True stories of everyday people

Listen Now

Choose an Episode or Category:

Ellen Marcy Rosenthal

Ellen Rosenthal tells of researching the history of her great-grandfather, Maurice Rosenthal, a Jewish peddler during the 1880’s; a challenging time for families living in the tenement apartments of New York City.

Megan McKinney Cooper

Megan McKinney Cooper tells how In the late 70’s after her parents’ divorce, her mother earned an MBA, moved the family to San Francisco, and she and her brother became “Latch Key Kids.”

Sally Jane Perkins

Reflecting on her path to professional storytelling, Sally Perkins tells of preparing to tell a flannel graph story at church, before she knew how to read, at the age of five! She has been telling stories in public ever since.

Richard Claude Libert

Richard Libert tells of working as attorney in New York City and finding an outlet for his love of performing music. He met Pete Seeger, began singing in a group at coffee houses, then joined forces with his friend Andy with whom he recorded and performed for several...

George Glenn Bartley

In his youth during the 1960’s George Bartley, a big fan of musicals, got to see Bette Midler in a broadway musical. Years later he got a chance to meet her and experience her good sense of humor.

Carol Bussell

Born in New York, Carol Bussell is a professor at IUPUI who uses stories in her teaching. She came to her Life Stories intervew with family artifacts, journals, diaries, photos, and most importantly books!

Elaine Marie Eckhart

Elaine grew up working in the family business, an old fashioned pharmacy. She learned a great deal about running a small business and developed a deep appreciation for her father’s skilled ways with people and chemistry.