Life story recording at home in Glen Ridge, NJ

The house and the life

A good starting point in Glen Ridge is often the house itself. When did you buy it? What did it look like? Who lived next door then? From there the stories usually open up: the kids growing up, the neighbors who became friends, the year the basement flooded.

Glen Ridge has kept a lot of its history visible. The historic district, the gas lamps on the side streets, the old Benson Street and Glen Ridge train stations. Long before any of that, the Glen along Toney's Brook was a little industrial strip with water-powered mills. Those details often spark memories of what the town was like decades ago.

How sessions go

It feels more like talking with a curious friend than being interviewed. The storyteller starts easy and follows the thread. If your parent drifts into a story about the old commute into the city or the first car they owned, that's the good stuff, and the storyteller lets it run.

Most families do several sessions, each with a loose theme: growing up, work, marriage, raising a family in Glen Ridge, advice for grandchildren. A 1.5 hour session is a good length.

It helps to have a few things nearby: a photo album, a wedding picture, a letter, a medal from the service. Objects give people a place to start, and the stories behind them are often the ones the family has never heard.

Audio, film or a book

Storytellers differ. Some record audio, which is simple and unobtrusive. Some bring a video camera and lights and help make a short film, which is lovely in a house with this much character. Others help turn the conversations into a printed book with photos from the family albums.

Look at what each pro offers on their profile, and message them before booking to ask what the finished piece looks like and when you'll get it.

Booking for your parent

Storytellers set their own rate between $50 and $150 an hour. Many families book four weeks at the same time, which suits a project with a clear end. If you're far away, send the storyteller questions you want asked, and read the note they write after each visit to follow along. Gift cards from $50 make this a good present from siblings who want to chip in together.

Pick the time of day your parent feels sharpest. For many people that's mid-morning, after breakfast and before lunch. A rested conversation is a better recording.