Stories - Life Stories
Stories 938 Interviews 54
Our stories are about how people make sense of their own lives, how they can shed light on our lives, and how we are connected to one another, to history, and to the larger human story.
Responding to Holocaust denial and focusing on education instead
Family losses and parents' emphasis on education and professional achievement
Language barriers and on-the-job learning at the reference desk
Frederick Douglass's early life and path to self-emancipation
Young women's lack of awareness of hard-won feminist progress
Founders' vision and motivations for establishing the New York Public Library
Response to book banning and the importance of literacy for young people
Empowering patients through the Breast Book
Political awareness, mathematics, and the decision to pursue law
The educational value of monuments and public historical markers
“Think about what you have done and try to leave this world a little bit better than you found it. That's all there is. You don't have to be a genius. You don't have to be anything. Just leave it a little bit better.”
Tova Friedman
Conservative objections to frank depictions of puberty and language in books for young readers
Frederick Douglass's role in shaping America's vision of freedom and equality
Alice Paul's militancy and embodiment of the "new woman" ideal
Studying history and the value of knowledge gained through experience
Mother's advocacy for equal educational placement and opportunities
Consensus building and empathy as guiding principles of university leadership
Early academic experiences and a discouraging advisor's comment about women in chemistry
Mother's encouragement to learn piano and the challenges of practicing after the war
The New York Public Library's mission of intellectual freedom for all
Lessons from a deep friendship with someone experiencing depression
