Autobiographies are by far my favourite reading material. Especially autobiographies of people who have worked hard to achieve dreams or make a better life for themselves, or have fought against incredible odds to not only survive, but thrive.
I love hearing other people's stories. I enjoy sitting down over a cuppa and hearing (really HEARING) as others tell me about their journey. I am thinking I am not alone ...
Perhaps that's why reality TV is so popular. It's a view (albeit sometimes a warped one) inside other people's lives.
Blogging is also a snippet into another person's life. As is Instagram, You Tube and Facebook. We're getting to see other people's stories. I guess that's why the most popular social media celebrities are those who are "authentic". We want to hear people's stories, warts and all. We want to get to know people. Understand people. Relate to people. Be inspired by people. Feel for people.
I've been recording episodes of Oprah's "Where Are They Now" on TLC (Foxtel) because I am fascinated by the journeys of others. It's a show that tracks down people who have been interviewed by Oprah at some point over the last 30 years and shows where they've ended up. Yesterday's episode had Rick Springfield (who has suffered depression his entire life), the Village People (who are apparently STILL together and still performing), a woman who sued her husband for giving her AIDS on their honeymoon, a Real Housewife of NYC, some fashion guru who used to work for Vogue and Terry Fator (who is a ventriloquist who won AGT and is now earning $100 million in Vegas).
I do remember hearing once about a TV show on CBS in the USA where they threw a dart at a map of America and the show's host would then go to that town. Once he got there he would go to the nearest phone booth and open up the white pages at a random page and then close his eyes and point to a name to call. The show was called "Everyone has a story" and he would literally land on that person's doorstep to hear their story. Fascinating.
The thing is that most people don't believe they have a story. But we've all come from somewhere and we've all got history. We've all had challenges and we've all had interesting adventures. No matter how big or small.
We've all got a story and it interests me.
I love hearing other people's stories.
Do you?
Yes - I really do. One of the great pleasures of the Mama Creative retreat I held last Saturday was hearing other people's stories. It's also party why I did LifeLine and trained as a psychologist. It's probably why I am a writer too.
ReplyDeleteThe Mama Creative concept sounds fantastic ...
DeleteI too love hearing others stories, so much so that I have started a series on my blog called 'show and tell' to do just that... Bring others stories to life. And it's also why I love blogs so much. Personal stories and connections are so powerful.
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I love bloggy series where people showcase other people
DeleteThis reminds me of when I was studying journalism. One day they sent us out and said find someone and get their story. They gave us an hour. I remember having a fascinating chat with the first random stranger who was prepared to talk to me.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great assignment! So fascinating ...
DeleteI'd love to look up that last show- imagine what you could hear about and who you'd meet! Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI know, right! Totally fascinating.
DeleteI love hearing other people's stories too! Sometimes the stories I hear from people I meet are so interesting and I think that if I read it in a book I wouldn't believe it could have happened! Real lives are so much more interesting than fiction!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree ... greater than fiction
DeleteI do, yes.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I really love Human's of New York. The stories that that man gets out of random people are just incredible, and again and again they prove how connected we all are. He proves the point that stories are a force for good, and that to share is to enrichen all of our lives.
Dani
I'll have to check out Human's of New York, I've not seen that one. I'm onto it now though!
DeleteI do too. I love when bloggers interview others too as I feel like I get to know so many people.
ReplyDeleteMe too Natalie
DeleteYep I love the stories of people, and I think that's why I enjoy blogging so much.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, I don't often pick autobiographies, but the ones I have read have been great.
I'm a huge autobiography fan ... particularly if it's someone I "know"
DeleteI think other people's stories are just as important as our own stories. They offer us so much insight into the world that perhaps without those stories we wouldn't have. I love other people's stories xx
ReplyDeleteThat's so true Josefa
DeleteI definitely think blooging is a bit like reality tv - a little drama, sharing secrets, gossip, humour...
ReplyDeleteI love hearing people's stories too, I especially love hearing the older generation talk about the fun they got up to in their wild years and seeing their faces light up with the memories!
sometimes I think I might be one of those old people! Oh the memories ....
DeleteI absolutely do! I know I have a story and I share bits of it on my blog and I love hearing others too. One of the first things I do when going to a new blog is read the About part of the blog for a bit of insight into the person behind the writing. That show sounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know anyone read the ABOUT column! I had to go and re-read mine! LOL. Might need an upgrade ...
DeleteThis is such a timely post for me. I'm actually reading a non-fiction book for the first time in a very long time. It's the story of a Bandidos insider and how he eventually became a police informant. The account of his involvement with outlaw motorcycle gangs is fascinating. And terrifying. It's one of those books that is impossible to put down. I haven't had one of these in a long time!
ReplyDeleteOoooh. That sounds fascinating! What's it called? I need to put that one on my list
DeleteI love this post, Leanne, and I love learning about other people's lives too. It's fascinating. I'm definitely going to have to check out that Oprah show. On another note, last year I won from you a photography voucher. The family and I are using it this weekend for a photo shoot. I'm ever so grateful to you for running a competition like that. We've never had any professional family photos taken and we're all so excited about it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI was only thinking of you and that photo shoot voucher last week. I was wondering if I'd missed seeing any photos So happy to hear you're using it soon. Share, share, share the results!
DeleteI do love other people's stories too Leanne. Thanks for sharing where you glean yours! I tend to enjoy biographies over most books these days and am currently reading one called From India With Love by Latika Bourke. She's a young Aussie but Indian-born journalist (won a few awards!) I befriended on twitter a while back and when her book came out I just had to read 'her story'
ReplyDeleteOoooh, another good one I might have to look into. Sounds very interesting
DeleteI also love autobiographies and how blogging is like a mini one :)
ReplyDeleteYep, you're right there. This right here is my life story.
DeleteSure do :-).
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteI do too, each person has such a fascinating tale to tell even if they don't think so.
ReplyDeleteSometimes their tales are the most fascinating of all
DeleteAs a journo I've been privy to so many fantastic life stories and they have all helped me create mine in some way.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I get a lot of my "energy" and mindset from the journey's of others
DeleteI'm a former journalist (actually I'm still working at least in part as a journalist). I love people's stories. Always much more fascinating that the colour and crap of politics and crime.
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