Friday, December 4, 2009

Personal History

My dad will be 90 years old on December 8. To celebrate, we’re having a big party this Sunday, commemorating the milestone with excellent food, good cheer, and even a surprise or two. My brother, a one-time stand-up comedian, will be master of ceremonies at the festivities. Not surprisingly, my contribution will be providing the historical context.


A few years ago, for my parents’ 50th anniversary, I created mini-magazines with pictures, short articles, and even a few puzzles about their life together—no doubt a reflection of my many years as an editor of Scholastic’s classroom magazines. This time, having just completed the back matter for an upcoming book, I decided to apply one of the go-to standards of nonfiction back matter to my dad’s life—the timeline.


Since I wanted this timeline to make a visual statement as well as an emotional one, I started by searching for software that would enable me both to organize events and import pictures. I found a few different programs, designed for business presentation purposes but adaptable for personal use. I took the plunge and bought one, then started working on the content. It turns out that despite knowing my dad for 55 years, I could not pinpoint as many defining moments and turning points as I thought. So I doggedly pursued the details of his life as I had those of Annie Oakley and Nellie Bly before him, poring over scrapbooks and photo albums and turning every visit to my parents’ home into an oral history session.


I learned volumes. For instance, my dad, who helped found one of the biggest accounting firms in New Jersey, got his start in business at age seven, when his older brother “forced” him to sell copies of Collier’s magazine for five cents door-to-door. He turned 13 in the midst of the Great Depression, so he celebrated his Bar Mitzvah with a party at home; he said his best gift was a $2½ gold piece. (Who even knew there was such a thing?) In the 1950s, both of my parents campaigned for Adlai Stevenson; they’ve got a letter signed by Stevenson thanking them for their support and a souvenir ticket to one of his rallies. Later in the decade, my dad continued his commitment to civic affairs by serving on the Citizens Advisory Zoning Committee in our town and the Citizens Planning Association for the area.


When I write biographies, I start with a subject who had an impact on society and use every available resource to try and learn more about who that person was. Working on my dad’s timeline, I went in the opposite direction. For most of my life, I’ve seen my dad from the context of our family, from my particular perspective as his older child, his only daughter. But looking at his accomplishments all mapped out on a colorful timeline helped me get a clear sense of his place in the world beyond our front door. What a great learning experience. What a great man.

7 comments:

Rosalyn Schanzer said...

We must have been related in some previous lifetime because your family sounds a lot like mine with its mini-magazines, puzzles, and comedians. What's scarier, last year I also wrote a 70+ page book about my mom in honor of her 89th birthday, and like you, I filled in a timeline to help myself figure out when she lived in cold (yes, cold) Australia and hot Hollywood, and what-happened-when after her father lent a hand to Clarence Darrow during the Scopes Monkey Trial. Hoo-hah!

Gretchen Woelfle said...

Sounds like it will be a wonderful party. Have a great time!

Melody said...

What an amazing family history project. I'm just finishing up my 86-year-old grandma's personal history, but trust me, it's nowhere near as cool as yours.

Sue Macy said...

Roz: I love timelines to help keep track of historical events, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's software to help with the process. But a 70+-page book--wow! Melody: I'll bet your grandma has led an amazing life. Congratulations on your project. And Gretchen: Thanks. I'm looking forward to the party, and luckily our first snow is supposed to happen tonight, not tomorrow. Should be clear sailing by then.

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Deborah Heiligman said...

Can you give us a quick recap of the party? Did your Dad enjoy it?

Sue Macy said...

It was great and the timeline was a big hit. My dad is bringing it to the office tomorrow for his actual birthday. (Yes, he still works--two days a week; sometimes three during tax season). Thanks for asking.