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| Judith Levy (photo: Jeffrey Tholl) |
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Judith Levy is a grandmother to five grandchildren. She began her life as one of 10 children in an immigrant family and proudly reached for the American dream, beginning her career as a singer and TV news reporter. The creator of the family keepsake genre, Levy has written 13 books. Her first, Grandmother Remembers, reached #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Her books have sold more than six million copies, helping families across the world preserve their memories, traditions, recipes, and photos in beautifully illustrated albums that will be passed down for generations to come. Her most recent book, Great-Grandmother Remembers (G Editions, $20) is the ideal gift for the holiday season--it's a book that will bring families together.
What does a physical journal like Great-Grandmother Remembers offer families that digital photos don't?
The physical journal is special because it's more than photographs; it's a treasured family heirloom that shares the memories of the great-grandmother's roots, family, childhood, married life, and more. Pictures are an important part of sharing these stories, but the book itself is for great-grandmothers to share family history and love.
How do you structure the prompts for a journal like this?
In compiling this book, I interviewed many grandchildren, who shared what they really wanted to know about this special lady in their life. With their questions in mind, I organized the prompts chronologically to allow the great-grandmother to take her grandchildren on a journey through her life.
What are some qualities that distinguish something an heirloom?
This is a family heirloom because those memories are precious and worth their weight in gold. This beautifully illustrated family treasure will last and be passed from generation to generation.
How do you cope with the loss of an heirloom?
You can't replace what you've lost, and that's something to grieve; however, remembering and creating records like Great-Grandmother Remembers can help you preserve those heirlooms in writing for future generations.
What are five heirlooms you'll never part with?
My most precious heirlooms include my grandmother's special necklace, the handkerchief that she sewed, her gold earrings, and her charity box--but mostly, the wisdom she shared with me.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
I loved the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene. Seeing Nancy succeed as the heroine in her own stories made me feel I could succeed as well.
Name one book that changed your life:
Reading the Bible changed my life; I was inspired by the ethics and wanted to try to live up those teachings. Although, to be frank, I'd say that my own book Grandmother Remembers changed my life, too. It made me a published author.
What's your favorite line from a book?
My favorite line from a book comes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The White Company: "You are my heart, my life, my one and only thought."