Let's do oral history: A Practical Guide: Second Edition

Author: Rich Wang Zhizhi, Yao Li (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: For anyone involved in oral history—whether as an interviewer, respondent, or user—this book is essential. —Arthur Schlesinger Jr., City University of New York Graduate Center
This book is based on the revised professional standards and principles of the Oral History Association of America and is an encyclopedic manual on oral history theory, methodology, and practice. —BookNews, Inc.
This book goes far beyond its literal meaning; it conveys the authors' passion for oral history. Placed in its social and professional context, it will inspire both novices and experts. —American Archivist
This is a well-structured, comprehensive, fluent, approachable, and informative book. I am confident that many researchers will find this valuable guide deeply satisfying. —Susan Amtchevitch, Washington State University
The authors have presented us with a highly comprehensive, influential, and engaging introduction to oral history. It will serve as a fundamental guide for students and scholars planning to apply oral history, as well as an important resource for readers who simply wish to gain knowledge about this increasingly indispensable field of historical research. —Lawrence Levine, George Mason University
Regarding the book title Doing Oral History, the title speaks for itself, with the focus centered on "doing," emphasizing the idea of learning through practice. Therefore, the authors provide meticulous guidance on how to plan oral history projects, how to act, how to secure funding, how to observe and interpret during interviews, how to protect interviewees' copyright, how interviewers can gather useful information through techniques, how to effectively leverage new technologies, how to preserve interview records, tapes, and CDs, and how to utilize oral history. This makes the book an encyclopedic manual on oral history theory, methodology, and practice.
A distinctive feature of this book is its question-and-answer format, which uses numerous real-world examples to address readers' queries in a relaxed, concise, and accurate manner, guiding practitioners to avoid pitfalls and mistakes. What makes this book particularly successful is that readers will come to realize: anyone can do oral history, and everyone should do oral history.