| A book of your grandparent's memories can provide | | | | enjoy knowing, such as where he or she was born, |
| you with a family heirloom that both current and | | | | grew up, went to school, got married, etc.,it is a |
| future generations will enjoy and be grateful for. Here | | | | person's perspective on life that makes him or her |
| are some tips to get you started. | | | | unique, and will make your grandparent more of a |
| Gather Your Information | | | | "real person" to the readers of your memory book. |
| One of the more popular ways to put together a | | | | Photographs |
| grandparent's memory book is to ask specific | | | | You will, of course, want to include some great |
| questions and have your grandparent answer them. | | | | photographs in your memory book. You can simply |
| You can to this in several ways, such as simply | | | | pore through any photo albums your grandparent |
| putting 2-3 questions on each page and wither having | | | | has, and find the best ones to include in your book. |
| the grandparent write or type the answers in | | | | You can also collect some from friends and family |
| themselves, or to conduct a taped interview and | | | | members that are especially fun or high quality. Scan |
| transcribe the answers yourself. Unless your | | | | the photos into your computer and intersperse them |
| grandparent is a writer by nature, the latter method | | | | throughout your document along with some captions. |
| is more likely to get you more material to work with, | | | | Another thought is to use photographs during your |
| and the spoken answers can lead in interesting | | | | interview. You can show your grandparent a photo |
| directions that you may not have anticipated. Long | | | | and have him or her tell what they remember about |
| story short (as it were), in general, people speak | | | | that moment, then include both the photo and the |
| more freely than they write so it is probably worth | | | | comments in your book. |
| to do an interview rather than a questionnaire. | | | | Printing and Binding |
| When you do your interview, you will of course want | | | | You should use the best printing method that you |
| to have a list of questions prepared, but you should | | | | can afford, such as digital laser printing. When it |
| also be ready to go wherever the answers lead you. | | | | comes to putting the book together, you will have to |
| If you hear something interesting in one of the | | | | think about how many copies you want and how |
| answers, follow it up. | | | | you want to distribute them among family members, |
| You can start your line of questioning in chronological | | | | or whether you simply want one copy that you can |
| order (starting at your grandparent's earliest memory | | | | pass around. |
| and progressing from there) or you can start with a | | | | If you choose to make several copies, it may be |
| major event and work outward from there. | | | | worth your while to investigate having your own |
| Whatever you do, keep in mind that period-specific | | | | thermal binding machine. This is the kind of machine |
| details will provide depth and color to your | | | | that makes hardcover and softcover books and they |
| grandparent's story. | | | | are extremely affordable and incredibly easy to use. |
| Everyone's life contains twists and turns that were | | | | Take a look around online or ask your local print shop |
| not expected. While you should make sure to include | | | | about your options. |
| the basic information that future generations will | | | | |