Project Keepsake: An Anthology

by Amber Lanier Nagle (Editor)

Fascinating personal histories are revealed through the stories of cherished objects, in this anthology celebrating the meaningful mementos of our lives.

Amber Lanier Nagle has always been interested in keepsakes, whether her own or those she encounters in her friends’ homes. Seemingly ordinary items—a glass bluebird, a pocketknife, a dime-store locket, a faded fishing lure, a dented cake pan, a model train car—become priceless treasures when their stories are uncovered. In Project Keepsake , Nagle collects the tales of these objects and their beloved memories from contributors near and far.

“Why do you keep this?” Nagle asks. “Where did it come from?” And then she listens as the stories pour out. Told in first-person by both seasoned and aspiring writers, every essay in the anthology is unique—yet each reveals common threads that connect us all and celebrate the glorious human experience.

294 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2014

Reviews

[Jeanie Loiacono · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of us who cherish the smallest of things, found, given or inherited, Project Keepsake validates our desires and feelings. As I read the stories, I thought of all the little “keepsakes” I have stored away; items that only have meaning to me, even though I hope they will someday for my children and grandchildren. Regardless, they are in a safe place. Some on display and others in storage, each one has a story behind them. Thank you, Amber, for letting me know that they matter.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are fifty-five short keepsake stories in the collection. Each essay describes a keepsake—a quilt, a pocket knife, a ring, a hat, a cake pan, etc.—then reveals the history and memories associated with the keepsake. Project Keepsake provides a storytelling outlet for people to celebrate the keepsakes, heirlooms, and souvenirs that bind them to powerful memories of people, places, and life events.

I love Project Keepsake, but then again, I'm somewhat biased. I wrote two of the stories in the collection ("Herman's Brown Buckeyes" and "The Old Singer Sewing Machine"), the introduction, and a chapter at the end about crafting keepsake stories. Many other gifted writers contributed stories including Wayne Minshew, Francine Fuqua, Coleen Brooks, Renea Winchester, Janie Dempsey Watts, Barbara Tucker, Estelle Rodis-Brown, Karen Phillips, Sharon Huey, Jane Starner, Dana Cooley-Keith, Bob Wright, Jean Lowrey, Dot McCrory, and Marcia Swearingen.

[Ray Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done. Each keepsake launches a unique story.