An Oral History of Myself #15: Neil Elliott
This is probably one of those interviews where I should keep my mouth shut but you’re my son.
...more
Posts Tagged: the rumpus oral history project
An Oral History of Myself #14: Judy
Things didn’t work out the way my mother wanted.
...more
An Oral History of Myself #13: Mato
I went to a Catholic school. I was a shy kid and got beat up by girls. I would express myself through drawings; that’s how I made friends. So when I transferred to the public school in fifth grade I had this chip on my shoulder.
...moreAn Oral History of Love in Contemporary America: Selections from Us #5
Fred White, Age 86 Mission, Kansas “She was quite a doll and I didn’t want anybody else.” My wife, Helen, and I have been married sixty-five years. I met her in junior high school.
...moreAn Oral History of Love in Contemporary America: Selections from Us #4
Dominic Sclafani, Age 30 Tucson, Arizona “He’s like, ‘She’s going to eat you alive.’ And I go, ‘Yes, I know.’”
...moreAn Oral History of Love in Contemporary America: Selections from Us #3
Betty Anne May, Age 80 Truth or Consequences, New Mexico “That man could turn me on by touching my little fingernail.”
...moreAn Oral History of Love in Contemporary America: Selections from Us #2
Kayla James, Age 5 Bellingham, Washington “He had a lot of cool toys, and I really liked the toys.”
...moreAn Oral History of Love in Contemporary America: Selections from Us #1
Brigitte Aiton, Age 44 New York, New York “How do you deal with the fact that the person you’re with might hate you?” It was the first summer we were together. We were twenty-three years old.
...moreStarting the New Year Off with a Bang
An Oral History of January 1, 1989: Circle Jerks Vs. Skinheads Greg Hetson (guitar, Circle Jerks/Bad Religion): Recently my daughter asked me if any skinheads ever came to Circle Jerks shows. When I told her yes she said, “Don’t they know you’re Jews?” I guess they did, and so I told her this story…
...moreEquinox Oral Histories #2
As part of Daniel Nester’s English 251: Interviews and Oral History class, students took trips down to Equinox, a community services center in downtown Albany, New York, to interview some teenagers and young adults who take part in their Youth Outreach Program. Here are four oral histories from that project:
...moreEquinox Oral Histories: “I Can Do This On My Own”
As part of Daniel Nester’s English 251: Interviews and Oral History class, students took trips down to Equinox, a community services center in downtown Albany, New York, to interview some teenagers and young adults who take part in their Youth Outreach Program. Alfredo R. met Lisa Ashworth on a Friday afternoon. It was the first […]
...moreMy First Kiss: An Oral History
“I have no idea what her name was. Something Polish. It was a girl at a family reunion…” Selections from answers from interviews taken by students for English 251: Interviews and Oral History class at The College of Saint Rose:
...more
An Oral History of Myself #12: Wendi
“Why are you doing these interviews?”
...more
An Oral History of Myself #11: Ashley
I put myself in the group home. I was in the therapist office with my mom and I said, “I give up. I’m not going to try anymore,” meaning getting along with my mom, and he suggested the group home.
...more
An Oral History of Thao Nguyen
It comes down to mental health. I think I have been nuts for the past year and a half or two years because I didn’t have anything rooting me anywhere.
...more
An Oral History of Myself #10: Jenni
I treat people the way I’m treated, with the same respect. I’m not worried about your feelings.
...moreAn Oral History of Myself #9: Joe
In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with and transcribing the interviews, creating a kind of memoir but in other people’s words. This is the ninth interview; you can read the interviews with Roger, John, Dan, Pat, Aaron, Fat Mike, and Mr. Miller. *** Joe – Business Owner I believe I was one of your […]
...moreJeff Buckley and His Band, An Oral History
Jeff Buckley: Having Tim Buckley as my father gave me the parts needed to play music. Even if I went and became a lawyer and someone asked me to sing something, I’d have the parts to sing. But that’s it. It’s not really [Tim Buckley’s] voice that I have – because it wasn’t really his […]
...moreAn Oral History of Myself #8: Mr. Miller
In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with and transcribing the interviews, creating a kind of memoir but in other people’s words. What’s most interesting turns out not so much to be the things we remember differently as the things we remember the same. This is the eighth interview; you can read the interviews […]
...more
An Oral History of Myself #7: Fat Mike
In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with and transcribing the interviews, creating a kind of memoir but in other people’s words.
...moreAn Oral History of Myself #6: Pat
I left home at thirteen and spent a year on the streets, more or less, and four years in group homes. Because of that my social network was significantly wider than average. In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with and transcribing the interviews, creating a kind of memoir but in other people’s […]
...moreShiny, Decadent, and Seedy: A One-Question Interview with Hally McGehean
As a teenager, Hally McGehean was the most glamorous person I knew. When I was seventeen I was in love with her.
...moreAn Oral History of Myself #2: John
In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with. Because I left home at thirteen and spent four years in group homes, my social network was significantly wider than most people of that age. What’s most interesting about these interviews turns out not so much to be the things we remember differently as the […]
...moreAn Oral History of Myself #1: Roger
In 2005 I began interviewing people I grew up with. Because I left home at thirteen and spent four years in group homes, my social network was significantly wider than most people of that age. What’s most interesting about these interviews turns out not so much to be the things we remember differently as the […]
...moreThe Rumpus Oral History Project — Harry Ricker, Alaskan
It is -7º F outside. In his kitchen, Harry makes me tea. He is a broad-shouldered man with a prominent chin and a deep, smooth voice. He has been remodeling this house for the better part of a decade, after expanding the house where his children grew up and his first wife still lives, less […]
...more
How Did It Come to This?
An oral history of May 3, 1987, the day The Butthole Surfers came to Trenton, New Jersey.
...more