Let's do oral history - Practical Guide (Second Edition)

Author: Donald Ritchie
Publisher:
Publication 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 and is an encyclopedic manual on the theory, methods, and practice of oral history. —BookNews, Inc.
It goes far beyond its literal meaning, conveying the author's 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 predict this valuable guide will satisfy many researchers. —Susan Amtchevitch, Washington State University
The author has 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 want to gain knowledge about this increasingly indispensable field of historical research. —Lawrence Levine, George Mason University
Regarding the title Doing Oral History, it is self-explanatory, with the focus on "doing," emphasizing the idea of learning through practice. Therefore, the author meticulously details how to plan, execute, secure funding, observe participants during interviews, protect respondents' copyright, gather useful materials through interview techniques, effectively utilize new technologies, preserve interview records, tapes, and CDs, and how to use oral history, among other aspects. This makes the book an encyclopedic manual on the theory, methods, and practice of oral history.
The book's distinctive feature is its question-and-answer format, which uses numerous real-world examples to answer readers' queries in a relaxed, concise, and accurate manner, guiding practitioners to avoid pitfalls and mistakes. What makes the book particularly successful is that readers will come to realize: everyone can do oral history, and everyone should do oral history.