkids have expressed any interest in hearing my story, the “benefit” of the effort may be as low as the time-cost is high.

So, I’m wondering: “Who among you has written something that would be considered a life-story?”

  • Michael Folz published a detailed reflection on the years from late HS to the end of sophomore year at Yale — 1965 / 1966 / 1967
  • Robert Riehle’s 50th reunion essay reports on his taking a memoir-writing workshop; did he finish? 😉
  • Steve Schwarzman’s What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence was called “part memoir” by John Kerry.
  • I just stumbled over a long, reflective essay by Gerson Sher, A Stranger in a Strange Land.
  • Frank Shorter’s My Marathon, which was discussed in an early Class Colloquium is subtitled “Reflections on a Gold Medal Life”
  • Dennis Drogseth shared some snippets from his “From Another World” on his website.
  • According to legacy.com, Rusty Carnes wrote a memoir called “The Salamander Papers” but I can’t find it online.
  • Chuck Apel, who recently passed away, was the subject of a biographical essay written by a recent Yale student – Through Mem’ry’s Haze.

I suspect more than a handful of classmates have developed a personal place online — a blog or a website — where they [intend to] aggregate items meant to be passed along.  Have you done that?

I’m curious for two purposes.  The first is simple: If something is online already (or we can add it now to Yale1969.org, as we did with 1965 / 1966 / 1967), then classmates can get the benefit of seeing it and reading about people they are close to.

The second purpose is to organize a “zoom huddle” with those who might like to meet with classmates who either have written something or are considering doing so.

So … Action Items:

  1.  If you have written anything that could be considered a memoir, autobiography, “Reflections” or anything that might be a form of written “life story,” please reply to me in complete confidence.  (I won’t publish anything or impose on you without your explicit approval.)
  2. If you would be interested in joining a Zoom discussion among classmates who either have, or want to, write something like this, please reply and ask me to add you to the invitation.  (Extra credit, indicate time zone and time-of-day preferences, as broad as possible.)

Leave a Reply

5 Comments

  2. Hi, Wayne
    Interesting message.
    My three siblings and I (three boys all went to Yale) regret not knowing more about the lives of our parents and grandparents, So, I am writing down “My Stories” for the benefit of my own two boys and their children, should they ever have an interest in knowing more about my life after I am gone.

    I will say that the project has been of significant value to me, even if it fails on its first objective.
    David

  4. Hmm, doesn’t seem to be much interest out there. I appreciate David Coit’s remarks about wanting to know more about one’s parents’ past, younger, selves. And then there is the thought that our kids don’t seem to be interested in our own writing at this point in their lives. Also, you know they are going to throw out any papers and notes that you leave behind. Instead, just leave it all out there in the ether, cloud, whatever. Then maybe some real writer will find it and mine it for any good material.

    I would can the writing project. Thanks for trying.

  5. JP (and any others) – actually there are seven people who have expressed an interest and convergence on 8pm EDT Monday for a zoom huddle to see if there’s a reason to “huddle” thereafter. Obviously, writing “reflections on life” is a solitary task, but there may be areas where understanding the shared experiences of others making the same soitary effort would be helpful. I don’t know. We’ll find out Monday, July 10, 8p EDT / 5p PDT — email me (“support AT Yale1969.org”) for the Zooin link.