Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups

This book describes in great detail the method James Birren has used for over a quarter of a century. It contains very useful and evocative prompts covering major areas of life to use with autobiography groups. Its advice on group organization and facilitation is outstanding, revealing the knowledge, perception, skills and experience of the authors. The tone throughout the book is one of respect and attention to the uniqueness and dignity of all individuals involved, not surprising to any familiar with the career of or personally acquainted with its major author, James Birren.I found that this handbook also provided innumerable aids in facilitating a process similar to Guided Autobiography, "Life Review," for groups in a variety of settings--nursing homes, retreat and senior centers, faith sharing groups and training of counseling and health care professionals. There is nothing important left out from the organization to the implementation of such groups. The insightful and sensitive prompts provided addressing a person's life story have routinely produced rich responses from those involved. While not the major intent of the book, utilizing the process described has not failed to produce group bonding in the groups where it has been used.Particular attention should be paid to the leadership of these groups. Experienced leaders will recognize the wise advice and others will have sound counsel from Birren and Cocharan about the skills needed and pitfalls to be avoided. I highly recommend the book for guided autobiography and other similar groups.

Dr. Birren's book provides an excellent program for telling your life story. Participants in a Guided Autobiography class are stimulated by the sensitizing questions for each of the major life themes of the program. Class members say that the program has helped them to understand their life better and to see life experiences from a different perspective by writing about these past events. I highly recommend this book and urge anyone who would like to leave a legacy for family or friends to join a Guided Autobiography class which uses this book as the main curriculum..

Most personal biographies tend to be glorified laundry lists of chronicled events: schools, marriage, job, children.To break with the boredom of linearity, revered gerontologist James Birren suggests approaching the subject's life from the vantage point of various themes: family, geography, work, spirituality, aspirations . . . the list goes on.Put into context, the talking points of a life take on a resonance that makes them appealing to even non-related readers.Which makes this book a bargain. Better yet, take one of Birren's Guided Autobiography (GAB) trainer's courses and lead a group on a journey through their own lives, looking at them with fresh eyes and discovering who they really are and how they got that way.

I found this book to provide excellent guidance on facilitating a Life Writing course. I had no experience in running a Life Writing Program but with the lesson outlines and other important suggestions included I found my feet very quickly. I have to admit, I adapted some of the lesson plans and put more emphasis on writing exercises which stimulated people's memories, creativity and flow, rather than personal development.The groups I've taught were mainly older people, aged 60 years +, and they seemed to appreciate this focus. The sensitizing questions and weekly topics offered in the book and given out to participants seemed to stimulate a lot of writing and creativity. One of the Senior groups I ran wanted the course to run 24 weeks rather than 12 and has kept meeting (self run) weekly for nearly 18 months. The group is about to publish a book of stories. There also seems to be friendships along with confidence and well developed writing capacity among the participants. After a year some members had written more than 25,000 words on their life story. I suggest reading Gabrielle Rico's book, Writing the Natural Way also, as her writing exercises help people overcome writing blocks and can be incorporated into lessons.

I have used this guide to conduct dozens of interviews and record life histories for future generations. It causes the reader to think about a theme and recall how they lived, thought, felt and decided at the major branching points in their lives. Major branching points is just one of the 8 or 9 themes. Each theme has sensitizing questions to prime the memory and the best part, the questions and theme fit on a single page - so the person recording their life story does not have much preparation before they are richly engaged in telling the story of their life.

I took a GAB class this past spring. The class was based on this book, which gives much good advice regarding how to "get at" our memories and to write them in ways that will be interesting to other family members - and others who know the author. Very good reference book for aspiring writers of memoirs, especially for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

And excellent book by the original professor who started it all. You can be a teacher from this book...but I recommend you take a course from Anita Reyes before you try it.

An inspiring and meticulous Handbook that provides everything you need to know about conducting groups using this proven methodology. Includes "camera-ready" materials for planning, promoting, organizing, and conducting your course -- from the initial news release, to the final session evaluation form. The authors are the originator of the method, James Birren, a giant in the field of gerontology, and an experienced practitioner.

Why only four stars not five? Because in my case the book needs some adaptation to local conditions and translation.