Alexis > Recent Status Updates

I have enjoyed all of the folklore but the best thing they give to history is the want to know more! As I have been reading these stories I have been thirsting for more knowledge about the stories origins and if there were more documents to support them. I remember a story my dad told about a group of train robbers that stashed their gold behind my grandparents ranch, I always wanted to do more research on it!

I really enjoyed reading the cowboy folktales! They reminded me of my grandpa and his stories about his life growing up and living on a ranch. Especially the first story about horses. Horses always seem to have a major role in cowboy folktales.

I really enjoyed reading the cowboy folktales! They reminded me of my grandpa and his stories about his life growing up and living on a ranch.

I really enjoyed the examples the authors provided throughout the book. The Chinese Oral History Project at the end was a great example of a complete project and that the end result had an impact on its community. Even though our oral histories will be on a smaller scale I still hope that they can have a lasting effect on future generations!

I really enjoyed on page 23 the authors talk about using photographs and artifacts in helping an oral history in broadcasting to a broader audience. I really love this idea and wish I would have used it in previous projects. Something to keep in mind since we have a 5 min. video to produce is photographs always spice it up.

I loved that Mercier gave a short definition of community on the first page. In Dr. Jessica Clark's, History of Women in the American West, last semester we discussed community and its definition discussing its similarities with identity. Communities really can be a diverse group of people. I am excited to see everyone's topics and the communities they have chosen to help preserve!

I really like a part in Chapter 9 when he talks about one of his fondest memories from school was listening to his teacher read different stories to him. Some of my strongest childhood memories also have a book related to them.

The story about the mayor and the different ways the mines came into existence is a really fascinating history to Rock Springs. Mostly everything I've learned is a new perspective to Rock Springs. I especially love the pictures that are inserted.

Chapter four left my head reeling with all the numbers and little unique facts about the begging of Blairtown and Rock Springs. I just kept thinking about all the research involved in almost three pages. WOW.

Does anyone get the phrase "coals to Newcastle"? Sorry i'm stuck on it.

I loved the epilogue as White ties together memory and history as helpers to one another. It develops a stronger bond after reading his book with a side by side comparison.

I feel like White does a great job of evaluating his mother's memories and using history to complete them or give an educated guess of the possibilities that were happening in the past

An important part he writes about in part II is documents being just as flawed as human memory. Documents are made by humans and therefore are potentially false. While he settles himself into the history of the story, he also can not ignore the value of memories.

In the last chapter of part I, White begins to say goodbye to Ireland. Sara's memories of her innocence and childhood are beginning to end. White sets up the book to begin Sara's emigration into America.

The 14th chapter illuminates Sara's understanding of America. While she acknowledges her family and neighbors leaving for America, she tries to remain untouched by emigration. However, her memory seems to contradict herself in revealing a drunken neighbor returned and her thought process of the next to go.

Chapter 13 White gives Sara's working background. Like many children during her time she had to work to help her family. Her memories shape work as a harsh reality with mean employers. Yet also he writes in the chapter of the fact that Sara is growing older; as she starts showing interest in boys.

White writes about school for his mother in Ireland. Sara was given a new name after Ireland gained its independence. This chapter reminds me of assimilation. Except kind of in an opposite way. The new government of Ireland teaches its citizens to become more Irish. The chapter becomes more illuminating of Ireland and Sara's memories.

Chapter 11 bring to life Sara's childhood. White uses memory and facts to introduce social status, religion, and sex. Sara grew up in a harsh world that did not sugar coat her realities.

I am perplexed by the three stories told in chapter 10. White gives examples of stories of love lost and fortunes gained through marriage. Then the story of Sara's own mother ignites new knowledge of the families beginnings. At the end of the story White reflects on our memories changing as our lives change which is a strong idea; while dealing with memories. The last one brings questions of offense and the story.

Chapter 9 was all about comparing Ireland to America and reverse. Some of the points of view came from Sara but most seemed more of a generalization. This chapter also highlights Sara's adult relations examples growing up.

Chapter 8 paints a dreary picture of Ireland in the early 1900s. The burden of crop failure and rent turned many to emigration, setting up Jack's departure to America. White did a wonderful job of setting up the hopelessness and need for a person to leave home and find a place with more opportunity to keep his land.

Chapter 7 was a different kind of chapter. I was surprised that White put fairies and emigration into one chapter. Though his explanation smoothed out his thoughts. The part that really stuck out to me, however, was White's explanation of Jack's leaving. There is an assumption of people migrating to America for better things. Not coming to America to save the things back home. It gave me a thinking session.

Finally in Chapter 6 White reveals his bias that he will be sticking with his historian profession and while respecting the memories. I really enjoyed his description of stories changing from each generation to fit in with the times. His use of the archives brought me joy! I can only imagine the excitement he felt finding the stories from the children's point of view to add to his research.

In chapter 5 White digs up facts from his mothers stories to compare and contrast her stories with history. His style of writing tends to keep in check that history is more than just the facts. Like Sara, each person decides our history.

I enjoyed the way white turned the fourth chapter into a deeper look at Ireland's facts and history in contrast to his families. Mary reminds me of my own relatives and their stories. This sets my mind to wondering about the history of my memories and the history or facts of others. Memory and facts have a way of not matching and making new understanding come to light.

In the third chapter, White explains if memories are not shared they will die out with the generation that experienced them. The lack of recording, in any form, ensures their death. White also begins to introduce pieces of Irish history along with memories from his family members.

After setting the place and frame of mind of Ahanagran White then begins to introduce his mother. Starting with her birth he delves into the history, memory, and facts. White reminds all of us that our birth will never be a memory for us but a secondhand story told to us by others.