A Mobile-area author known for encouraging families to preserve their own stories will visit Spring Hill College this week to talk about the craft of memoir writing and why he believes every family has a book worth writing.
Dale Kueter, author of “The Smell of the Soil: Writing Your Stories,” will speak Thursday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Stewartfield on the Spring Hill College campus, 4000 Dauphin St. A question-and-answer session will follow his remarks, and copies of his book will be available for purchase.
Kueter’s book is part memoir and part how-to guide. Each chapter pairs a personal story with a writing prompt, an approach designed to help readers move from simply reading about the past to recording their own family histories. Rather than positioning the book solely as an account of his own life, Kueter built it to function as a springboard for other writers, encouraging readers to use his stories as a model for capturing their own.
“The importance of recording the stories of all the people in one’s life … is a step beyond the normal genealogical process,” Kueter has written. “What could be more precious to preserve than the stories that comprise your family’s life? What greater gift could you give to your family than a book of family stories?”
That philosophy has resonated with readers who are increasingly interested in genealogy and family history but often find that names, dates and family trees only tell part of the story. Kueter’s approach argues that the anecdotes, habits and voices of relatives are just as essential to preserve as the bare facts of when and where they lived.
Thursday’s program is being presented by the Friends of Spring Hill College Library, a support group that hosts author talks and literary events throughout the year to benefit the campus library. Admission to the discussion is free for Friends members, and a donation is suggested for those who are not members.
The event offers local residents interested in genealogy, family history or personal writing a chance to hear firsthand how one author turned decades of family memories into a published guide for others to do the same.
Those with questions about Thursday’s program can contact Julie Kraft at 251-380-2284.