Biography Questions

Family Biography Questions

This is a list of questions brainstormed by our class. These are some ideas to use in your interview. Do not use all of these questions. Try to ask a few from each category, so that you will have enough to write a chapter for each section. Some you might already have answers to, so you can skip those, and just focus on finding out new information that you do not know.

Remember that the main idea of this is to go through the interview process, and get information from a primary source.

Origins

Where were you born?

When were you born?

Where were your parents from?

What were your parents’ names?

Tell me about your birth?

How much did you weigh?

How long did you stay in your first home (how old were you when you first moved?)

Did you have any siblings?

Were they younger, or older, and what were their names?

Growing Up

Tell me about living with your siblings. Did you get along?

What were your favourite things to do when you were young?

What are some of the tasks or chores that you had to perform when you were young?

Who were your closest friends?

Did you have a part time job while growing up?

Did you play sports when you were young?

Did you have siblings that you grew up with?

Did you have pets when you were young?

Do you remember going on any trips when you were young?

Did anyone in your family play musical instruments in the house?

Did you take music lessons or play an instrument when you were young?

Do you remember any major world events that happened when you were young?

Do you have any memory of important events during your youth?

Did you win any kinds of awards or have any major achievements?

Education

Did you ever move schools? What do you remember about moving schools?

How many schools did you attend?

What school, or schools did you go to?

What were your teachers like?

Tell me about your favourite teacher.

Did you have good friends in school?

Were you involved in clubs or sports when you were at school?

Were you ever a teacher’s pet? Were you a troublemaker?

Did you ever get in to a lot of trouble at school? How would the teachers discipline you?

What were your grades like?

Did you ever skip a grade?

Were you very popular at school?

Did you go to high school?

Did you graduate high school?

What were your favourite subjects in school?

Did you go to college or university?

If so, where did you go and what for?

What do you remember most about your school days?

Occupation

If you worked during your life, what was your main job or occupation?

Where did you work?

What was your first job?

Did you quit this job or get fired?

Were you ever worried that you’d fail?

Tell me about your most influential boss?

How many jobs did you do during your life?

How did you get involved in your career path?

Did you have to start working before you wanted to? If so, why?

Was it difficult to find a job?

When did you start working in your main occupation?

How long did you work before you retired (if you did)?

When did you retire? How old were you when you retired?

Does your company or the place you worked still exist?

Do you think that you were fairly paid for your work?

Did you work in a family business?

Did you like doing your job?

Are you still involved with your career in any way?

Did your travel for your work?

Did you ever lose your job due to a recession, or get laid off?

Did you work after you got married? If so, did your job change at all?

Did you work after you had children? If so, did your job change at all?

Did you work through any major wars? If so, did your job change at all?

Love and Marriage

Tell me about your first love. Are you still in touch with him/her?

Have you ever been married?

Tell me about where you met your wife/husband.

What made you fall in love with this person?

What was the proposal like?

Tell me about your wedding. Who was in your bridal party? Are you still in touch with these people?

What were some of the most memorable moments in your relationship?

Did you ever travel anywhere special together, like on a honeymoon?

Are you still married now?

Did you have any struggles in your relationship, or did you have to endure any hardship?

Family Life

How many children did you have?

Tell me being a parent. Was it more or less difficult then you thought it would be?

Tell me about what life was like when my parent was a child. Do you have any memorable/embarrassing stories you can share?

What other family members would you see back then? Who would have been at a typical holiday gathering?

What was your most favourite part of watching your children grow up?

What was your least favourite part of watching your children grow up?

World News

Do you remember when the first people stepped on the moon? Where were you or how old were you?

What did you think about when 9/11 happened? Where were you?

Did you ever live through a major war? What do you remember about it? How did it effect your life?

Have you ever met someone famous?

What are some of the major world events that you recall?

What are some of the trends that you remember from the past that you enjoyed, or that seem interesting?

What are some of the most interesting inventions that you have seen, and how did they change your life?

How do you feel about the changes in technology that you have seen in your lifetime?

Major Events

Tell me about how you may have endured any hard times in your life.

Tell me about the most memorable moments of your life.

What would you say the happiest times in your life were?

Were there any real sad times that you can share?

Was there ever a serious illness that you had to deal with?

Do you recall any deaths that had a major effect on you or your life?

Past Times/Sports/Hobbies

Do your have any special interests, sports you play, or hobbies? What are they?

How did you get involved in this?

What do you like about this?

Can you tell me some interesting facts about your pastime?

When did you start getting involved with this activity?

Are you still interested?

Have you ever thought of quitting or retiring from this pastime?

Do you keep in touch with old friends you made through this pastime?

Are there any major accomplishments that you have achieved through this activity?

Make a Change/Social Justice

What things do you see in the world today that concerns you?

What do you hope the next generation can work to change in the world?

What kinds of volunteer work, or charity work have you been involved with, of do you find important.

Words of Wisdom and Thank You

What have you learned in your lifetime that you think you might share with the younger generation? Any advice of any kind?

What are you most grateful for in your life?

How do you think you might have made the most impact on those around you?

Epilogue (the rest of the story up to now)

Tell me about where you live now.

Is your partner still living with you?

Tell me about being a grandparent. Do you enjoy it?

How old are you now?

Tell me about a typical day for you.

Are you retired?

How do you keep active?

Do you have any pets?

Pictures (these are some questions you might need answered if you make use of any pictures in your biography)

Where was this photo taken?

When was it taken?

What is happening in the picture?

Who is in the picture?

How did you feel at this moment?

What do you remember about the event this photo is showing?