Quote:
Originally Posted by bhartman36
I think that's almost right. I think a lot more people have stories worth telling than have the ability or inclination to write them. However, I'm not sure all of those people lead lives that would be interesting to read about.  |
I don't know. I don't think it has to be their life story, per se. Everyone I've ever talked to at length has had
something in their life that I've found interesting enough to want to know more. And it doesn't have to be
universally interesting -- in reality, how many books are?
People are fascinating to me. I believe there really is a story in everyone. You may have to dig deep, get uncomfortable even, but I think it's there.
Have you ever looked at old family photos and came across one that made you think, "Woah, what the heck is going on there??" It's like that - you stumble across something about a person that opens the door to a view of their experience. It's unique to them, a snapshot of a life, something that can be shared but not recreated. It's the closest any of us will ever get to knowing what it's like to be someone else.
Unfortunately, many biographies are far too dry to capture the essence of the person they are about, and many autobiographies are sensationalist hooey. I'm far more interested in people like Bill, an older gentleman I used to work with. He was full of stories once prodded in the right direction. Train rides across the country, road trips with questionable folks he'd just met, women who turned his life upside down, activities I can't mention in polite company... Were they all true? I don't think it matters, because they were still his stories, they still came from him, and even if he didn't experience them, his real experiences shaped the man who created those stories.