The Voice of the Past:Oral History

by Paul Thompson

In this revised edition of Paul Thompson's successful book, he traces oral history through its own past and weighs up the recent achievements of this international movement. He challenges myths of historical scholarship and looks at the use of oral sources by the historian. The author offers advice on designing a project; discusses reliability of oral evidence; considers the context of the development of historical writing including it's social function.; and looks at memory, the
self and the use of drama and therapy. This new edition has been substantially revised and updated and includes an expanded discussion of narrative approaches and new technology used in the recording of information.

Reviews from the second edition of Voice of the Past: Oral History

'Paul Thompson is a passionate and convincing crusader in the cause of oral history' The Times Educational Supplement

'It must be rare in modern academic life to replace your own unrivalled book after 10 years with an even better one, but he has done so. His new material on memory and the self, and on drama as therapy, should be read by literary critics in their infancy.' The Independent

'...the first book to combine a theory of oral history, the technical processes involved, and a road map of where oral evidence fits into the landscape of western historiography.' American Historical Review

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Oral History

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Paul Thompson (born 1935) is a British sociologist and oral historian. Prior to his recent retirement, he held the position of Research Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex. Thompson is regarded as a pioneer in social science research, particularly due to the development of life stories and oral history within sociology and social history.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Joseph N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t normally include books from my course, but I found this one so interesting I read the whole thing. Oral history is a fascinating subject-area, and reading this has inspired me to conduct my own interviews at some point in the near future. It is highly readable and the book on oral history I would recommend to anyone approaching the subject.

[Soph Nova · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because of some oral history work I was thinking about doing, and it was informative in the history/theory/practice of oral history; however, it is very much a textbook and took me long time to get through given how dry it is.

[Anon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly idealistically promotes oral history as a 'democratic' form of 'social justice' which can give a voice to those so-called 'ordinary people' marginalised in the historical record.

Interesting on historiographical fashion moving away from oral testimony with Ranke's 'professionalisation' of source-criticism elevating documentary evidence. However, long tradition, spanning Herodotus, Bede, Clarendon, and Michelet re-emerging with social historians c.1900 such as Webb and Mayhew.

Methodological questions raised. Do people filter/edit what they say in an interview scenario? From a psychology perspective, people try to make sense of and cohere their stories, aligning them with broader social/cultural discourses (Halbwachs idea of individual testimony revealing collective memories). Whether therapeutic disputed, but certain examples suggest giving a voice to ppl. can be so: Kleinman 'Illness Narratives' (1988), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa (1997-9), 'Shoah' (1985).

Really interesting, current, important examples. For instance, testimony of the Holocaust. 'Final Account' (2020) by Luke Holland [after book's publication] touches on many of the issues. People trying to reconcile their roles in the Holocaust (just following orders, would be in danger if didn't; never a Nazi; not their problem etc.).

Difference between journalism and oral history unclear: Piers Morgan's 'Life Stories' or Kugan Cassius from IFL TV oral history? Surely yes.

Interesting bits and pieces such as 'nine-tenths of those running Indian restaurants in Britain com[ing] from the single town of Sylhet in the Ganges delta' (probably wouldn't know without oral history).

[scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely a joyful read. openly Socialist (writing in the late 1970's), the book champions a field of historical/qualitative enquiry which can allow the researcher to give voice to those who have traditionally been silenced or muffled by the dominant sectors of society.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The saving grace of this topic when I had to study it

[Phoenix2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

very helpfull and interesting

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manual minucioso da prática da história oral, desde as entrevistas até à produção de textos historiográficos, de acordo com o pressuposto de que a metodologia é válida para o conhecimento histórico dos acontecimentos e fenómenos históricos que fogem aos documentos escritos.

«Oral history gives history back to the people in their own words. And in giving a past, it also helps them towards a future of their own making», p.308

[Joel Belliveau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic and a guide, combining depth and practical pointers.